Boatsetter: in Brooklyn you can book a boat with a captain who will teach you how to sail

Alexander Dunaysky is the owner of The Moose, a 7m sailboat moored off Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. Here his name is Captain Alex, reports Insider.

One Thursday in September I signed up for a 2 hour sailing lesson aboard The Moose via boatsetter. The boat rental platform has raised $70 million in funding in hopes of becoming the “Airbnb of boats.” It currently has 50 listings in 000 locations around the world.

Now you can rent a stranger's house, swimming pool, car, private gym, and yes, even his sailboat. Ten years ago, this level of intimacy between strangers would have been unthinkable. Now, with a handy messaging app, making connections like taking a tour with Captain Alex is more accessible than ever.

Through things like insurance coverage, testimonials and in-app messaging, the startup has successfully convinced boat owners to trust strangers aboard multi-million dollar boats in the middle of the sea.

The first time I used the app, I was able to navigate it easily.

From fishing to sailing and sunset cruises. Then I requested the date and time of my lesson, they were confirmed on the same day.

Finding an ad within my budget was the hardest part of the process. Most ads listed a minimum of two to three hours plus a captain's fee. The Moose was the least expensive option in my area. In total, I was charged for the boat. $150 for two hours, $150 captain fee and $50 service fee.

I met Alex at the address listed on my travel itinerary. And upon arrival I sent him a message through the application. Our journey then began at the Miramar Yacht Club, founded in 1944 by a group of Jewish sailors who were then banned from joining local yacht clubs. The organization still advertises itself today as "a haven for seafarers of every nationality and race."

“I call it the Brooklyn Riviera,” Captain Alex said as he led us between Rockaway and Manhattan Beach, beginning his tour of the South Brooklyn coast that ended at Coney Island.

Once Alex discovered that I already knew the basics of sailing, he allowed me to become a skipper. Along the way, I learned how to perform a “roll to the side” maneuver and better navigate when changing wind direction.

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Despite his passion for sailing, Alex grew up away from the sport. In fact, he didn't set foot on a sailboat until he was 40 years old.

“As soon as I stepped on board, I was hooked,” he said. “I don’t know, maybe I was a pirate or something in a past life.”

Prior to his serious back injury, Alex said he enjoyed water skiing and other water sports. Now he brings The Moose up to twice a day, if the wind is good and the sun is shining.

He loves to teach beginner sailors, but he says it's hard to find apprentices.

Most New Yorkers prefer sunset booze cruises over learning to swim. That's why he tries to make the 2-hour class more fun than stressful.

There are Nutella Kinder bars packed in the fridge, plus additional photos Alex takes along the way. His “real” job, as he calls it, is as a commercial real estate videographer.

A 2-hour lesson cost $350. That's a high price for one person, but more affordable for three or four, he notes. According to his receipts, Boatsetter is getting a 10% discount.

Captain Alex is not getting enough orders through the app to make a living. But this is his dream. He took out tourists and local children whose mothers tried to tear them away from the screens.

“It gives the boat owner and the average guy an opportunity to earn extra money doing what they love,” he said. “A guy like me couldn’t just get clients.”

From the user's point of view, traveling was a convenient way to escape the New York heat and get out on the water. Boatsetter is a prime example of how technology can contribute to an unforgettable life experience.