Your boat. Your routes. Your income.

You already sail these waters. Stowaway helps paying guests find your available places — and handles payments, refunds and messaging.

Apply to be a captain

Free to join. Licensed and insured captains only.

How it works

Apply & get reviewed

Upload your license and passenger insurance certificate. Our team reviews your documents before you can list.

List your voyage

Set your route, dates, berths and price. It takes about five minutes.

Approve your guests

Travelers request to join. Chat first, then accept the ones you want aboard.

Get paid

Money is held securely when they book and paid to your bank when the trip is done.

Keep 88%

Of each booking. Card processing is covered by Stowaway's 12% fee; no extra processing deduction from your share.

Payment protection

Travelers pay up front through secure checkout. No chasing cash on the dock.

You're in control

You approve every guest, set your own prices, and can cancel for weather or safety. Guests receive a full refund if you cancel.

What you'd actually earn

Example: a 3-night island run with 4 spare berths at $450 each

4 berths × $450$1,800

Stowaway fee (12%)−$216

Paid to your bank$1,584

Card processing comes out of Stowaway's 12%, not your 88%. Paid out automatically when you mark the trip complete, subject to payout setup. You set the price.

What you need to list

A captain credential that legally lets you carry paying passengers on this route (in the U.S., typically a USCG OUPV "six-pack" or Master license).
A vessel that may legally carry that number of paying guests (e.g. uninspected vessels are limited to 6 passengers in U.S. waters).
A current insurance certificate that covers paying passengers — many recreational policies exclude them, so check with your broker.
Required safety gear aboard, and customs/immigration paperwork for any international leg.

Weather cancellations

If conditions aren't safe, cancel — no fee to you. Travelers get a full, automatic refund from the held payment, so you never have to hand money back yourself. You can also offer to reschedule; they simply rebook on your new date.

Guests, not crew: travelers book as paying guests. You can't require them to work the boat.

Be one of our founding captains

Stowaway is new. Early captains get featured placement while we grow. Joining and verification are free.

Apply to be a captain