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How Much Do Boat Club Memberships Cost

Get Access To Several Boats

Freedom Boat Club – How It Works

Buying a boat is a good idea, but the problem is, one boat cannot meet all your needs. There are days you need a fishing boat for two people and others you need a family boat. On other days, you need to hold a nautical party.

With a boat club membership, you have access to several boats to meet different needs. All you have to do is reserve the boat you need and the club will ensure you have it when you need it.

There are many more benefits to joining a boat club. Some clubs have social gatherings and parties where all members can socialize and enjoy a good time.

Carefree Boat Club Membership Overview

A membership offers unlimited usage of all boats, which, depending on the location, range from 23 to 29 feet long. Most fleets include water sport boats, fishing boats, pontoons and sailboats, with most being less than three years old, but again, fleet choices will greatly depend on the location you sign up at. According to the club, there is no limit to how many times you can boat its truly unlimited, and again, depending on the exact geographical location, boats will be available year round.

All members receive free, unlimited training with a USCG certified captain, which includes navigating, docking, anchoring and safety strategies. The average training session can last up to five hours.

The company covers the insurance, boat purchase, slip fees, maintenance, repairs, taxes, towing, coverage, and winterization.

Boat Club Memberships: Why Should You Join

You may not feel completely ready to choose a boat even after shopping around and using our Boat Finder tool, you might need to wait to pull the trigger because of economic factors, or maybe you just think easing your way into the boating lifestyle is a smart movewhatever the reason, boat clubs offer an excellent alternative to buying a new boat. In fact, boat clubs have experienced soaring popularity since they first began showing up a few decades ago.

Boat club costs are significantly less than purchasing a boat outright, boat club membership often comes with additional perks like boating education classes, on-the-water training, insurance coverage, and/or social events, and there are boat clubs near me, near you, and near just about everyone else who lives anywhere close to a popular waterway. In fact, there are hundreds of locations across the nation from several different providers and whichever you choose to be your boat club, endless boating opportunities for you and your family probably lay right around the corner.

Follow along as one family explores what a boat club membership is all about in their local area.

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Boat Clubs Offer Flexibility

Overall, boat clubs can be a great option for those looking for cost-effective and flexible boating. Because being a member of a boat club grants access to a wide variety of boats, you can take a new boat out every time your schedule allows.

In addition to being a resource for experienced boaters, boat clubs offer a way for those who have never gone out on the water to try their hand. Boat clubs often encourage beginning boaters to join their clubs for access to boat operational and safety training. You will also have access to many different boats, giving you the chance to find the boat thats right for you.

However, there are things to keep in mind when joining a boat club. You should consider how many different boats are in a clubs fleet, how easy it is to reserve the exact boat you want, and what the rules of use are for a clubs boats before joining.

Whats The Purpose Of A Boat Club

How Much Do Boat Club Memberships Cost? (Helpful Examples ...

Joining a boat club allows you to go boatingoften in exclusive areaseven if you dont personally own a boat. Clubs exist for all types of watersports, toofrom kayaking to jet ski riding to sailingso you are bound to find something you enjoy.

Boat clubs bring together people who enjoy watersports but, for whatever reason, may opt out of boat ownership. And its understandable when you look at boat pricesit can easily get expensive, depending on the type of boat you prefer.

Checking out a boat payment calculator versus membership costs can give you a good idea of the affordability of boat clubs. In many cases, the cost of a boat club membership is a fraction of what boat ownership would cost you.

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What Is The Jacksonville Boat Club

Golfers dont buy golf courses they join the Country Club and share the facilities. Jacksonville Boat Club operates a lot like that. We are a private Boating Club whose members have all the benefits of owning their own boat but none of the hassles and expense of maintenance and repairs that go along with it. They also dont have a boat loan or insurance payments. They dont even pay to store the boats. Without all that aggravation, they also go boating a lot more and are able to experience just the enjoyable part of being on the water with family and friends and none of the aggravations.

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Boatsetter Vs Carefree Boat Club

Like most boat clubs, Carefree Boat Club has an initial membership fee and an annual fee. These fees vary depending on the location and may even be monthly. According to Godownsize.com, the initial membership cost ranges from $4,000 to $6,000, and a monthly cost ranging from $140 to $300. As you can see, the price of renting a boat can add up quickly. If you have the time to use a boat every month, you might get the full value out of Carefree Boat Club, but it wont be easy. By renting a boat with Boatsetter, you can avoid all initiation and monthly/annual fees! Just pay each time you would like to take out a boat, and you are all set for a fun day out on the water. With over 4500 active boats on our platform across the country, you can find the perfect boat for your needs.

