⚓ Our Story

Built for the Keys.
Built for the Captains.

Book2Boat started with a simple observation — the Florida Keys has world-class charter captains and no platform worthy of them. We decided to build one.

Why We Exist

The Keys has world-class captains.
They deserve a world-class platform.

The Florida Keys is home to some of the most talented, experienced charter captains on the planet. But for years, those captains have been forced to rely on word of mouth, outdated listing sites, and platforms that take a 20–30% cut of every booking they worked hard to earn.

At the same time, tourists visiting the Keys — often for a once-in-a-lifetime trip — had no reliable way to find, compare, and book the right charter with confidence. The whole system was broken on both ends.

Book2Boat exists to fix both problems at once: give captains a modern, fair marketplace to grow their business, and give guests an easy, trustworthy way to book the perfect trip.

Key West waters
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Key West, FloridaWhere it all started
Our Story

A Problem Worth Solving

Book2Boat is a project built around a real problem. The Florida Keys has some of the best charter captains in the world — experienced, licensed, passionate about what they do — and yet the platforms they rely on to get booked are either outdated, overpriced, or built for a national audience that doesn't understand the Keys.

Platforms like FishingBooker and Viator take 20–30% of every booking. That's real money coming out of a captain's pocket on every single trip. And on the guest side, there's still no modern, reliable way to find and book a Keys charter with confidence.

I'm AJ — Key West local and entrepreneur. I'm not a captain, but I build things, and I saw a gap worth filling. Book2Boat is one of several projects I'm working on, and this one matters to me because the captains here deserve a platform that actually works in their favor.

The model is simple: list for free, keep 100% of what you charge, and guests pay a 5% service fee at checkout. No hidden cuts. No platform profiting at the captain's expense.

What We Stand For

Our Values

A few things we won't compromise on, no matter how big we get.

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Captains First

Captains are the product. Without great captains, there's no marketplace. Every decision — from pricing to platform features — starts with what's best for the captains who trust this platform with their business.

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Radical Transparency

No hidden fees. No surprise deductions. Our 5% guest fee is shown clearly at checkout — captains know exactly what guests pay, and guests know exactly what they're getting. Simple, honest, always.

⭐

Quality Over Quantity

We'd rather have 50 exceptional captains than 500 mediocre ones. Every listing goes through a verification process. USCG license checked, insurance confirmed, reviews monitored. We stake our reputation on every booking.

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Local Roots

This isn't a national platform trying to wedge into the Keys. It's a project built specifically for this market, by someone who lives here and cares about the captains who make it what it is.

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Guest Confidence

Every guest deserves to book with confidence. That means verified captains, honest descriptions, fair cancellation policies, and someone who actually picks up the phone when something goes sideways.

🐠

Love the Keys

We care about the ecosystem we operate in. We encourage responsible fishing practices, reef-safe products, and captains who take stewardship of these waters as seriously as the guests who come to experience them.

120+Verified Captains
2,400+Trips Booked
4.9★Avg Guest Rating
5%Lowest Fee in the Industry
Who Built This

One Person + AI

No agency. No dev team. Just me and Claude figuring it out together.

AJ
AJ Mantia
Founder — Book2Boat
🤖 Built with Claude AI

Key West local and entrepreneur. Book2Boat is one of several projects I'm actively building — this one started because I kept seeing the same problem: great captains in the Keys with no platform that actually works for them. The existing options take too much and do too little. I'm not a captain and I'm not a developer — but I had a vision for what this should be, and I built it with AI. Every page, every feature, every decision. That's the whole story.

Get in Touch

We'd Love to Hear From You

Whether you're a captain looking to list, a guest with a question, or someone who just wants to talk — I'm based right here in Key West and I actually respond.

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Based In Key West, Florida Keys, FL
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Email Us [email protected]
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Call or Text (305) 555-0123
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Hours Mon–Sun, 7am – 8pm EST

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the 5% fee work? ▼
You set your trip price — say $750. Guests pay a 5% service fee on top at checkout, so their total is $787.50. You receive the full $750. The fee never comes out of your pocket.
How do I get my listing live? ▼
Fill out the captain signup form — it takes about 10 minutes. We verify your USCG license and insurance, then typically have you live within 24 hours.
What if a guest cancels? ▼
You set your own cancellation policy when you list — flexible, moderate, or strict. Refunds follow your policy automatically. No surprises.
When do I get paid? ▼
Funds are released to your bank account within 24–48 hours after the trip is completed. We use Stripe for secure, reliable payouts.
Is Book2Boat only for the Florida Keys? ▼
For now, yes — we're focused entirely on the Florida Keys and doing it right. We'd rather be the best local platform than a mediocre national one.
What if I need help with my listing? ▼
Call or text me at (305) 555-0123 — I handle every captain onboarding personally and I'll get you set up.

Send Us a Message

Captains, guests, press, or just curious — drop us a note and we'll get back to you same day.

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