Anyone heard of "Freedom Boat Club"? (Austin: rentals, buying) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

JVAL01 · 02-14-2009, 09:13 PM

While searching online for a boat today, I came across an Austin company located on Lake Austin called "Freedom Boat Club." Does anyone know anything about them? From what I can tell you pay a membership fee ($$?? Length of time??) and monthly dues for the use of any of their boats whenever you want. Seems like an interesting alternative to purchasing a new or used boat. Thanks.

woodinvilleguy · 02-15-2009, 07:55 AM

we looked into them last year along with another one that I can't remember the name of by the volente beach park. Basically you pay a big initiation fee and then a monthly fee to use the boats. It was too expensive for us but if you want to boat and don't want the hassle of a boat I think it is a good idea to look into. The nice thing is that they have a range of boats that you can use.

What I need is a friend with a boat that I can bribe with BBQ, beer, and fuel to take us out a couple times a year :-)

ROY DUBOSE · 02-15-2009, 08:39 AM

i sold "time shares" on my sailboat last summer and it worked out pretty good for everyone -- it's great to have access to water recreation without the responsibilities of upkeep and the investment in buying a boat

iceshots · 02-15-2009, 01:53 PM

I looked into these clubs before moving down here. They seem to be a good deal if

a) you will be boating every week,
b) do not want to trailer a boat to the lake
c) want to use a larger or high end boat.
d) These are also good if you want to use different types of boats.

Renting a boat for a day can be about $500, so that is more than 1 month dues with these places. If you are a regular boater they make sense, but for a couple of times a year, renting for a day will be cheaper in the long run.

You also have to look into the fine print. In high season a lot of places only allow you to book 1/2 days, not full days. There is one club, on the more expensive side, that allows for a full day booking.

Most of the clubs are also limited to one lake. A couple have facilities on more than one lake.

CATXTransplant · 02-17-2009, 11:58 AM

I have quite a few friends and neighbors that belong to the club. All of them seem to absolutely love it. One of them took us to the Hula Hut on Lake Austin on a beautiful new Nautique. It turns out that she had taken the kids out earlier in the morning to go tubing from 8-9:30, then got in the car and taken them to straight to their soccer games. After then games ended they loaded the kids back up and meet us the for a relaxing cruise down lake Austin for dinner. I remember thinking what a great choice the club was for busy families.

movingtohouston · 02-17-2009, 12:03 PM

My family looked into here in the Clearlake area. Too expensive for us at the time. They wanted something like over 5,000 down along with a monthly fee. If you have the money it seemed like a pretty good deal but at the time not worth it for us.

dfarmer002 · 02-18-2009, 07:50 AM

All I can input is we have a set of neighbors that are with the freedom boat club, and they say if you are wanting to get into the boat lifestyle its the way to go. They told me they have owned several boats themselves and feel overall this is a much more economical, convenient and smoother way to go.

shrike2000 · 03-24-2009, 10:30 AM

I have been a member of Freedom Boat Club in Austin for two years and it is the best thing I have ever done! Being able to access so many boats on Lakes Travis and Austin has been fantastic. I bought a three-year membership right when the club formed here and never regretted it. You just show up for the boat and take it out. When you come back you just grab your stuff and go. They clean it out and prepare it for the next person. They keep the member-to-boat ratio low enough that getting a boat is not a problem. In all the time that I have been with the club I have always been able to get some boat even at the last minute. If you plan a week or so ahead then you won't have any problems.
Moderator cut: advertising

Austin97 · 03-24-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceshots

I looked into these clubs before moving down here. They seem to be a good deal if

a) you will be boating every week,
b) do not want to trailer a boat to the lake
c) want to use a larger or high end boat.
d) These are also good if you want to use different types of boats.

Renting a boat for a day can be about $500, so that is more than 1 month dues with these places. If you are a regular boater they make sense, but for a couple of times a year, renting for a day will be cheaper in the long run.

I think that as long as you go around 12 times/year you will have broken even on ad hoc rentals (monthly instead of weekly)

Trentster · 11-03-2009, 08:35 PM

I looked into a few boat clubs in Austin, but was kind of turned off by the initiation fees and the low advertised price isn't for their better boats (wakeboarding boats w/ towers). I ended up joining one club on Lake Austin that didn't have an initiation fee, was as low as the lowest advertised price of the other clubs, and that one price ($195) included pontoons and competitive wake board boats w/ towers(Moomba outback and mobius). I joined Lake Toys Boat Club. They even provided the wake boards and rope. So far it's worked out good. They're only on Lake Austin, but I think they might be opening a place on Travis as soon as the lake levels rise to normal.