Boat Memberships Soar
It’s not unusual for St. Louisans to hit the water between Memorial Day and Labor Day. But like private jet service and RV ownerships, the boating industry is also seeing a boom in. both rentals and ownership. COVID-19 has changed lifestyles and vacationing for the entire world. Boating is just one of the many ways to enjoy the outdoors while social distancing.
With boat dealerships experiencing a dip in inventory due to increased sales, a local franchise called Freedom Boat Club is gaining more members. It’s a way to ensure a quality boat is available without the expense that comes with owning a boat. Over the past few months, nearly 50,000 members have joined 235 locations across the country.
Similar to other private clubs, there is an initial one-time fee to join with recurring monthly dues. A Freedom Boat Club membership is good for unlimited boating within your Home Club, as well as access to clubs in other locations. That means access to more than 3,000 new boats. A one-time entry fee starts around $5,900 with incentives and promotions offered throughout the year. A weekday membership is $249/month. An everyday membership is $349/month. Some memberships are as low as $199/month.
Memberships allow up to four reservations on the books at any time. You can reserve any available boat in the fleet for partial or full-days. Inventory includes fishing boats, deck boats, Pontoons, bowriders, tritoons, ski boats and cruisers. Here is a link to the 2020 Fleet Sheet.
Freedom Boat Club is owned by Brunswick Corporation which also owns Sea Ray, Mercury, Boston Whaler, Cypress Cay, Bayliner and Harris among others. Local Director of Operations KC Kettelson was the Director of Operations for Freedom Boat Club across the Northern Gulf Coast for the past three years. He and his wife, Haley, moved to O’Fallon this year to facilitate the launch of the St. Charles location. KC is a graduate of the University of South Alabama, holds a 100 ton master captain's license, and he’s also a Yamaha certified technician.