BoatyBall, which provides web-based mooring-ball reservations throughout the British Virgin Islands, has kicked off 2020 by surpassing 10,000 reservations. The North Carolina-based company has signed over 9,000 subscribers in just 13 months and claims it is on track to add 600 new members a month throughout the year.

Around the world, many jurisdictions provide mooring balls to generate revenue, encourage tourism, and protect reefs and the seagrass floor from the damage anchoring can cause. But in the most desirable locations, there is high demand and it is not uncommon to see multiple boats jockeying for the same mooring ball.

The web-based reservation system provides a secure payment system and offers available mooring positions at 7:00am daily. A premium option is available that allows reservations 24 hours in advance.

BoatyBall.com was born when co-founder Bob Wall and his wife pulled into a favourite bay, only to find every mooring ball had been taken. With a storm approaching, they headed to another bay and found one available mooring ball, but it was damaged. With the storm upon them, the Walls made for a third bay to find a mooring, tied off, and hoped it would hold. “That night we came up with the concept of BoatyBall.com,” he said.

The BoatyBall systems is said to be the first of its kind, and Wall believes has launched a new business segment in the marine industry.

“It’s a new paradigm for the yachting and boating industry, and it’s long overdue,” Wall said. “We found a grossly under-served niche and created a viable business model out of it.”