A Disney vacation sparked an entrepreneurial idea that would transform Tampa’s waterfront tourism scene. Jason Olewinski spotted two-seater mini powerboats at a resort and immediately envisioned a similar experience on Tampa’s newly completed Riverwalk. He pitched the concept to the city, secured a prime location, and launched Riverwalk Boating Company.
Ten years later, Jason has built a thriving multi-business operation on the docks, including a fleet of mini powerboats, electric duffy boats, floating pedal boats, and more. But running a high-volume, fast-paced boat rental operation with dozens of hourly bookings each day required the right boat rental booking software to keep everything organized.
After testing multiple platforms including FareHarbor, Peek, and BookingCentral over nearly seven years, Jason made the switch to WaveRez. Here’s why he believes industry-specific watersport reservation software made all the difference for his growing business.
The Breaking Point with Generic Booking Platforms
Jason’s journey through different reservation systems highlights a common problem in the boat rental industry: most booking platforms try to serve every type of business, from zip lines to cooking classes, rather than focusing on the unique needs of marine operations.
“FareHarbor was getting more corporate and felt like they were prioritizing investors over operators,” Jason explained. “They started charging OTA fees and shifted their website strategy in ways that just didn’t feel right for boat rental businesses.”
After nearly seven years with FareHarbor, Jason began exploring alternatives but struggled to find solutions that truly understood his operational needs.
Common challenges with generic booking platforms:
- Designed for all industries rather than marine-specific operations
- Limited understanding of boat rental workflows and requirements
- Increasing fees and corporate focus over operator needs
- Lack of features designed for high-frequency, short-duration rentals
- Poor integration with marine industry compliance tools
These issues become especially problematic for high-volume operations managing dozens of rentals per day.
That changed when Jason discovered WaveRez at an industry conference and immediately recognized the difference.
“WaveRez is built with boat rentals in mind. It’s not a generic platform trying to serve every possible business type. It’s focused specifically on our industry, and that focus shows in every feature.”
The Matrix View: Digitizing Traditional Boat Rental Management
For boat rental operations managing multiple vessels and rapid turnover, visual scheduling becomes critical. Jason’s team had been using a dry erase board system that worked but had obvious limitations.
“We used to manage everything with a dry erase board,” Jason said. “Each boat had its own row, and we’d mark down time slots, erase them, move people around if they were late, and cross out boats if they broke down. It worked, but it wasn’t scalable or efficient.”
WaveRez’s Matrix view provided the digital evolution of this proven system while adding powerful new capabilities.
“The Matrix is essentially a digital version of our dry erase board, but it’s incredibly intuitive and much more powerful,” he explained. “We can see everything at a glance and make changes instantly.”
Key benefits of the Matrix view for boat rental operations:
- Visual representation of all boats and time slots in one screen
- Real-time updates that sync across all devices and staff members
- Ability for staff to make immediate changes without manager approval
- Easy boat status management for maintenance or weather issues
- Drag-and-drop functionality for quick booking adjustments
This visual approach WaveRez takes eliminates confusion and speeds up decision-making during busy periods.
The Matrix also empowered Jason’s staff to handle situations independently, improving operational efficiency.
“Before, if a boat had to be shut down for maintenance, I had to handle it in the backend system. Now, employees can toggle it off directly in the Matrix. It saves time and lets them make smart decisions without waiting for me to intervene.”
Measurable Business Improvements
Jason approaches his business from an operations perspective and values systems that deliver clear, measurable improvements. Since switching to WaveRez, he’s seen several key benefits.
Compliance Integration “In Florida, we’re required to use vQuip for compliance reporting. WaveRez integrates directly with it, which saves us a significant amount of time. And in our business, time really is money.”
Improved Conversion Rates “Our booking portal is much cleaner and more intuitive now. The customer view is simple and straightforward. Our conversion rate has definitely improved since making the switch.”
Operational Efficiency The combination of industry-specific features and intuitive design has streamlined daily operations, allowing Jason’s team to focus on customer service rather than wrestling with booking software limitations.
Industry Focus Makes the Difference
After testing multiple reservation platforms, Jason emphasized how important it is to use boat rental booking software designed specifically for marine operations.
“Most platforms are trying to be everything for everyone. WaveRez is focused on boat rentals and tours, and that focus makes a huge difference in how well the software actually works for our business.”
Advantages of WaveRez
- Features designed for marine operation workflows
- Integration with industry-specific compliance tools
- Understanding of boat rental pricing models and seasonality
- Support teams familiar with marine business challenges
- Continuous development focused on watersport operator needs
Generic platforms often require extensive workarounds and still miss critical functionality that marine businesses need.
Jason also appreciates the clear direction and commitment to the marine industry that WaveRez demonstrates.
“If the software is already working this well now, I know the future development will be even better. They’re committed to our niche and continue building features that boat rental operators actually use.”
Support That Understands Your Business
One of Jason’s biggest frustrations with previous platforms was getting support from representatives who didn’t understand the unique challenges of running a boat rental operation. WaveRez changed that experience completely.
“We had some very specific operational needs during onboarding. The WaveRez team took the time to really understand our business model and helped us get everything configured exactly the way we wanted it.”
The ongoing support experience has been equally impressive, with responsive help available directly within the platform.
“There’s built-in chat support right in the dashboard. If I need help, I type a message and someone responds within seconds. I’m not left waiting around like I was with other systems. It’s fast and personal.”
Making the Switch: Advice for Other Operators
For boat rental operators considering a change from their current reservation system, Jason offers practical guidance based on his experience testing multiple platforms.
“Think carefully about your ideal operational setup. Map out exactly what you want your reservation system to do for your specific business model. Then look at WaveRez and see how it addresses those needs. You’ll likely find it checks all the boxes, and you might even discover new features you didn’t know you needed.”
Questions to consider when evaluating boat rental booking software:
- Does the platform understand marine operation workflows?
- Can staff make real-time changes without admin intervention?
- How does it handle compliance requirements specific to your location?
- What does the customer booking experience look like?
- Is support provided by people who understand boat rental businesses?
The right watersport reservation software should feel intuitive and purpose-built for your industry.
🌊 Ready to Streamline Your Boat Rental Operation?
Riverwalk Boating Company’s success story demonstrates how switching to WaveRez can transform daily operations while improving customer experience and business results. From visual scheduling tools to seamless compliance integration, purpose-built platforms deliver features that generic systems simply can’t match.
If you’re ready to experience the difference that marine industry-focused reservation software can make for your operation, schedule a free demo to see how WaveRez can transform your boat rental business.
About the Author
Amber Dudley
