Find Freedom

Find

Freedom

One of the things which epitomizes island living is the ability to enjoy the vast array of beautiful waterways meandering through the marshes coupled with the diversity provided by the inlets to the Atlantic Ocean. The opportunities to explore those waterways have recently multiplied with the opening of a local branch of Freedom Boat Club on St. Simons

Island. Freedom Boat Club has over 25,000 members nationwide, over 2,300 boats in the national fleet, and more than 190 locations.

Most locals are familiar with Dunbar Yachts, the longstanding sail and powerboat dealership located at Morningstar Marina that has been offering boating opportunities to the community and its visitors since the 1970s. Lucy Bowie, one of the owners of Dunbar Yachts, explains the thinking behind opening the local Freedom Boat Club branch:

“We are committed to providing opportunities for everyone to get out on the water. We had people come into the dealership who had either never boated before, and were a little daunted about becoming boat owners, or people who had owned boats but were finding the maintenance overheads to be burdensome. So, we decided to bring Freedom Boat Club to

the Golden Isles because it offers truly hassle-free boating.”

With unlimited access to thousands of boats of various styles across the country, all members receive free unlimited training which caters to those with no previous boating experience and can even provide offshore certification. All training is performed by US Coast Guard Licensed Captains. New members Michael and Jackie Black rave about their experience. Michael says, “My wife and I just retired and moved to the Golden Isles. It’s been a lifelong dream to own a boat. Joining Freedom Boat Club was such a great alternative to owning for a fraction of the cost. Being new to the waterway and boating, Freedom Boat Club offers unlimited training and we have taken advantage of it. The staff, trainers and owners are knowledgeable and very friendly. Freedom Boat Club staff are committed to giving us a safe and fun way to enjoy boating. Freedom Boat Club walks the walk; it’s not just a bunch of talk!”

Once trained, members have access to an online reservation system which they can access 24 hours a day to book a boat in the local fleet or at one of the other 190+ locations.

“The reciprocal access to other clubs both in the USA and now worldwide is a great benefit for members,” says Lucy. “Whenever you go on vacation or away on business, you can enjoy time out with family and friends on the water and there are no additional fees for this.”

Insurance, maintenance, dockage, and even cleaning is all included in the membership. The local fleet on St Simons Island already includes a variety of brand new deck boats and center console fishing boats. The members literally walk down the dock, get onboard their chosen boat and get straight out on the water. Member John Barker says, “I joined Freedom Boat Club of the Golden Isles in January of 2019. It’s a great way to enjoy boating without all the hassles of buying a boat. The Freedom Boat Club staff members are great. We show up at the marina and they have the boat all ready to go. When we return to the dock, they assist us off the boat, clean and refuel it, and we go home. Boat club membership is well worth the money.”

Some members also report that they boat so much more as members of the club than they ever did as boat owners. Without the prep and clean-up, they don’t feel the pressure to set aside so much time to spend a day on the water. With an unlimited number of drop-ins, the prospect of walking straight down the dock and getting on a boat is the reality of membership.

For many, it’s a great way to spend family time and enjoy the true beauty of island living. Member Lauren Agresti shares, “The Freedom Boat Club has given us the ability to have quality family time out on the water and share the love of boating with our children without the hassle and stress of boat ownership. We love that we can get out to fish, take day trips up the rivers or to Jekyll then get right off and head home without worrying about maintenance, prep or storage. It’s the best way to boat in the Golden Isles!”

Member Ann Talarico sums it up perfectly, saying, “To get out in the water and experience the marshes for us completes island living!”

DUNBAR YACHTS is located at 115 Marina Drive at Morningstar Marina on St. Simons Island. For more information about joining Freedom Boat Club, call them at 912.638.8573 or visit freedomboatclubssi.com.

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