Wayne good point of view i love how you cover both sides i honestly was going to cut off video after you mentioned the fee but I thought ill listen to all the video glad I did as it would be good depending on your situation also with whats going on with the boating industry
We belonged to Freedom Boat Club for a couple of years. It was convenient and a great way to learn about boating safety, handling, and determining whether boat ownership might be right for a family. The reservation system is designed so that boats are available for all members. Members can reserve boats for 4-hour increments or an 8-hour increment if you book back-to-back reservations; you can have 3 reservations active at once (an 8-hour booking counts as 2) and only one of the 3 reservations can be on a weekend. Where we live in Massachusetts, a weekend of rain or high winds/small craft warning can be highly disappointing. The pandemic made boat availability very challenging, though the club was attempting to buy more boats (like everyone else!). We decided to buy our own and appreciate the practical experience that the club gave us. And we appreciate learning from your experiences too, Wayne!
I joined in Ottawa and am very happy. You forgot one advantage and it’s a big one. It’s not that you don’t have to do maintenance… it’s that you don’t have to WORRY about it. If a boat were to break down, I just call FBC at the marina and they’ll come get me. That peace of mind is huge.
That one would be a win for me as well. Always wanted to have a boat but never did because of all the work and hassles that come with it. This just might give me all that I need and want. Are you still happy that you joined? God bless!!!
Great video! We have been members of FBC for a couple of years now. There a couple of things that aren't mentioned in the video that may be relevant. Your local location(s) and franchise owner / team make a huge difference in the overall experience (some locations are corporate owned, but many are locally owned). The locations are supposed to only keep new boats for a maximum of 3 years and maintain 1 boat in the fleet for every local 10 members. If this guideline is followed by the franchisee owner it really makes a huge difference in the value that your realize as a member. For example, our local club has 15+ boats a few miles from my house and 100+ boats across the 6 local locations within 1 hour of my house. All of the boats are less than 3 years old and some of the new ones are far exceeding $100K boats. They all have GPS and the fishing boats have nice fish finders. When you run the membership fee numbers in your video (which are also directionally accurate in my local area) the repeated newness (always getting a new boat experience year after year) and the price tag on these boats being 2X what you are showing in your video, this tilted the benefits in our favor when making our final decision on joining the club vs. buying a boat (or renting on a day by day basis as we did previously). On the other end of the spectrum, some of the negatives that we have found are that reciprocal locations haven't always maintained these standards (maybe acceptable number or type of boats for the local standards, but in our experience tend to be older / lower cost models or may be very restrictive on the number of reciprocal reservations they honor on a given day). In addition, some locations require special training that if you are only visiting for a couple of days on vacation may not be practical to obtain for a short trip if the same training is not required at your local club. Overall, its great to step on the boat and go and come back and step off the boat and leave. No cleaning, no maintenance, no gassing, no storage. My club is buying expensive boats and maintaining them well with no rips, no tears, no old boats. If you can afford it and don't want the headache of put in, pull out, storage, and breakdowns I recommend going for it. P.S. I don't work for this company! Shout out to our local owners / dockhands in Southwest Michigan for providing a great experience for us!
Thanks for the price info. Nothing is more annoying than sales pitches where you can never get a straight answer when it comes to the price of something.
One of the best videos I’ve ever seen on RUclips when you take into account honest commentary, get to the point info and answering the questions that we all had about cost. Very well done.Thank you!
Great video. I did a TON of research on this. If you have a slip at your property don’t do it. If you want on average a basically 2 year old or newer boat it’s perfect. I am under 2 miles to the club and local slip fees are almost $4000 per year by me. We paid $4000 Initiation and $420/mo. After the first year I am basically getting to boat for what my slip fee would be. Boats at my Freedom Boat Club are over $60,000+++ new. It’s a no brainer. As I mentioned unless you have water access at your house why do you want anything else.
Sold my 1986 aluminum boat last weekend and used the proceeds to pay for most of the FBC initiation fee. Club is a 20 minute drive for us. Boat ramp 5 minutes away but a fustercluck on the weekends… trailer lot is usually full by 8am on Sat and Sun. Showed up at the marina at 2pm, on the water at 2:05 Even more important for us is the fact that when we were done we drove home. No trailering, cleaning the deck, flushing the engine, then doing it a second time because it’s salt water. And I upgraded from a nearly 40-year-old bucket to a 2021 boat worth over $45K The math worked for us, especially considering we would have had to buy a new vehicle to tow a bigger boat than our aluminum craft. We’re so excited to be in FBC
Must say.I was hesitant at first, but once I joined, it was the best thing I ever did. It's great. All you have to do is get to the dock, and the boat is ready.When you get back, they check on how much fuel you used and that's what you'll pay for the day. The fees are worth it. When you look at how much you pay to buy your boat and to store it and have maintenance done, you now have an old boat where when you join the club,They replace the boats every few years and you're driving around a sixty to seventy thousand dollar boat. In my opinion you can't go wrong. Love being a member. If you're a 24/7 Type of person. You need to own your own boat.
