Are There Any Time Or Location Restrictions
Unlike some other boat share companies, we dont expect you to end your perfect day at 6pm. Its your boat, and on your allocated day you are free to pick up your boat early and use your boat until midnight of that day.
If its after hours and there are no SMART Boating staff available, youll need to make sure your boat is tied up securely, all the hatches are closed, the sails are stowed, batteries switched off and youve removed any property you have on board.
And unlike charter boats, there are no restrictions on location. Its your boat you are free to explore any of the glorious waterways in the time you have booked.
How Much Does It Cost To Own And Operate A Boat
If you are new to boating. Probably one of the most asked questions in the beginning is:
How Much Does It Cost To Own And Operate A Boat? Owning a boat will cost you in six major areas: Purchasing the boat, insuring, storing, maintaining, operating, and collecting the gear for the boat.
Boat ownership costs can seem endless. Here are the biggest expenses and how you can calculate what it will cost you to own a boat.
Is It The Same As A Time Share
Absolutely not! Buying a share in a narrow boat is an investment as you become a part-owner in that narrowboat as part of a syndicate and as such, can sell on at a later stage. With a time share you own dates, whereas with a canal boat share you own an asset. The share purchase price represents a percentage ownership of the narrowboat and this is life time ownership and can be bequeathed of heirs.
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Get Access To Several Boats
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.
What Will A Boat Surveyor Inspect
The surveyor will find and note the HIN and state or federal registration marks. Routine inspections include such things as moisture readings in the hull and deck and checks for delamination or blistering. The stringers, bulkheads and transom will be inspected for structural integrity. Electrical systems and wiring as well as any thru hulls will be reviewed and tested as will be the plumbing. The surveyor will generally also include the condition of underwater gear including shafts, struts and propellers, key fasteners such as structural bolts, and the floorboards. A fuel system inspection should be done from the tanks to the engines and electronics should be turned on an tested for proper function.
The surveyor will usually inspect and make an inventory of required safety gear that varies with the size and type of boat. If the boat comes with a trailer, that should be thoroughly reviewed as well to make sure its the proper size for the weight of the boat and that its in good road condition including having working lights and tires that dont show excessive wear.
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Why Does Monthly Membership Plans Vary
The reasons are the same to vary the monthly membershipplans with pricing and options. Thats why some clubs are located in some warmclimate zones offer unlimited year-long boating.
Also, they entail operations, staffing, maintenance, andongoing service for the whole year. These all require extra money and all ofthese make your boating experience more expensive.
But, there is some seasonal boat business operating clubsdue to the rough weather conditions out there. When it comes to the off-seasonmonths of the business, you should pay the monthly fee to store, maintain, andwinterizing the boat.
You might be worried to pay for the offseason. No worry, youcan choose membership with pre-selected months. Many boat clubs come with theoffer of 3 and 6-month based seasonal membership. It could be a great optionfor you if youre looking for reducing the monthly cost.
How A Boat Club Usually Works
Boat clubs usually involve an up-front enrollment fee and then a monthly charge for continued participation. Membership dues vary from a month-by-month price to a yearly enrollment charge, and rates vary widely. In areas with more water access, fees tend to be lower. In areas with high demand and fewer available waterways, dues can be higher.
Once you pay the fees, you have access to the clubs collection of boats. You can borrow a boatwithout paying extra chargeson a reservation basis at one or multiple locations. Most boat clubs maintain the vessels and oversee regular cleaning, fueling, and other concerns. You just make a reservationor stop inget in a boat, and you can head off into the water.
Boat clubs can often include boating lessons or similar services. Chartered boating excursions may also be part of the club offerings.
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Vinyl Compared To A Paint Job
Getting a vinyl wrap is typically a lot cheaper and faster than having your boat painted. Wraps usually cost about a third of a paint job.
A lot of the cuts in cost come in the shortened labor time. A paint job can take significantly longer. The boat needs to be prepped with a primer before the actual painting can even begin.
