A relative of mine is looking into this and is asking me the pros and cons. They are approaching it the smart way, doing a cost benefit analysis and seeing if it is better than buying.
He is looking for some feedback from people that belong to it. Do any of you guys know anyone?


:eyes:

Obviously I don't know your relative or his/her expertise behind the helm. To answear your question, I don't know anyone using it.

BUT, personally i think the FBC a terrible idea, a day or even two of training is not going to cut it. I've seen boaters with years of experience do the stupidest things imaginable. Then they give someone a 28 footer to use ?????? I told the "hot chick" exactly that at the last boat show. She was speechless. (and go figure they use chicks to promote the club) ANYWAY,,,,,,

That said, I am not telling you your relative is wrong, so if he/she is confident enough to deal with the nuts out there, give it a try. and be careful, REAL careful, as you know when things go wrong out there they go wrong really fast.

Whats the difference?
They can go buy said 28ft w/o ANY training. something is better than nothing... but I agree Van, I've got a ticket and still have been known to do something stupid occasionally :pop:

Obviously I don't know your relative or his/her expertise behind the helm. To answear your question, I don't know anyone using it.

BUT, personally i think the FBC a terrible idea, a day or even two of training is not going to cut it. I've seen boaters with years of experience do the stupidest things imaginable. Then they give someone a 28 footer to use ?????? I told the "hot chick" exactly that at the last boat show. She was speechless. (and go figure they use chicks to promote the club) ANYWAY,,,,,,

That said, I am not telling you your relative is wrong, so if he/she is confident enough to deal with the nuts out there, give it a try. and be careful, REAL careful, as you know when things go wrong out there they go wrong really fast.

think About it :huh:

CLAMMEr gives the classes >>>>....:rocketem:

think About it :huh:

CLAMMEr gives the classes >>>>....:rocketem:

yes he does! and if your lucky enough when he is sleeping, you can take his keys , go catch cows, and come back and watch him go nuts!

I think of it in the same way I view leasing a car..... you pay for a vehicle that you won't own (unless you choose to at the end of the lease).
For the cost of the membership, what happens if the location you choose doesn't have any boats available or one to correctly suit your needs? Do you take what they have, drive on to the next location and try again or give up and go home?

think About it :huh:

CLAMMEr gives the classes >>>>....:rocketem:

really? THey are looking to get it in Warwick. Its my bro-in law and he has already taken boating safety classes and passed the test. He wants to be a boater but without the worry of maintainance.

really? THey are looking to get it in Warwick. Its my bro-in law and he has already taken boating safety classes and passed the test. He wants to be a boater but without the worry of maintainance.

Then he should give it a try.
But like Tim said,
I wonder if everytime he feels like going out, what boat he gets. You don't actually keep one in your own slip do ya? I don't think its like leasing a car where its yours. So if you get used to one, the next time they only have a different one?? I dunno :huh::huh: That would make things even more interesting.

RiROCK, you have a good point, I think a training course should be mandatory whether you buy or lease.
...........AND.........
I've heard about Clammer's boating experiences on the water and dry land. Maybe you should try somewhere else !!!!:D:rolleyes:

Van, I whole heartedly agree, should be SOP when you register your first boat...

RIJ, A Capt I used to work with is affiliated with Freedom, shoot me an email and I'll try and put your bro-in-law in touch with him.

Think about it, if Mike taught the course, we wouldnt have to worry about them going anywhere once they took their prop off on a rock! (sorry clammer, had to bust your stones a bit bud!)

So I checked out there web site. They say One-on-one boating lessons with a USCG Licensed Captain

That sounds like a good thing.


Some Airplanes are owned by fractional ownership and that appears to make sence. The average owner only really uses the thing a few times a year and it divies up the expence of ownership.


I would not mind doing that fractional ownership on my 44 ft boat if anybody is interested.

