On the water, the paperwork is the safety system. A boat rental agreement says who is responsible for the boat; a liability waiver says each person aboard understands the risk. Both need to be signed before the boat leaves the dock, by everyone who should sign them. This is not legal advice; have your wording reviewed for your jurisdiction.
Agreement and waiver are different documents
The rental agreement is between the business and the renter: the boat, the dates and hours, the deposit, fuel, damage, the operating area, weather and cancellation, and who may operate the boat.
The liability waiver is between the business and each person aboard: an acknowledgement of the risks of boating, a release, and medical and emergency information. A renter cannot sign a waiver for another adult.
Every adult signs their own
A party of six needs one agreement and six waivers (minors on a parent's). Sending one link to the renter and hoping they forward it does not work on a Saturday morning. Send each adult their own link by text or email once the booking has their details, and let anyone who missed it sign on a phone at the dock. Share Marketplace does exactly this: per-attendee waivers from the booking, walk-up signing at the dock, and every signed document stored on the booking.
The safety checklist
In Canada, a pleasure craft rental requires a safety checklist covering the vessel, its equipment and the operator's competence; the operator signs it and a copy stays with the business. Do it on the same phone as the waiver, with the boat's name and the date, and store it with the booking. The checklist is a legal requirement, not a formality, and a stored copy is what you produce if asked.
Captained trips
For captained trips the agreement is simpler (the business operates the boat) but the waivers are the same: every guest signs. Guest details can be collected after booking, with the waivers sent as the names come in.
What the agreement should cover
- Vessel, dates, launch and return times, return location
- Operator, competency or licence, minimum age
- Deposit or hold, fuel, cleaning, late return
- Operating area, no-go zones, weather and cancellation policy
- Damage, loss, towing and salvage
- Who may operate; no subletting
Getting it signed in time
Send the documents at booking, remind the day before, and check the status on the departures board. A booking with unsigned waivers is not ready to launch; the board should say so in one glance.
Checklist
- Rental agreement per booking; waiver per adult
- Safety checklist signed by the operator and stored
- Links sent automatically; walk-up signing at the dock
- Signed status visible before launch
The boat rental software page shows walk-up signing and the departures board in Share; boat rental deposits covers the money side.