Skellefteå Kayaking: Self-service kayak rental on the Skellefteå River with Rentalbuddy
Skellefteå Kayaking offers self-service kayak rental from an unmanned kayak station in Skellefteå, northern Sweden. Customers book online, receive a code and unlock their kayak themselves – no staff needed on site. Behind the business is founder My Rutdal, and since 2024 the rentals run on Rentalbuddy's booking system for self-service rental.
A kayak rental born during the pandemic
My started Skellefteå Kayaking in 2021. In her own words:
We started in 2021, at a time when the pandemic limited the opportunities for exercise and social activities. The need for safe, nature-based experiences was great, so we launched our first unmanned kayak rental at Manhemskajen. The concept quickly became popular – a simple and flexible way to experience the Skellefteå River on your own.
On her website, she describes where the passion comes from:
Kayaking is something I'm passionate about, and my goal is for more people to experience this fantastic form of exercise. It's the perfect activity to focus on the present and make the most of summer.
When the booking system became the bottleneck
The first season came with its challenges. For a self-service rental, the booking system is everything – and at the start it created more work instead of less:
One of the biggest challenges during the first year was that I used a newly introduced booking system that didn't work. Every booking required manually generated codes, and I often had to go down to help customers unlock the equipment when the codes didn't work. This took a lot of time that could have been spent developing the business.
For My, the goal has always been simplicity:
Simplicity means that customers should be able to book and pick up their equipment quickly and smoothly, right on site, without waiting or hassle.
Self-service kayak rental with Rentalbuddy
In 2024, Skellefteå Kayaking moved its bookings to Rentalbuddy. The kayak station is connected to digital locks, customers accept the terms and conditions before they pay, and payments go straight to Skellefteå Kayaking's own Stripe account.
My current booking system, Rentalbuddy, makes the rental run very smoothly and without problems. I haven't had any issues with codes acting up, and the system is both flexible and easy to adapt to the needs of the business.
How self-service kayak rental works for the customer
On skellefteakayaking.com, renting a kayak takes four steps:
Book online – choose a kayak and a time directly on the website.
Unlock – after booking, a code is sent by email. Enter the code and unlock the equipment. Inside the kayak you'll find a life jacket, paddle and spray skirt.
Paddle – kayaking is a simple and safe activity for beginners. New paddlers are recommended to paddle with a friend and stay close to the shore.
Return – return the kayak in the same condition, place it in the same slot and lock it carefully.
Customers experience the process as simple, smooth and accessible.
Here's a glimpse of Skellefteå Kayaking:
Video: Skellefteå Kayaking
More time to develop the business
With bookings, payments and access codes handled automatically, My's everyday work has changed:
I've got a much more efficient everyday life where I can focus on developing the business instead of handling practical problems.
What she appreciates most about Rentalbuddy:
A stable and well-functioning system
Fast and helpful support
High flexibility and good customization options
And how would she describe Rentalbuddy to others?
I warmly recommend it to others. It's easy to get started with, works very reliably and offers good support and flexible solutions.
Want to start your own self-service kayak rental?
If you want to offer kayaks, SUPs or other equipment on a self-service basis, Rentalbuddy handles bookings, payments and digital access codes – so you can focus on the experience. See how other paddling businesses do it: Kajakkbox's self-service kayak concept and how Östkusten Kajak runs its rentals.
Quotes from My Rutdal are translated from Swedish.
