Looking for a windier way to get back to the East Bay Area from San Francisco tonight? Uber wants to give you a reason to sing “I’m on a Boat” on your evening commute.
In anticipation of a possible BART strike in the Bay Area, Uber partnered with Boatbound, a startup that allows boat owners to lend out their boats to other sailors, to provide users with a different (and much more expensive) way across the Bay.
California Governor Jerry Brown stepped in to prevent a strike last night, but Uber’s one-day-only service still kicked off today. Users were able to sign up for a ride starting at 6:15 a.m. and cruise across the Bay.
A boat ride will cost $30, and includes an UberX ride to and from the boat, as well as blankets and refreshments while on board. If you’re interested in catching a boat home, they’ll be leaving San Francisco starting at 5 p.m. and running until 7 p.m. this evening. Sign-ups open at 4 p.m.
The boat-sharing opportunity is a part of Uber’s growing exploration of its service’s capabilities. Last month, the company offered ice cream delivery through its app in 31 cities around the world. In the past, the company has also offered condom delivery and helicopter rides to the Hamptons, among other promotions.
Fair warning: if you’re the sort of person who likes your transportation to be warm and cozy, you might want to try something different. TechCrunch’s Josh Constine tried the service for his morning commute, and found it to be quite chilly.
In addition, Uber estimates that the boat trip will take between 30 and 90 minutes depending on boat type and weather conditions. If you need to make it home in time for dinner, I’d pass on the boat ride.