The reservation system is very strict and , at least here in SE Florida, the clubs are seriously over booked. You have to plan weeks in advance unless you can boat on the weekdays. I researched it for weeks even going to the local club and asking them to bring up their reservation app to see how booked it was. That's what turned me off. I ended up joining a smaller club for a year to see if the wife was into it and after the year was up bought a boat. I had been a boat owner in the area from 1980 to 2000 but divorce ended that. My second wife loves the life so we bought a boat recently. One of the things to think about if you are into fishing as I am is that everything you need to bring has to be taken off the boat every time. Coolers, rods, tackle etc has to be brought to the boat and taken off the boat every time. You can't store anything on the boat. Anything that is a pain to do will be done less and less as time goes on.
In my area a cabin cruiser rents for $500 per hour. Freedom boat club monthly already covers that. And slip fees are almost 2k/mo here in LA. Definitely worth it in my area
I just joined FBC and am very excited! There are 3 locations within 25 minutes of my home that are all owned by the same franchisee so they're all available as my "home" club and each has 10-15 boats. They've said they maintain the ratio of 7.5 members per boat across the 3 clubs, so hopefully getting reservations won't be a problem. Fingers crossed!
@@isaacbokri5795 It has been very easy to get reservations! The clubs in my area keep their memberships to 7-8 members per boat. I'm very happy I joined and it has absolutely been worth the money!
They just opened one in Puerto Rico. I'm excited. We can boat 365 days a year here. You forgot to mention the insurance costs and they can be quite high! Great video
Thank you for this video. My wife and I just moved to Glyndon MD and got into boating. We completed our educational boating license course and now we are thinking of options for our first boat or boat club options. It was great to get your input so close to home.
Another thing to consider is that these boat clubs often also rotate in brand new boats every two or three years. So on the ownership front, you should also factor in what it would cost to do the same. Taking that depreciation hit on a new boat every 2 to 3 years Would be massively expensive over time. I am a Boat Club member of a different Club, but the fees are generally similar. One thing that really grinds my gears is the off-season cost. As you mentioned, I have to continue to pay the fees through a six or seven month winter off-season. Yes this is the same for Boat owners who have financed their boats. But it's really only the same for Boat owners who live in my area. Boat Club members that live in Florida have access to the boats year-round, and my Club costs are subsidizing their boat use. And that annoys me. They get a lot more use and availability paying the same fees that I'm paying With 6 to 8 months of winter.
Wayne….Very well done. Exactly what I needed to make a decision. One aspect not mentioned that attracts me to join is the local club in my area offers lessons and sources for boating skills, fishing etc. Since it has been years since I last was boating or fishing, this is also valuable for me. Boating safety is a stated priority and in Florida, even with the purchase of a large boat, there are limited requirements for licensing etc. Therefore would suggest, as I plan to at meeting set for next week with the club rep, what sources and unique membership benefits may be available….ie member activities. This ties into another benefit….that generally, as an indirect aspect, having just relocated to the area in the past months, we also see the club as another source for meeting others from the area. Overall, the video really helped summarize and helped confirm or consider what I had done in trying to weigh the pros and cons. Good stuff. Thank you
I am a Freedom Boat Club member in SW Florida. I am down there about half the year, and am in MD the other half. I have two boats in MD a 50 foot boat I live on when up here and a 22 foot center console I use for fishing and local bar hopping etc. I have really liked the ease of the FBC, but have had some issues with availability and the lack of good electronic chart plotters etc. I really like the ability to use boats in multiple locations with FBC. I have done it in San Diego several times and will do it in RI in a couple of weeks. I am on the fence right now with staying with FBC or moving my 22 Foot boat to Florida. It will depend on whether access to boats gets better or worse in my area. I’ve already paid the down payment at FBC so it will come down to access over cost
Good review! I've been boat owner for 30 years and agree with everything from Pro's and Con's in your review. One thing I discovered is that storing boat I would use 5 to 10 times a year. However, after getting boat slip as you mentioned I use it now 20-30 times a year. I can just walk out and ride for hour or so at any time. So the increase in slip I'm getting 3x more usage.
