What hosting your slip overnight actually pays
Owners ask the same first question: is this worth it? Here is how the math works on Sea-Esta — the rate you set, the fees that come out, and the costs most owners forget to subtract.
What owners charge per night
Nightly rates across current Sea-Esta listings run from about $155 to $2,400. The spread is driven by three things, in order: the marina, the vessel, and the season.
| Driver | Pushes rate up | Pushes rate down |
|---|---|---|
| Marina | Walkable town, resort port, hard-to-get transient dockage | Industrial basin, long drive to anything |
| Vessel | Catamaran beam, private heads, A/C, real galley | Single head, no shore power, tight V-berth |
| Season | Peak summer weekends, regatta and festival weeks | Shoulder weeknights, off-season |
Set your rate by looking at slips in your own port on the listings feed, not the national range. A slip two docks over is the only real comparable you have.
The fees that come out of a booking
Sea-Esta's take is deliberately thin:
- 1.5% service fee on the subtotal (nights plus cleaning).
- 2.9% + $0.30 Stripe processing, passed through on card payments only.
- 0% when the guest pays in USDC on Base — no card rails, no processing fee.
A worked month
A 42-foot sloop at $340 a night with a $120 cleaning fee, booked eight nights in a month across four two-night weekends, paid by card:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| 8 nights × $340 | $2,720 |
| Cleaning, 4 stays × $120 | $480 |
| Subtotal | $3,200 |
| Service fee (1.5%) | −$48 |
| Card processing (2.9% + $0.30 × 4) | −$95 |
| Gross to owner | ≈ $3,057 |
Same month settled in USDC instead: roughly $3,152, because the card processing line disappears.
Subtract these before you call it profit
- Turnover labor — your hours or a cleaner's. Budget 90 minutes to two hours per stay.
- Linens and consumables — bedding sets, towels, coffee, paper goods, holding-tank chemicals.
- Pumpouts and water — guest nights fill the holding tank faster than your own use does.
- Wear — upholstery, head hardware, hatch screens and cockpit cushions age on guest schedules.
- Insurance delta — the premium change once your policy covers paid overnight guests. See the dock insurance guide.
- Dockage terms — some marinas charge a guest or transient surcharge per night.
- Tax — rental income is generally reportable; some ports also levy lodging tax.
Raising income without raising your rate
- Open shoulder-season weeknights. Empty nights earn nothing, and weeknight guests are usually lower-impact.
- Publish accurate dock photos and slip pins. Guests book the listing they can picture arriving at.
- Reply to booking requests quickly — every request in your host inbox carries the guest's name, dates and note, so you can answer in one pass.
- Set a two-night weekend minimum before you raise the nightly rate; it cuts turnovers rather than demand.
Questions owners ask
How much can I make renting my slip or boat overnight?
Nightly rates on Sea-Esta listings run roughly $155 to $2,400 depending on the marina, the vessel and the season. Gross income is nights booked times your nightly rate plus any cleaning fee, minus the platform service fee of 1.5% and, on card payments, Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30.
What fees come out of a booking?
Sea-Esta charges a 1.5% service fee on the subtotal (nights plus cleaning). Card payments also carry Stripe's pass-through processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30. Paying in USDC on Base carries no processing fee.
Is slip income taxable?
Rental income is generally reportable. Rules differ by country, state and how often you rent, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.
Does my marina allow overnight guests aboard?
Many marinas allow liveaboard nights or guest stays with notice; some restrict or prohibit short-term rentals in the slip. Read your dockage agreement and ask the harbormaster before you list.
List your slip on Sea-Esta
Publish your slip, set your nights, and take booking requests with guest name, dates and notes in one inbox.
Browse slips and start hostingGeneral information for boat owners, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Confirm dockage rules with your marina and coverage with your insurer before hosting.