On an average day I usually spend 8 to 12 hours fishing and 2 to 4 hours cleaning and maintance. Then you have dock/mooring fees, insurance, fishing permits, boat payments, hauling,storage etc..etc.. etc..

Why not share the expence of ownership.


The Freedom Boat club looks more like a lease rather than ownership so the only diferance is that I would write off the total lease expence instead of amortizing the boat over 15 years.


http://home.maine.rr.com/newengland/moose2.gif

i did cost analysis a couple of years ago, and cost of FBC is slightly less than cost of ownership.

but it seems like you loose a lot of flexibility. i would especially be nervous if you are a weekend fisherman, and on holidays. I think they only have 4 or 5 boats, and only 1 or 2 was fishable (rod holders, etc...)

but there are some cool aspects, like being able to use a boat anywhere they have a fleet. NC, FL, TX, wherever. That would be pretty cool. Cape, N.shore, S.shore, N.Bay, LI, etc...

It is certainly for some people, personally i chose ownership.

Zac

You all make some very good points regarding Freedom Boat Club. I operate 3 of the Massachusetts locations and can provide some additional detail.

Costs- Their is a one time entry fee of $5900 and dues of $279 per month. If you compare it to owning a $35k-$55k boat, storing it, insuring it, and depreciation, FBC is less than a third of owning a boat. (trailering a 17' boat costs a lot less but is not apples to apples comparison)

Training- We would love to require weeks of training but we are in the business of getting people on the water so we try to balance safety w/ expedience. Truly novice boaters are required to get more training if the training captain does not "pass" them.

Flexibility- FBC is not the answer for every boater. For busy people with jobs, families, and other committments that want to show up at the dock to a clean, maintained boat we are perfect. Some members use the fleet 50 times per season (more than most boat owners) while other are more typical at 15-20 trips per year. Reservations are online so you can plan ahead, or call up last minute.

In 3 years FBC has grown from 3 boats and 1 New England location to 50+ boats, 8 locations, and 100's of happy members. I think that many avid striper fisherman would really enjoy fishing Boston Harbor, Plymouth/Dux Bay, Bass River (W Dennis), Falmouth, and Narragansett Bay, as part of their membership with NO additional fees, no usage charges, and no trailering!! (member pays fuel but 95% of our fishing boats are 4-stroke motors)

I hope this info helps and email/pm if you have questions.

I am in my second year of membership at the club in Beverly and I am extremely happy with it.
I had never owned a boat before and had limited experience behind the helm of friends boats. Before I took the training through Freedom I went through the local Coast Guard Aux. boating safety course. I would recommend a course of this nature to anyone with little experience like myself. Actual on the water training covered docking, operating the boat, systems, etc. The guy who taught it was cool,very knowledgable and sort of a hard ass which I think is the right combination for something as important as operating a boat safely. In addition to the formal training one of the guys who managed the boats was a big time fishing freak so I also learned going out to chase the fish with him. As to results I was out very often last season and often this year and have not had any issues or incidents.
I have had one weekend that I could not get out on a boat but I didn't try to book anything until that Friday.
I am sure if it is not right for everyone but I cannot imagine a better way for someone to get a feel for boating.
If you have any other questions you can PM me. Know I am a fan but I have nothing to gain by telling you anything but the truth about it.

thats a lot of dough. that does not include gas or bait. my 24 ft Mako is cheaper to own and maintain then what I see quoted above. Also the boats listed in warick are low ended economy models. I am sure they will be beat to %$%$%$%$ by mid summer.

Duke,
What year Mako and which motor do you have?

As previously mentioned their are chaeper ways to own and maintain a boat. Trailering, storing in your yard, and even moorings (if you can get one) are all ways to lower your cost of ownership.

It is a personal choice whether or not owning a boat or joining a club is best for an individual. Their are pros and cons to both. Your choice is to own.

From a strictly cost comparison (not including time and effort of ownership) their is no way you can buy a comparable boat, put it in a slip, maintain it, and insure it for less than a membership.