As a member of the maryland/dc franchise, I can say everything you said is 100% correct. Just wanted to add a couple things 1. The only time I couldn't get a boat is when the blue angels are flying over Annapolis 2. Another negative is that you can't customize the boats to add things you want 3. You can take out different types of boats depending on what you want to do 4. Freedom provides all the training you need or want
This was really helpful and provided exactly the information needed to make an informative decision without the hassle of a pushy sales rep who might not be so forthcoming with the upsides and the downside of the club.
I know a couple of people that are members and they love it. It works well for their needs and the area they boat. Both of them are not interested is owning and maintenance and having to trailer. I on the flip side own my boat out right and love the possibility of trailering where ever I want to. I don't dislike the idea of the club, just not for me.
Great video. Absolutely hits the nail on the head. Two parts to my story. We have been boat owners for over 32 years - lengths from 21' to 34'. I bought my 8th boat in June 2022 - 24' dual console - our first brand new boat. Enjoyed it (but sparsely) for two summers. Kept on my own private mooring at an annual cost of $100. Motor has 40 hours of use. We love boating but are in our mid 70's. Part two - we are in Ft Myers, FL from January through April. Got an email from Freedom on Sunday with a great deal - $ 3,000 off the initiation fee, payable 50% now and 50% in April 2024. Monthly dues commence in April 2024 also. The boats at my local club are similar to the boat I purchased - and the marina is less than one mile from our house. I mapped out your cost comparisons for ownership versus FBC. Totally supports my moves. Now we can enjoy boating for the Cape Cod and Florida seasons plus other areas if we travel around the USA. Last step - selling our current boat hopefully for a decent price. And I may also buy a small boat to keep on the mooring to maintain the mooring permit.
You fail to take into account the cost of the new boat. Not gonna be $100. More like well over $100,000. There's maintenance, insurance, storage, and yes, slip fees if you're not on the water with a waterfront property. Then the waterfront property premium.... FBC, or any other one, knocks that out of the park!
Great video !!! I too was thinking about Freedom Boat Club I did get the similar numbers...and now my local club is not charging monthly fees till 2023. I think the boat club is good for me because I don't know how to work on outboard motors (lack of tools and knowledge) . I owned a jet ski for many years and I could never find a cheap place to work on my jet ski.. then when it broke down in the middle of the summer , it was impossible to get it fixed in a timely matter. I spent thousands of dollars in maintaince on the jet ski but did all the oil changes and winterization myself. I just hoped Freedom Boat Club had a Jet Ski rental program at a lower cost. At this time I decided not to join due to the costs.
You did a great video and thank you for getting right to the point. Some videos are too long and I'm out in the first few minutes. I just learned about Freedom Boat Club so just trying to see if it's a good fit for me. It sounds like you've got the perfect set up for where you are. I'm originally from Baltimore/Towson area but now living in the beautiful Pacific NW. Nice to see a video from another Marylander. Looking forward to checking out your other videos. Happy boating & God bless!!!
This is great video. We went through a similar thought process when we wanted to start boating. Freedom BC made the most sense for us. My favorite part is taking boats out in lots of different locations.
Thank you for making this!!! I originally thought the prices were ridiculous, but now you do the math it’s not that bad. Also…very happy you pointed out that sailboat!!! It’s actually what I’m looking for! Although I don’t think our location has any…:(
Thanks for the video. That's more expensive than I thought. I'm a welder. With 10K I could build a small boat in a year. At this price it seems smarter to buy.
Don’t forget on top of the monthly dues for the boat club is gas plus tip for the deckhands each session. I love the idea of the boat club if I did not already own a truck and not live in HOA community. It just depends on each person circumstances. I agree with you though. It was more expensive than I thought. So I just ended up purchasing.
If you fish the FBC isn’t even an option really, not to mention certain things you would normally keep on the boat. You will be walking down to the dock like Gilliigan, not to mention those sun up sun down restrictions are lame. For any recreational boater it seems pretty good. Keep in mind if you don’t take care of your boat, it will treat you like crap and you will get crap when time to sell
Excellent video. The decision varies per person and situation, but as a complete newbie boater I like the idea of training and access to new(-ish) boats with no mechanical/cleaning/hauling/ storage responsibilities. It would help me decide whether to 'dive in' (so to speak) on buying one later. (For instance, seeing how much I actually use it over the course of a year). I think it has value as a gateway and learning experience.
