Terms & Conditions

1. Agreement and eligibility

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) form a binding agreement between you and SailHopper (“SailHopper”, “we”, “us” or “our”) concerning your access to and use of our websites, applications and related services (together, the “Platform”). By accessing the Platform, creating an account or submitting a listing, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to these Terms.

You must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering contracts. If you act for a company, boat owner, fleet manager or other organisation, you confirm that you have authority to bind that organisation.

2. SailHopper’s role

SailHopper is a boat rental marketplace that helps users discover boats and connect with independent owners, operators and charter companies (“Owners”). Unless expressly stated otherwise, SailHopper does not own, operate, inspect, maintain or control listed boats and is not a party to any charter or rental contract concluded between a user and an Owner.

Listings, availability, prices, taxes, deposits, fuel, crew charges, itineraries, cancellation policies and other terms are supplied by Owners and may change. Users must verify all material details before confirming a booking.

3. Accounts and account security

You must provide accurate, current and complete information and keep it updated. You are responsible for all activity under your account and for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials. Notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorised use.

One person or business may maintain one owner account and add multiple boats to it. Accounts may not be sold, transferred or shared in a misleading manner. We may request identity, business or authority verification before enabling listing publication or other Platform functions.

4. Boat-owner and operator obligations

By submitting a boat, you represent and warrant that throughout the listing and every resulting trip:

• you own the boat or hold valid written authority to manage and charter it;
• the boat is properly registered, documented and legally permitted for its advertised use in every relevant jurisdiction;
• you maintain valid insurance appropriate for commercial or peer-to-peer rental, charter activity, passengers, crew and relevant waters;
• the boat is seaworthy, well maintained and equipped with all legally required safety and navigation equipment;
• all captains and crew hold the licences, qualifications and medical fitness required by applicable law;
• you comply with maritime, port, customs, immigration, tax, consumer, employment, data-protection and accessibility laws that apply to you;
• you will provide requested evidence of ownership, authority, registration, insurance, inspections and licences; and
• you will not discriminate unlawfully or place guests at avoidable risk.

SailHopper may reject or remove a listing if documents are missing, expired, inconsistent or cannot reasonably be verified.

5. Listing standards

Listings must be accurate, clear and not misleading. Owners must disclose the correct vessel, model, year, capacity, location, condition, amenities, accessibility, operating limits, skipper arrangement, permitted activities and material exclusions. Photographs must show the actual boat offered and must be recent enough to represent its present condition.

All mandatory and optional charges must be disclosed, including the base price, charter duration, skipper and crew, fuel, cleaning, marina fees, taxes, security deposit, catering, water toys, overtime and gratuities. Owners must update availability and promptly correct inaccurate information. Duplicate, bait-and-switch, unlawful or unavailable listings are prohibited.

A saved draft is not public and does not constitute approval. SailHopper may edit formatting, request clarification or require verification before publication, but the owner remains responsible for the substance and legality of the listing.

6. Enquiries, bookings and contracts

At the current MVP stage, users can send a booking request through SailHopper. A request is not a confirmed booking until the Owner accepts it and both parties agree the price, availability, payment terms and rental or charter contract.

The Owner and renter remain responsible for entering and performing the applicable rental or charter contract. Any additional booking terms displayed during a future checkout will supplement these Terms and prevail for that booking if there is a conflict.

7. Prices, fees, deposits and taxes

Displayed prices may be estimates, starting prices or converted amounts. Currency conversions may vary and bank or card fees may apply. Until SailHopper introduces marketplace payments, payments, refunds, deposits and charge disputes are handled directly between the Owner and renter.

Owners are responsible for setting lawful prices, issuing required invoices and declaring and paying all applicable taxes, duties, permit fees and social contributions. SailHopper may introduce service or commission fees in the future, but applicable fees will be disclosed before an owner publishes or a user completes a paid transaction.

8. Cancellations, weather and changes

The cancellation and refund policy shown by the Owner at the time of booking governs the booking. Weather-related decisions must prioritise maritime safety and comply with the captain’s lawful judgment and applicable rules. Users should confirm how weather cancellations, mechanical problems, itinerary changes, late arrivals and owner cancellations are handled before booking.

SailHopper is not responsible for an Owner’s cancellation, substitution, delay, route change or refusal of service, although we may assist with communication where our Platform supports it.

9. Safety and user responsibilities

Boating involves inherent risks, including changing weather, waves, slips, collision, seasickness, equipment failure and remote access to medical assistance. Users must follow the captain’s safety instructions, wear safety equipment when directed, disclose relevant accessibility or medical needs to the Owner, supervise children and avoid unsafe or unlawful conduct.

Users must not operate a boat unless expressly authorised, appropriately licensed, competent, sober and legally permitted. An Owner or captain may refuse boarding or end a trip where conduct, intoxication, passenger numbers, weather or other circumstances create a safety or legal concern.

10. Prohibited conduct

You may not use the Platform to commit fraud; misrepresent identity, ownership, availability or boat condition; infringe rights; evade lawful fees; scrape or copy the Platform at scale; introduce malicious code; interfere with security; harass others; arrange illegal activities; exceed legal passenger limits; or publish discriminatory, obscene or deceptive content.

11. Content and intellectual property

You retain ownership of content you submit. You grant SailHopper a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to host, reproduce, resize, translate, format, display and distribute that content for operating, marketing and improving the Platform and your listings. You confirm that you own or have permission to use all submitted photographs, text, trademarks and other materials.

The SailHopper name, logo, interface, software and original content are owned by or licensed to SailHopper. Except as permitted by law, you may not copy, modify, sell or create derivative works from them without written permission.

12. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

The Platform is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we do not warrant that listings are complete, boats are available or suitable, Owners will perform, or the Platform will be uninterrupted or error-free.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, SailHopper will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive loss, loss of profit, loss of opportunity, data loss, personal property loss, or acts or omissions of users, owners, captains or crew. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or death or personal injury caused by our negligence where applicable.

Where liability may lawfully be limited, SailHopper’s total liability arising from the Platform will not exceed the greater of the fees you paid directly to SailHopper during the twelve months preceding the event giving rise to the claim or €100.

13. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, owners and business users agree to indemnify and hold SailHopper harmless from third-party claims, losses, penalties and reasonable legal costs arising from their boats, trips, listings, breach of these Terms, violation of law, infringement of rights, or acts or omissions of their staff, contractors, captains or crew.

14. Suspension and termination

We may investigate, restrict, suspend or terminate accounts or listings where we reasonably believe there is fraud, risk to safety, missing verification, legal non-compliance, infringement, repeated complaints or a material breach of these Terms. We may preserve records where required for legal, safety, fraud-prevention or dispute purposes.

You may stop using the Platform at any time. Provisions concerning liability, intellectual property, indemnity, disputes and other terms that by their nature should survive will remain effective after termination.

15. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer law entitles a consumer to bring proceedings in another jurisdiction. Before starting formal proceedings, you agree to contact us and attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

16. Changes to the Platform or Terms

We may update the Platform and these Terms to reflect new features, legal requirements or business practices. The effective date will be updated when changes are published. If a material change affects registered users, we will provide reasonable notice where practicable. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain effective. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. These Terms, together with policies and booking terms expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the agreement concerning the Platform.

17. Contact

Questions, complaints or legal notices may be sent to legal@sailhopper.com. The legal name, registered address and company number of the SailHopper operating entity must be inserted here before commercial launch.