Budget Boating : USA Going the India-way ?

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The yachting lifestyle has been alive in the USA since time immemorial...with some of the finest brands coming from Uncle Sam.

But only lately with recession and fuel prices hikes has led the yachting fraternity to try new concepts and ideas in ensuring that their marinas and quays remain bustling as ever.


The concept of 'Boat Clubs' has been one of such successful concepts in ensuring that Americans do not have to forego the passion for boating due to stubborn fuel prices and more.

DIME-A-DOZEN

Boat Club Memberships let people get out on the water without the expense and responsibilities of boat ownership. These boat clubs have an array of boats that they own, and rent these out on various plans or charter them on a daily basis. The level of customization for charters depends on the customers liking.

Mike Saunders brought the trend to Massachusetts, when he opened a Freedom Boat Club franchise at Marina Bay in Quincy. He now owns similar franchises in Plymouth and Beverly, and there also are locations in Newburyport, West Dennis, Falmouth, and Rhode Island. The Navigator Club in Charlestown, owned by Edward Mancini, offers similar memberships.

Saunders compares it with a country club membership. Just as golf club members call to reserve tee times, boat club members call to request any of the seven boats the club keeps on the Beverly dock. The boats include bow riders, cruisers, fish ing boats, and a sailboat.

For Dean Rubin, there's nothing better than taking off on a pleasure cruise from Beverly Harbor on a boat he doesn't own.

"You go down, and the boat is waiting for you," Rubin said. "You enjoy the harbor, come back, get your stuff, and walk away. There are no hassles at the dock. You just get out of the boat and go home."

He and his wife, Tracy, of Beverly, are part of a new trend: Membership clubs that let people get out on the water without the expense and responsibilities of boat ownership.

FACILTIES AND RATES

The Navigator Club at Constitution Marina in Charlestown is the newest among the on-demand boating clubs, opening this year.

"I was in boat sales and yacht brokering, and saw that a lot of people just didn't have the time to maintain a boat or to deal with some of the traditional boat ownership tasks," said Mr. Mancini, who considered opening in Newburyport, where he once docked his boat, before deciding on his current location. "I didn't want to be a franchise guy, and felt I could do a better job. I also have a passion for water, so if I can show prospective members that, it brings new people into boating."

Membership in the clubs provides the same privileges that come with docking a boat at the marina - which can include use of clubhouses, pools, restaurants, or whatever other facilities are available at the marina.

There are different fee structures, including a onetime joining fee of $4,500 for a weekday membership and $5,900 for a seven-day membership, plus fees that come to $2,500/$3,500 annually for the Freedom Boat Clubs in Beverly, Quincy, and Plymouth. Navigator Club fees run from $5,595 for a weekday membership to $7,495 for a seven-day membership.(SOURCE)

That's less than the cost of boat ownership, which beyond the purchase price can include insurance, slip rental, harbor fees, maintenance, and winter storage.

"It costs substantially less" than boat ownership on average, "less than half," Saunders said. "Many of our members are previous boat owners who choose this because it's a no-hassle alternative. They don't have to worry about maintaining the boat."

GOING THE INDIA WAY?

The concept of Boat Clubs has been around since couple of years in India, and has been well-received too.

Companies such as West Coast Marine which has been giving these services since its inception, and Privada - which is purely a membership-based services company with 3 boats in their kitty for the benefit of members enrolled.

Annual membership programs with point-based reward system that gives an added advantage to use boats in Dubai and other international cities has been Privada's ace up their sleeves.

Services such as these have helped in pushing the trend of boating to a wider group of people than possible...allowing many a clients with limited budgets to get on to boats that were out of their reach.