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10-step setup guide

This step-by-step guide will help you get your boat rental platform fully operational. We'll walk you through the entire process, from basic setup to your first successful booking.

Step 1: Set your general information​

→ Start here: General Information

First things first - let's establish your business basics. This information will appear throughout your booking system and in communications with customers.

What you'll configure:

  • Company name and contact details - Your business identity that appears on all customer communications
  • Business address and location - Physical location details for customer reference and legal requirements
  • Terms and conditions - Legal agreements that customers must accept before booking
  • Privacy policy settings - GDPR compliance and data handling preferences
  • Default language and currency - Localization settings for your target market

Pro tip: Take your time with this step - these details will be visible to all your customers and help build trust in your rental business.

Step 2: Compose your notifications​

→ Configure notifications

Stay connected with your customers through automated notifications. Set up email templates for different booking scenarios.

Key notifications to configure:

  • Booking confirmation emails - Automatic confirmations sent immediately after successful bookings
  • Payment confirmations - Receipt emails for processed payments and deposits
  • Booking changes and cancellations - Updates when customers or you modify existing bookings
  • Reminder emails before rental dates - Helpful reminders sent 24-48 hours before rental start
  • Custom messages for special situations - Personalized templates for weather delays, maintenance issues, etc.

Why this matters: Professional, timely communication builds customer confidence and reduces support inquiries.

Step 3: Create a dock to store your boats​

→ Create your first dock

Organize your fleet by creating docks - these are locations where your boats are stored and where customers will pick them up.

What you can set up:

  • Multiple dock locations - Separate facilities for different areas or boat types
  • Dock names and descriptions - Clear identifiers and helpful details for customers
  • Address and GPS coordinates - Precise location data for navigation and pickup instructions
  • Special instructions for customers - Parking information, access codes, contact persons

Planning ahead: Even if you only have one location now, setting up docks properly makes it easy to expand later.

Step 4: Add your boats and assign them to the dock​

→ Add your boats

Time to add your fleet! This is where you'll input all the details about each boat you want to rent out.

For each boat, you'll configure:

  • Boat name and description - Memorable names and detailed descriptions to help customers choose
  • Technical specifications - Length, capacity, engine type, fuel requirements, and performance details
  • High-quality photos - Multiple angles showing exterior, interior, and key features
  • Dock assignment - Which dock location each boat is stored at and available from
  • Special features and equipment included - GPS, fishing equipment, safety gear, audio systems, etc.

Photography tip: Great photos are crucial - they're often the deciding factor for customers choosing between rental options.

Need more details? Check our comprehensive guides on managing boats and fleet and assigning boats to docks.

Step 5: Set up when the boats are available for rental​

→ Set up schedules

Control your availability by creating weekly rental schedules. This determines when customers can book your boats.

Schedule options:

  • Weekly recurring availability - Set standard operating hours for each day of the week
  • Seasonal adjustments - Different schedules for summer/winter or peak/off-peak periods
  • Holiday schedules - Special availability for public holidays and local events
  • Maintenance periods - Block out time for boat servicing and repairs
  • Custom availability rules - Override defaults for specific dates or special circumstances

Best practice: Start with conservative availability hours and expand as you get comfortable with operations.

Step 6: Decide on your pricing​

→ Configure pricing

Set your rates with flexible pricing options that can adapt to different seasons, durations, and demand.

Pricing features:

  • Base hourly/daily rates - Standard pricing for different rental durations
  • Seasonal pricing adjustments - Higher rates during peak season, lower during off-season
  • Weekend and holiday premiums - Increased pricing for high-demand periods
  • Multi-day discounts - Incentives for longer rental periods
  • Dynamic pricing rules - Advanced rules based on availability, demand, or booking timing

Strategy tip: Research local competitors and consider your costs (fuel, maintenance, insurance) when setting prices.

Step 7: Configure when a booking is confirmed​

→ Set confirmation methods

Decide your confirmation flow - when do bookings become official and how do customers receive confirmation?

Confirmation options:

  • Instant confirmation upon payment - Bookings are automatically confirmed when payment is processed
  • Manual approval process - You review and approve each booking before confirmation
  • Deposit-based confirmation - Bookings confirmed after partial payment, with balance due later
  • Custom confirmation rules - Different confirmation methods based on boat type, duration, or customer history

Consider your workflow: Choose a method that fits your availability to review bookings and your customers' expectations.

Learn more: See our detailed guide on booking confirmation settings

Step 8: Bind it all together in the rental setup​

→ Build your rental setup

Connect all the pieces by creating your rental flow. This combines boats, pricing, schedules, and settings into a bookable experience.

What gets connected:

  • Available boats and their schedules - Link your fleet with their availability windows
  • Pricing rules and calculations - Apply your pricing strategy to the booking flow
  • Booking flow and requirements - Define the steps customers go through to complete bookings
  • Customer information collection - Specify what details you need from renters
  • Terms and conditions acceptance - Ensure customers agree to your policies before booking

This is the magic step: Everything you've configured so far comes together into your actual booking system.

Step 9: Customize your styling​

→ Customize styling

Make it yours by customizing the look and feel of your booking interface to match your brand.

Styling options:

  • Color schemes and branding - Match your website colors and brand identity
  • Logo and imagery - Upload your business logo and background images
  • Font choices - Select typography that reflects your brand personality
  • Layout preferences - Choose how information is displayed and organized
  • Mobile responsiveness - Ensure great experience across all device types

Branding matters: A professional, cohesive appearance builds trust and can justify premium pricing.

Step 10: Connect your payment provider​

→ Connect payment provider

Get paid securely by connecting a payment provider to handle customer transactions safely.

Payment setup:

  • Connect Stripe or Mollie - Integration with trusted payment processors
  • Configure accepted payment methods - Credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers
  • Set up payout schedules - How often funds are transferred to your business account
  • Test payment processing - Verify transactions work correctly before going live

Security first: Using integrated payment providers ensures PCI compliance and customer trust.

Testing phase: Before you go live​

Before accepting real bookings, thoroughly test your setup:

Test scenarios:

  • Complete a successful booking from start to finish
  • Try a failed payment scenario
  • Test booking modifications and cancellations
  • Verify all notification emails are working
  • Check mobile responsiveness
  • Confirm pricing calculations are accurate

Fine-tuning: Use this testing phase to adjust availability, pricing, or messaging based on the user experience.

Going live: You're ready to rent!​

Once you're satisfied with your testing:

  1. Add billing information for your Let's Book account
  2. Publish your setup to make it live
  3. Add the booking form to your website - see our platform-specific guides
  4. Share your booking link with potential customers

Success! You're now ready to start renting​

Congratulations! You've successfully set up Let's Book and you're ready to start accepting bookings. Your boat rental business is now equipped with:

  • Professional booking system
  • Automated customer communications
  • Secure payment processing
  • Flexible pricing and availability management
  • Branded customer experience

What's next? Monitor your first few bookings closely, gather customer feedback, and don't hesitate to adjust your settings as you learn what works best for your business.

Need help? Our support team is here to assist you every step of the way. Happy sailing! 🛥️

For more detailed information on specific features:

Fleet management:

Website integration:

Additional resources:

This guide covers the essential setup steps. For more detailed information on any specific feature, check out our comprehensive documentation or contact our support team.