For vinyl wrapping, the hull only needs to be smooth and any imperfections sanded down before the vinyl can be quickly wrapped around the boat. After the air is squeezed out and the vinyls tightly adhered to the boat, the job is done!
This can mean a lot to boaters who want to get out on the water and start enjoying their boat, rather than waiting for a paint job to be finished. Furthermore, for charter yachts, time is money and they can make a lot more money if they arent waiting around for the topsides to be sprayed on.
Our Pick: 143 04 2019 Virtus 44
This model cost around $20,189,000.
This megayacht is anyones dream.
It is home to a fully integrated beach club with room for a pool deck, floor-to-ceiling windows in the main salon, a hot tub on the top deck, five staterooms, an 8-person crew, and room to sleep ten guests.
It has room for water toys and other gadgets, with a layout that keeps them purposefully hidden from the outside world. It has a 12-knot cruising speed and 16-knot max speed,
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Is It Safe To Boat Alone
So yes, boating solo can be a safe and enjoyable experience, as long as you properly prepare before you leave the dock. While you may enjoy the solitude of boating solo, extra precautions need to be taken. If you are boating solo, you should ALWAYS wear a life jacket. Keeping it onboard is not enough.
Our Pick: Hatteras Gt70 Convertible Sportfish
The 2017 GT70 model runs around $4,500,000, but keep in mind the extra costs of maintenance, furnishing, and a cabin crew to help it run.
The GT70 convertible sportfish is known for its speed and agility, and high propulsion power. It has twin diesel engines, 1900 hp each cruising speed over 30 mph.
It is 70 6 with 2,140-gallon fuel capacity. The inside is lavish, with a galley, a huge salon, and five staterooms.
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When Do You Need A Full
At length over 50 or 60 feet, you may need a full-time captain or crew.
A full-time crew person will be needed to keep all the varnished woodwork looking good and all the little things maintained.
Sometimes, you must be honest with yourself about what you want and what you actually need. Be self-aware about your abilities in taking care of a specific size yacht.
If you dont know much about boats and navigation, you will need more help to use your vessel.
Hopefully, this comprehensive guide gives you a good starting point as you begin your yacht price research process.
How Many Times Can I Use A Boat
Your usage is unlimited.
You can make four reservations in advance using our proprietary online reservation system. Those reservations roll: as soon as you use one, you can book another.
You can also call your dock of choice at any time to check on availability. If theres a boat in the dock that has either returned for the day, or is unreserved, its yours!
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Our Pick: Hatteras Gt54 Convertible Sportfish
The price for the 2017 model of this boat starts at $2,249,000.
This yacht is 53 10 long and weighs 75,000 pounds! It has twin diesel engines, 1,300 hp each, cruising speed of 35 mph.
It has a 1200-gallon fuel capacity with three staterooms. It sleeps up to 6 people, so it is perfect for entertaining without being so large to the point where maintenance becomes very difficult. It is known for its great propulsion rates and is very smooth and agile.
It specializes in a fishing boat but allows plenty of room for guests. In addition to the three staterooms, it has a large salon deck, a spacious galley, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
Membership Grows For Lake George Boat Sharing Club
A business in Lake George bills itself as an affordable alternative to boat ownership. Itâs called Freedom Boat Club. The owner says the concept of boat sharing is becoming more popular.
Freedom Boat Club is preparing to cast off for its third season on the water. Matt OâHara left a career in sales in his wake to start the franchise with his wife Rebecca.
“Coming from the corporate world where you make a stockholder happy to this business where every day our job is to see families smiling and making memories and having fun out on the water,â Matt said.
Club members Angel Isaac and daughter Adalynn reserve a boat 2-4 times a week.
âIt has been amazing. I canât ever see us owning our own boat again,â said Angel.
Members pay a $5,500 initiation fee. Annual plans range from $3,100 to $3,800 for unlimited access to their fleet of boats. Members donât need to worry about paying for fuel, maintenance or winter storage.
