A Perfect Day On The Water

Freedom Boat Club

By JG Walker

When an old buddy invited me for a weekend visit to his home on Hilton Head Island in the summer of 2019, he said, “If the weather’s nice, we can go out on the boat.”

“You bought a boat?” I asked. “You’ll see,” he replied.

The following afternoon, we drove to a nearby marina. Waiting for us there was a smiling young man who gave my friend the keys to a sleek, sparkling-clean fishing boat, all gassed up and ready to go with a cooler full of bottled water and sodas. We then set out for a three-hour tour across Calibogue Sound, up the May River and down by the Harbour Town Lighthouse, returning to the same slip and handing over the keys to the same attendant. During the trip, my friend explained that he had joined the Freedom Boat Club and could take out any of the watercraft at

Freedom Boat Club has franchise locations in 31 US states, from Maine to California. This is a partial list of popular sites in the Southeast:

Florida

Anna Maria

Bonita Springs

Bradenton

Cape Coral

Clearwater

Daytona Beach

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Myers

Jacksonville

Islamorada

Marco Island

Melbourne

Miami

Naples

Palm Coast

Panama City

Pensacola

Punta Gorda

Sarasota

St. Petersburg

West Palm Beach

Tampa

Venice

GEORGIA

Atlanta

Savannah

St. Simons Island

NORTH CAROLINA

Charlotte

Raleigh/Durham

Wilmington

SOUTH CAROLINA

Beaufort/Port Royal

Charleston

Hilton Head Island

Lake Hartwell

Murrells Inlet

North Myrtle Beach

Seabrook Island

Tennessee

Knoxville

Nashville the site anytime he wanted—no hauling in or out, no cleaning, no maintenance, no hassle whatsoever.

As it turned out, this brilliant concept was only new to me. In 1989, a group of boating enthusiasts in Sarasota, FL, realized that their many friends who loved to go along for the ride were never actually going to buy their own boats. So they founded the Freedom Boat Club (FBC), a revolutionary idea at the time that has since become one of the most successful franchise businesses in the entire recreation industry.

Here’s how it works:

Members pay a one-time initiation price of about $5,500 and an average monthly fee of $350. Either amount may be slightly higher or lower depending on the location and membership package. In return, FBC members have access to a fleet of boats selected for the local waterways that include pleasure-cruising watercraft and fishing boats like bowriders and pontoons and offshore/onshore, deck, and wake boats. Any type of boat available at the location can be reserved, and the number of guests that a member can bring along is limited only by the capacity of the selected boat. All occupants are provided with life vests and pets are welcomed, too.

FBC takes care of boat cleaning, maintenance, repairs, insurance, storage, and fueling. Fuel costs are reimbursed by members based on actual usage. Upgraded cleaning protocols implemented in early 2020 due to COVID-19 include enhanced touch-surface sanitation, plus staggered departure times, social distancing on the docks, and personal-protective gear like masks worn by all FBC staffers.

New FBC members are required to take an on-the-water safety class led by one of the club’s U.S. Coast Guard-certified captains (or their equivalents in Canada or Europe). Members also have access to millennials to retirees and everyone in between, by providing an opportunity for our members to enjoy the on-water lifestyle at every stage of life,” said Cecil Cohn, president of the Freedom Boat Club Network. additional training online and via Zoom, plus in-person instruction that can include tours of the local waterways.

After that, FBC members can schedule their boating adventure with a phone call or by using the online reservation platform. Generally, at least a 24-hour notice is recommended to assure the availability of the desired type of boat. Members also have reciprocal access to pleasure and fishing boats at all of the FBC locations in the United States, Canada, and Europe, thus creating the chance to explore lakes, rivers, and coastlines at a myriad of vacation destinations.

“The Freedom Boat Club model appeals to a variety of consumers, from millennials to retirees and everyone in between, by providing an opportunity for our members to enjoy the on-water lifestyle at every stage of life,” said Cecil Cohn, president of the Freedom Boat Club Network. “Whether our members are new to boating or seasoned boating enthusiasts, we pride ourselves on providing simple access to a variety of boating experiences around the world at any of our 250+ locations.”

The growing popularity of that model is self-evident: In May of 2019, Freedom Boat Club was acquired by The Brunswick Corporation, a watercraft-industry leader with a portfolio that includes Mercury Marine engines and boat brands like Bayliner, Boston Whaler, and Sea Ray. Since then, the FBC franchise network has grown from 170 to the current 253 locations. Memberships have increased 61 percent to a total of 36,500 and counting. During 2020 alone, members enjoyed more than 400,000 trips on the water. Freedom Boat Club was also named last year to Entrepreneur magazine’s first Top Growth Franchise list of 150 North American companies with the greatest franchise growth over the most recent three-year period.

“We opened our doors in October 2019, and it’s been an incredible experience to see how the concept has taken off in the community and the growth we’ve experienced in our first year,” said Zach Hollenbaugh, franchise owner of the Freedom Boat Club of Wilmington, NC. “We have a diverse group of members from first-time boaters to veterans, but the consistent feedback we receive is that they love the convenience of the club and the opportunity to create memories on the water. As a franchise owner, nothing makes me happier than seeing the smiling faces of our members after they return from an enjoyable day on the water.”

From a good idea in 1989 to a thriving business in 2021 and beyond, Freedom Boat Club has made it possible for anyone to be a captain without buying the ship. Get more information at FreedomBoatClub.com.