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Nottely Boat Club And Marina

Worried about spending too much money on an annual membership that you may not use? Nottely Boat Club and Marina may have the perfect solution for you. Instead of offering memberships, you can instead reserve one of their boats for four- to eight-hour blocks.

They offer a 22 triton boat perfect for watersports as well as 21 pontoon ideal for enjoying a calm day on the water. Prices for renting the boats start at just under $200 and increase from there for larger time blocks and multi-day reservations.

Tube rentals and other watersports equipment can also be conveniently rented when placing your reservation.

This boating club may not be the best option for beginners. Unlike some of the other boating clubs that offer hands-on training in the water, Nottely only requires you to watch a short video on protocol and boating safety. This may not be sufficient enough to help you master the skills you need to make boating a regular part of your life.

Cost Comparison: Save With Freedom

How much will maintenance cost for my boat?

Freedom Boat Club of Tampa Bay offers a whole DIFFERENT way to access the boating life. Rather than tie up a lot of money in a single boat that depreciates faster than a car, why not join the Club, share the costs, have access to a variety of boats, eliminate the need for a trailer and save thousands? Moreover, well do the negatives of boating for you while you enjoy the positives along with valet service on the docks. Whats not to love?!

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Can You Share A Freedom Boat Club Membership

There is one challenge that comes with a boat club membership you may not have the time to maximize the usage of your membership. If you do not have the time to go boating for months on end, you better cancel your membership as Freedom Boat Club does not allow sharing.

You can split your membership fifty-fifty with another member if you join Carefree Boat Club. Here, you will pay the entry fee in half, the monthly fee, and the reservation plan. Once you are a member of a shared plan, you will have equal access to boat reservations as the other member.

Any of the members of shared membership can manage reservations, and they need to be in communication to make reservations easy. You should request whether the Freedom Boat Club in your area allows you to split your membership as some may allow splitting to some extent.

Once you are a member, you are allowed to bring family and friends as you see fit. If you no longer need your membership, some boat clubs allow you to sell the membership while others only accept cancellation.

For Freedom Boat Club memberships, you cannot sell the membership to any other person. You can transfer it to a new town anywhere in the U.S., Canada, or France, but you cannot sell. To cancel the membership, you need to give Freedom Boat Club a sixty-day written notice.

How Much Do Exclusive Boat Clubs Cost

Exclusive boat clubs can cost thousands of dollars per month, as well as a hefty initial fee. Keep in mind that the most expensive boat clubs are typically those located in the most densely populated cities.

When slips come at a premium, you can expect the monthly dues to be more expensive as well.

A boat club that has a more extensive fleet is also likely to charge more per month. In return, you likely have access to much newer models and a wider variety of sailing opportunities.

Exclusive boat clubs must charge more to make up for the fact that they do not have incoming fees from a wider group of members.

However, this does come with some benefit to you.

When you are paying this much for a boat club membership, you are also likely receiving true unlimited access to the fleet.

You can typically place a reservation for any day of the week on any of their available boats with a greater degree of success. In fact, many exclusive boat clubs boast a reservation success rate of ninety percent or higher.

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The Port & Starboard Option: Our Newly Designed Boating Plan

  • Higher Accessibility Rates & Lower Prices just in time for Summer. Weve created two boating groups to alleviate accessibility issues and cut down on wait times while also providing a higher quality product for our members. Group Port can make a planned reservation on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays while group Starboard can make planned reservations on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

  • Members get 6 Planned reservations on any day regardless of boating plan

  • Usage at any of our 31+ locations across the Greater Tampa Bay area along with the choice of over 550 vessels

  • Unlimited Day Of boating. You can still take a boat out on ANY day, just call your desired dock or book online

  • Access to a fleet of exclusive Luxury vessels

  • 4 Rolling reservations.

  • Reciprocal Usage: Access to over 240+ Freedom Boat Club locations nationwide at no extra cost

  • First month is FREE!

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The 5 Secrets Boat Clubs Dont Want You To Know About

How Much Does a Freedom Boat Club Membership Cost ...

On the surface, boat clubs seem like a great idea. Instead of buying a boat, you pay a monthly fee and have access to a range of different vessels. The problem is that, in reality, things dont work out quite that smoothly. Here are the top five secrets that boat clubs dont want you to know about.

1) Limited Selection of Boats

When we join a boat club, there is this idea that one weekend we can take out a fast speedboat and the next, a family-sized catamaran. The problem is that most clubs really only offer a pretty narrow selection of boats. Not only that, with most people having the same free time as in being off on the weekends, holidays, and certain summer months, then you may find yourself standing empty-handed.

