Have you heard of the Freedom Boat Club yet?
Chances are good that if you haven’t, you will.
This private boating club has been exploding all over the United States for the past few years, disrupting the boating industry and making it easier than ever to have a fleet of new boats at your fingertips.
And it’s not just new boaters… they are attracting a bunch of lifelong boat owners who are selling their boats (and some of the headaches and costs that come with boat ownership) and joining the club.
At first, I was a bit skeptical of any boat club (because I thought it kind of sounded like a time share). But the more I looked into and interviewed Freedom Boat Club members (who pretty much all said it was the best decision they made when it came to investing in a boat), I finally took the plunge myself.
Here’s the interview I did with Alex Anker, the dockmaster at the Freedom Boat Club in Winter Haven.
We discuss the pros and cons of the Freedom Boat Club.
Some big pros of Freedom Boat Club:
No hassle. No maintenance. Any and all boat (and trailer) problems are their problems (not yours)
You get a fleet of boats (that you can use anywhere in the country)
Never wait in line at a boat ramp. You pull right up to your boat at the marina. It’s gassed up and ready to use.
No cleaning the boat after you’re done!
Some big cons of Freedom Boat Club:
You miss out on the ability to launch a boat anywhere, any time
You can’t use the Freedom Boats at night
Many of the boats don’t have trolling motors (it appears the club started off for more casual boating than fishing but many clubs are adding trolling motors)
It’s pretty simple to book a boat (even last minute) except for holiday weekends (you need to book quite a bit in advance for those)
Listen in to the full episode and leave me a comment if you are a member of the Freedom Boat Club (or have any other feedback).
Click here for the full blog post: https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/freedom-boat-club-podcast/
