The SlipFinder App
The new SlipFinder app lets boaters book a same-day slip for their boat from their mobile device.
It came about because, like a lot of boaters, Keith Cooper likes to spend the day on the water and cruise to different ports. And like a lot of boaters, he’s experienced the frustration of being unable to find a transient slip for his 30-foot Sea Ray. Cooper decided to change that by creating an app that allows boaters to book a slip at a participating marina from their smartphone or tablet, in real time. Aptly enough, he named it SlipFinder.
SlipFinder helps marinas manage their available slips through its program so that the dockmaster doesn’t have to constantly answer the phone or radio and conduct a nautical version of musical chairs. For boaters, it means being able to scroll through the app in search of the best available slip within their cruising range.
The app is free to download; a boater can set up a boat profile to search for marinas and book a slip on a same-day basis. The app provides docking and mooring information, marina amenities and type of available shore power. From there the user can quickly book a slip (via stored credit card info), with SlipFinder charging a 10 percent fee over the first two days of rental. (So a $60 per day slip would have a $6 booking fee; there is no fee for additional days after two.)
To download, visit itunes.com or Google Play.
