I only came across it the other day whilst browsing Instagram and I think its a such a brilliant idea so I asked the founder John to tell us a little bit more about it! I already signed up for it and I can’t wait to borrow my first item soon to head out into the water!
Sharing is not a new idea. But a few years ago, I discovered the concept of a “library of things”. There is a movement springing up all over the world where members from the local community could contribute equipment to a shared inventory. That inventory could then be accessed online and equipment could be borrowed by other members of the community. People are doing this all over the world from tools to tech, camping gear to board games.
When we moved here, we spoke to lots of people who couldn’t afford to hire or buy watersports gear, and lots of others who had equipment sitting around unused. So in May 2020, we opened the Watersports Library. We now have over 2000 watercraft and accessories in the catalogue. Some have been donated, some are shared with us and others, we bought with grant funding. We stock Kayaks, surfboards, stand-up paddleboards, fishing gear, bodyboards and more. We also have some items you might not have expected. You can borrow a beach buggy, pizza oven, a gazebo, a go-pro camera, a Canadian canoe or even a beach hut!
To begin borrowing, just head to watersportslibrary.com and have a browse through the catalogue. Click on the ‘become a member’ button at the top right of the page and enter your details. You will also need to register a bank card with us as part of this. After this, I’d suggest you look at our opening hours.
We have two hubs in Poole. One in Hamworthy and one in Broadstone.
You will need to know which one you want to go to as you can only pick up between the hours we are open. Once you are all signed up and have checked the opening hours, you’ll be able to add items to your cart and submit a reservation. You can reserve for the weekend or for the whole week. When we have approved your reservation just rock up and we will talk you through the safety and the equipment and provide you with enough buoyancy aids for anyone going out, including children. We also give out waterproof phone cases so you can call in an emergency if you get stuck. How much does all of this cost? Nothing. It’s free to sign up and free to borrow.
Well… I say it’s free…we aren’t trying to build a list of consumers, we are trying to develop a community around resource sharing. Sharing is as good for the environment as recycling. It is great for social trust. And getting out on the water is brilliant for our mental and physical wellbeing.
So if you have anything that could be used in, on or around the water that isn’t getting much use, we’d love to hear from you.
If you haven’t got anything spare but have some free time on hand we are always looking for volunteers to give us a hand and help out!
Here are some of our sharing heroes who have kindly let us share their gear with the community!
