Boat Clubs in Jacksonville (Miami, Sarasota: insurance, how much, buying) - Florida (FL) - City-Data Forum

Jax32256 · 07-31-2009, 11:12 AM

My family & BIL's family are looking into joining a boat club together. The men are interested in boat ownership down the road, but we thought this would be a good route to start with to see if we really would use a boat & enjoy it.

If anyone has gone this route, I would love to hear about your experiences (the good & bad). Are boats readily available when you want them, especially on the weekends? Are there any companies to avoid? Thanks!

BabyBoomers2 · 07-31-2009, 12:21 PM

We talked to the Jacksonville Boat Club, before buying our boat, and it sure wasn't cheap! Their website, jacksonvilleboatclub shows this.
Our boat/boating costs don't come anywhere near $1000 per month like this club's website says! You can check out their website and here is their costs:
Initiation Fee: $1,895
Monthly Fee: $299

We pay a total of $200 a month and 3 months from now, it will be only $99 per month (storage). Our boat insurance will be fully paid for the year.

This boat club is great as long as a person has the money for it and don't want a boat of their own.

joninclay · 08-03-2009, 08:32 AM

There's also Aqua Direct, formerly Freedom Boat Club. They've got different pay plans, depending on how frequent you'll be using it. After I get a couple of bigger priorities paid off, that's probably the route I'll go.

BabyBoomers2 · 08-03-2009, 09:23 AM

Ok, this boat club is still called Freedom Boat Club......I just talked to a Rep and the name Aqua Direct is also used by Freedom.
And, these clubs cater to people who are thinking about buying, on monthly payments, a new boat/higher costing boat and people who are just not sure if "boating" is what they want to do most of the time. They boast in their website about how much money you will be saving by getting a membership with them compared to buying a boat on monthly payments and putting it into a slip or dry store. We bought our boat from savings and, currently, have it and trailer in a storage parking lot.
Now, you can/will get more by having a membership into one of these boat clubs........BUT, you will definitely PAY for those membership benefits!

Quote:

Originally Posted by joninclay

There's also Aqua Direct, formerly Freedom Boat Club. They've got different pay plans, depending on how frequent you'll be using it. After I get a couple of bigger priorities paid off, that's probably the route I'll go.

joninclay · 08-03-2009, 09:48 AM

Thanks, LB. I am on Freedom Boat club's mailing list, and I got an e-mail from them mentioning Aqua Direct, so I assumed (apparently incorrectly) that FBC was no longer the name. I appreciate the clarification.

Rich Man · 08-03-2009, 06:56 PM

I am a Freedom Boat Club Member, and I also work "selling" club memberships, Aqua-Direct is the marketing company for the Freedom Boat club locations in Jacksonville, FL, and Charleston, SC.

I'm pretty sure if you ask 100 different people you will get 100 different answers. Here's what I can offer you. Let's sit down, let me explain the different details of how each of the diferent plans work, lets find IF there is any that meets your needs, let me take you to the dock, show you our more than 25 boats, and lets go for a ride on the boat of your choice. That way you can form your own opinion, and make your own mind.

I started as a member, and I love the idea so much, that I talk to everybody about the club, so much so, that the company now gives me a referral commission for bringing other members to the club.

We have basically every type of boat you could possibly want, so each outing could be a different adventure.

We have bow riders, Professional Ski Boats, Center Console Fishing Boats, Off Shore Fishing Boats, Flats fishing boats, Cuddy Cabins, and yachts up to 63'.

We have plans starting from $400 One time membership fee and a $50/Mo maintenance fee, and up, it all depends on how much time you want to spend on the water. No off season, high season or black out dates. You boat as much as your membership allows you to.

And yes, like everybody else says, without the headaches that boat ownership have. We've all heard all the jokes about owning a boat. For some they are true, for some they are not. Send me a PM and I can answer all your questions related to this location.

Rich!

Rich Man · 08-03-2009, 07:00 PM

I almost forgot, your membership also allows you the use of the boats at any of our other 55 locations nation wide, and this number just keeps growing. So if you want to boat in JAX, you have a boat there, if you want to go to Boston, you'll have a boat there, if you want to boat in Miami, you'll have a boat there too, you want to boat in Knoxville, TN, you have a boat there.... You get the picture.

Rich!

BabyBoomers2 · 08-04-2009, 06:45 AM

Of course you PAY for the "no headaches" boat club, just as you PAY "for the headaches" as a boat owner! But, let me do say this.......there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with joining a boat club if that is your thing! For us, buying/owning a boat (as we had done before) was what we wanted. We don't mind cleaning or maintaining it and, due to the age of it ('92) we treat if with a lot of TLC!!
With whatever people decide to do......just get out there on the water and ENJOY and have FUN!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Man

I am a Freedom Boat Club Member, and I also work "selling" club memberships, Aqua-Direct is the marketing company for the Freedom Boat club locations in Jacksonville, FL, and Charleston, SC.

I'm pretty sure if you ask 100 different people you will get 100 different answers. Here's what I can offer you. Let's sit down, let me explain the different details of how each of the diferent plans work, lets find IF there is any that meets your needs, let me take you to the dock, show you our more than 25 boats, and lets go for a ride on the boat of your choice. That way you can form your own opinion, and make your own mind.

I started as a member, and I love the idea so much, that I talk to everybody about the club, so much so, that the company now gives me a referral commission for bringing other members to the club.

We have basically every type of boat you could possibly want, so each outing could be a different adventure.

We have bow riders, Professional Ski Boats, Center Console Fishing Boats, Off Shore Fishing Boats, Flats fishing boats, Cuddy Cabins, and yachts up to 63'.

We have plans starting from $400 One time membership fee and a $50/Mo maintenance fee, and up, it all depends on how much time you want to spend on the water. No off season, high season or black out dates. You boat as much as your membership allows you to.

And yes, like everybody else says, without the headaches that boat ownership have. We've all heard all the jokes about owning a boat. For some they are true, for some they are not. Send me a PM and I can answer all your questions related to this location.

Rich!

Peter the Brit · 08-05-2009, 06:38 AM

Before you sign up as an ex member of the Freedom Boat club in Sarasota. Look at the age of the boats they have and ask how frequently can you secure one as my experience was old boats sluggish performance with non avaialability on the weekends

BabyBoomers2 · 08-05-2009, 08:13 AM

Yes, that can be a problem and have heard about that. Just thoroughly check things out, as much as you can that is, before becoming a member......just as anyone should do before becoming a member of anything!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter the Brit

Before you sign up as an ex member of the Freedom Boat club in Sarasota. Look at the age of the boats they have and ask how frequently can you secure one as my experience was old boats sluggish performance with non avaialability on the weekends