âMost people, for their annual cost of membership, it is less than you would pay to rent a dock space on Lake George,â said OâHara.
Seven boats are available to on Lake George to the 42 member families. OâHara says membership doubled from 2016 to 2017 and expects it to double again this year.
âNow that the word of mouth is really getting out and the members are sharing the experiences theyâre having, the growth continues to accelerate,â said OâHara.
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What Factors Affect Your Boat Insurance Cost
A number of factors, some in your control and some not, can have an impact on your boat insurance rates. If you sail on a lake that has a high rate of claims, the cost of your coverage will be higher than for a lake where there are far fewer claims.
Additional factors that affect your boat insurance rates include:
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Cost To Fish Offshore Depends On Number Of Fishermen Onboard
We only do private trips so split charters are not an option. On splits, you have people that dont know each other and if someone gets sick, for example, it can ruin everyones trip. Thats the main reason we only do privates, says Puerto Rico Sportfishings Lagrandier.
Antiguas Mystic Amara III will try to accommodate splits and it works this way: If people request a split trip, they go on a waiting list and if Im able to pair couples together then they split the charter cost between the number of guests on board, explains Roberts.
Beyond this, Hackshaw Charters offers group rates. Fishermen pay a per head rate. We work with several reps to make up the numbers. Therefore, the per head rate remains the same whether you book one spot or six, says Hackshaw.
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What Does It Cost To Join
The cost of membership is a very important consideration as you begin your research on boat clubs. Were consumers too, so we know that you want to be as thorough as possible when analyzing all the options.
It is important to understand that boat club pricing is not a standardized one-stop shop from coast to coast. In this article, we explain why, and look at the variables involved.
Where Is The Boat Going To Be Stored
After buying a boat, we should have already given some thought about where we are going to store it. The boat has to live somewhere, and not all of us own a house on the water, a big yard, or a huge barn to store the boat in!
Boat storage prices are going up, and it can get pretty expensive depending on where you live. It is going to cost a lot more to store a boat on a dry rack in Key West than it is to park it on a trailer in the middle of Idaho.
You might have some added costs if you are going to leave the boat in the water. If you do have the dock space and dont have a lift you are going to want to paint the bottom of the boat with bottom paint.
This can range from $1000-$2000 depending on how big of a boat you have.
You might also want to think about the Difference Between Freshwater and Saltwater!
Generally, most storage facilities will charge anywhere from $10-15 per foot, per month.
Depending on the length of the boat. Rates in the Florida Keys are going up and down, here the base is around $12 per foot, then goes up to about $17-18 per foot.
Its important to note that we are also talking about boats that are up to 42 long and have 20 towers on them!
If we go back to our story, lets say we bought a 23 and we are going to pay the average of $12 per foot. At $276 per month, this brings our total cost of owning a boat to $18,537.
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Who Should Not Purchase
Those looking for a good investment strategy should not purchase boat timeshares. A sailboat or yacht timeshare does not increase in value over time, it actually decreases over time. There are many good reasons to purchase a boating timeshare, but investment is not one of them.
If you want to invest, you should instead look into Fractional Boat Ownership where you actually own a fraction of the boat or yacht rather than with a timeshare where you are only purchasing the rights to use it for a period of time.
Have questions about yacht or boat timeshare ownership, or need help understanding timeshares in general? Contact Us or call and we’ll be happy to answer any questions that you have. We also offer timeshare Broker Services.
Rates Vary By Time Of Year
Some operators rates vary by high season and low season in terms of when the most tourists visit. Others offer the same prices all year long. Time of year most affects what fish are in season.
April through October is marlin season, September to April is wahoo and mahi-mahi, and November to March is yellowfin tuna, says Krys Vialva, marketing and sales coordinator at Ocean Surfari, with charter locations in St. Thomas, USVI and Tortola, BVI.
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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.
