Buying A Boat vs. Joining A Boat Club
It’s no secret that one of my biggest dreams and goals since moving to San Diego was to be on a boat. At first, this dream seemed monstrous; something that maybe, if I was lucky, would happen in the very far off future. Let me start by saying hard work and persistence pays off. In all areas of your life. Again, persistence pays off. After doing a lot of research, meeting with people in the boat industry, and reading some books, I felt very confident in breaking down my options and making a decision.
If you are in the market for being out on the water on a boat, let me first recommend the book “Your First Powerboat” by Bob Armstrong. It is written in basic terminology for even the beginner to understand, and it goes through the pro’s and con’s of every subject. In fact, the very first chapter is titled “Do You Really Need To Buy A Boat”. This decision is going to come down to personal preference on a lot of topics, but I wanted to walk you through some of the major points of interest in my decision.
First and possibly most important (outside of finances) is the reasoning behind why you want a boat. For some people, it will be the pride of ownership. For others, it will become a hobby, time enjoyed spent cleaning and working on the boat. For others, it may simply be status. After evaluating many reasons why people want a boat, I was able to determine that my biggest motivator for wanting a boat was simply to be out on the water. I knew, realistically, I would not enjoy the cleaning and maintenance that comes with a boat.
The Biggest Factors In My Decision:
Finances:
In total transparency, when I first stumbled across the boat club (you know how Facebook conveniently gives you ads for things you want), I was really turned off by the pricing, and did not have a good understanding of how it worked. It was also right at the time that COVID hit hard and closed the waterways. After beginning to believe that getting on a boat was a lot more possible than I thought, I dove into the financial aspect of boat ownership. After a ton of research and considering things like insurance, dock fees, diving services, and storage for the trailer, the pricing of the boat club became identical to the initial costs of ownership (taking into consideration I’d be looking to buy an older, used boat). Looking long term, I knew the boat club would cost less than boat ownership.
Accessibility
One of my biggest concerns with joining a boat club was availability. Would I really have easy access to their fleet of boats, and would I be limited to how/when I could use a boat. This is where your research and asking a lot of questions will be most important. I contacted two boat clubs here in San Diego. The first club I contacted limited you to only two weekend day reservations at a time while the second club I contacted had no limit on weekend vs weekday reservations. Knowing the boat to member ratio is also helpful. The club I joined has a 1:10 ratio of boats to members and has two locations here in San Diego that both fall under my “home club”.
What It Came Down To and What Is A Boat Club
Many people have asked me what is a boat club and what does it mean… or, want to know if I bought my own boat. Think of a country club, where you pay membership dues to have access to their amenities: golf course, social events, dining, etc. A boat club is a membership only club that allows you unlimited use of their fleet of boats utilizing an online reservation system. They buy the boat, clean the boat, and maintain the boat… I show up and enjoy the boat. It really is that simple, but it doesn’t stop there. In addition to unlimited access to the fleet of boats at your home club, you have access to reciprocal reservations at any other club location around the country. For example, when I go back home to Pennsylvania, I can reserve a boat at their local boat club while traveling. One of my favorite perks of the boat club is unlimited training by a certified Captain. It is required to take a first time orientation course on the club, boat safety, and driving. You must pass this course in order to get access to the fleet of boats, but it does not stop there. I have certified Captains available to me throughout the entire course of my membership, that will include teaching me how to go offshore into the ocean, how to travel into Mexico, and so much more. Did I mention they are 100% dog friendly!
If joining a boat club is something that you are interested in, I would highly recommend Freedom Boat Club. It is a non-contract membership, meaning you can cancel at any time. They are America’s largest and oldest boat club, with over 200 locations across the country. If you are local to San Diego, they have two locations (Mission Bay and San Diego Bay) and are soon adding a third location, all of which fall under your “home club”. If further interested, you can contact Captain Joe at 619-738-3338 and be sure to tell him I sent you! They have a generous referral program.
Life is short. Do the things that make you happy. Think outside the box when reaching for your dreams. They may be much closer than you think. Take your time, do your research, talk to people, gather facts and make an informed decision based on what is best for you. Freedom Boat Club has made my dreams a reality of spending our free time out on the water. As if it couldn’t get any better, they literally take care of everything. I show up, enjoy the ride, and return the boat. It really is that easy!