2) Too Much Pressure

The problem is that once you join a club, you feel pressure to get the most out of it. The average annual boat club is 275 dollars per month. If you dont boat that often or have a hectic month, it feels like money just is thrown down the drain and just another wasted expense.

3) Limited Places

While some clubs have locations worldwide, youre still limited to whatever places theyre in. For the most part, this basically keeps you stuck around the most touristy places. And those are only the biggest clubs with typically the highest prices.

4) The Clubs Might Be Full

5) Cost

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What Are The Extra Costs

Fuel isnt included in the costs. Depending on the distance traveled and the current gas prices, most members pay $15 to $45 per outing. As a rule of thumb, most boats in the fleet will burn three to five gallons of gasoline per hour.

A transfer fee, if you were to want to transfer to another location, can be done for about $500.

Why Is Golf So Expensive

The top three reasons why golf is expensive to play are golf course upkeep costs, expensive equipment, and membership fees. Golf courses are expensive and need 365 days of the year care and maintenance. The prestige factor a bit like tennis where the perception is that golf is a sport, sadly only for the rich.

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What Exactly Is A Boat Club

Boat clubs work by offering members access to a fleet of boats for a monthly fee. Members can reserve a boat to use without having to worry about the costs associated with maintenance, insurance, and boating education.

Boat clubs allow members access to a wide variety of boats for a much lower cost than purchasing a boat. This can make joining a boat club a good way to see if boating is the right hobby for you without having to commit to a large purchase.

In addition to providing members with boat training and well-maintained boats, boat clubs offer members many perks. Many boat clubs offer complimentary access to water toys such as skis and slides. Other clubs offer training for each specific vessel in their fleet to ensure your comfort and safety.

Boat clubs also act as social clubs that bring together people with similar interests. Many clubs offer member-only social gatherings, parties, and cruises.

These gatherings can be a great place to make new friends and connections in the boating scene.

How Much Does A Freedom Boat Club Membership Cost

Freedom Boat Club Review- How it Works

Freedom Boat Club

Thanks for your inquiry!

We will be sending you all the details about local plans, discounts & local partnerships. In the meantime, check out the local reviews, events and frequently asked questions for your local club.

Where would you like to boat?

Joining Freedom Boat Club really is one of the best investments I ever made! Im a five-time former boat-owner. Ownership was right for our family at the time, but, at this stage in our lives, club membership is an easy, cost-effective way to enjoy the boating lifestyle. Theres nothing like spending a day on the water, returning to the dock, and then just turning in the keys. Kenneth Smith, Venice, FL

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Boat Club Membership Pricing

Our membership consists of an annual fee that can be broken down into 12 monthly payments. New members pay a one-time initiation fee, which entitles them to exclusive member events, giveaways, and more!

What is included:

  • Unlimited use of our ENTIRE fleet in chosen locations
  • THREE Convenient local locations: Barrington, Wauconda & McHenry
  • Clean, Gassed Up Boats, ready to go when you are
  • Full Amenities, including restaurant, bar and bathrooms at our slip locations
  • Member events, lessons, and more!

Standard All-Access Membership

One-time initial member fee: $2,800. Annual Seasonal fee: $3,900 .

Premium All-Access Membership

One-time member fee of $3,100. Annual Seasonal fee: $4,800

Weekday Memberships are also available!

Boatsetter Vs 321 Boat Club

321 Boat Club is a Florida-based boat club with initiation costs ranging from $975 to $3,450 and monthly costs ranging from $149 to $249. 321 Boat Club membership levels largely depend on what day and time you would like to take out a boat. With 321 Boat Clubs fleet being limited to specific parts of Florida, this may not be the best option for everyone. With Boatsetter, you can rent boats across the country on any day of the week!

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Special Events And Social Gatherings

In essence, Freedom Boat Club is a social club. It is a great venue to have fun and meet interesting people who share your love for boats.

Some clubs host events every monthsome host seasonal events such as during prime boating months. Suffice to say that the weather condition is a big factor when conducting events. Clubs located in areas that have hot weather conditions conduct social events more often than others.

Freedom Boat Club also has a national partnership with West Marine. Thats why FBC sometimes, or most of the time, conducts fishing seminars in local West Marine stores. There are also times when they conduct other specialty programs for members.

Again, how much does the Freedom Boat Club membership cost? The Freedom membership cost differs depending on the area and membership plan you will get. A one-time entry fee costs around $5 000. Meanwhile, a membership plan may cost around $349 a month.

How Do I Know There Will Be Boats Available For Me To Use

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The Jacksonville Boat Club has a great reputation for always having boats available. We also have same day boating. While all of our members enjoy unlimited boating, there are two different levels of membership based on the size of the boats they want to use. To learn more about our membership levels call 904.477.9794.

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