It's an interesting concept, and makes a lot of sense for a lot of people. I own a boat, our 5th one, but I can see that a Boat Club would make a lot of sense for a first time boater, to find out if they will really boat enough to actually own one full time. We trailer ours as far away as 6 hours and spend weeks at a time on a lake. Being able to stay out past dark, is a lot of fun. These are all things one couldn't do in a Boat Club. When we travel to the FL Keys, we will rent a boat for a day or so. Most of those boats aren't all that great, and will cost between $350 and $450 for the day. So a boat club membership would be a benefit in that scenario. Our non boat owning friends own a house in Cape Coral FL. I have tried to convince them to get a membership, so we can boat when we come down there, plus we could get one from dozens of areas in Florida.
We owned a powerboat for 5 years so we know the TRUE cost of boating. Most boat owners ignore depreciation as a cost. It's massive. FBC makes sense. You lose some "freedom" to go out when you wish on your own boat, but it really is an easy way to get on the water. It hurts to make those October - March payments but even with 6 months of use, it's worth the cost.
Thanks, this was soooo helpful! My husband and I live in Maine, are nearing retirement and would never want to own a boat due to the effort and work involved, and the unpredictable cost of ownership. Freedom boat club would work great for us, as long as we are willing to pay the price of belonging. Debating that......
I'm interested in FBC, because I really want a center console boat, but prices ranging from $115,000 for the Sea pro 22' I could possibly afford to $185,000 for the Grady White 25' I dream about, would cost me WAY MORE than a FBC membership. I'm hoping to utilize their club for at least 5 years, which would help keep my cost around $406.60 a month. My loan payment for the Sea Pro 22' would be around $659,00 a month with $20,000 down payment! I do worry that I live in New England (NH), and there will be about 4 to 5 months the boats won't be available because of weather, but I own a Bass Boat now and have the same issue.
Great unbiased video Wayne! Our spots are located on the east side of Michigan. Our initial payment is a couple thousand dollars cheaper than the Maryland location. I can agree and say it really just comes down to the person. Freedom makes a lot of sense to someone more than it does another. And the specific franchise. Our owner is always looking for new ways to make the club a better experience for everyone.
Interesting! I was visiting Florida back before the real estate went parabolic. I was noticing a lot of affordable homes on canals, where you could have a boat in your back yard, and take the canals out to the inlet, out into the ocean. Some guys at a bar said, no, that is too much trouble, it takes too long to get through all those passages to get out, and all you would need is Freedom BC, and you take a boat from the intra-coastal or wherever with less delays. That sounded good, just on community and socializing levels, if not financially. ( I wasn't imagining 5 grand just to get started.) However, I still think this video hits it well, by saying, if you have water access right at hand, you may still just want to own it yourself.
I’m similar to Wayne. I purchased an older boat for $11k, put $3.5k while rebuilding it, I store the boat in my backyard, and the boat ramp is about a mile away. The costs upfront are high with boat ownership but the ability to take my boat out whenever I want is the main reason I didn’t consider a boat club. I also enjoy spending time with my son as we work, fix, and maintain our boat.
That’s great man. There’s pros and cons to both for sure. Personally I was like you too. But I was tired of washing the boat after going fishing. I was so dead from Spearfishing the last thing I wanted to do was clean the boat
FBC really depends on your situation. I live in the city and I’m a 5 minute walk to the marina. Perfect for me! I have friends that live on the water 30 mins away with property and a buoy. Boat ownership is perfect for them. They are envious when they have to maintenance issues though.
I looked into this…can’t take the boats out early, must be back by late afternoon, can’t go out past a few miles, possible to take overnight but with significant restrictions. Ok so no serious fishing, no sunset cruises, no tie up for dinner, restricted ability to go long distance. Why again would you do any boat club?
I've been weighing the pros and cons of FBC vs. buying, but was completely unaware of the dawn/dusk limitation.. not sure how I missed it. I'm sure that's not an issue for many boaters, but I'm an early riser and like to be out on the water by sun up... so I suppose that's the proverbial straw. Thanks for the presentation!
Yeah - I am not sure if some locations might be a little flexible in that regard, but I would assume they would need staff to work those hours if they were to allow that.
our local club allows you to grab the keys the night before, so you can head out early AM and not have to wait for the dockmaster...it's all case-by-case with the local club :)
As someone that would want it for fishing only the 830-9am is a huge deal breaker. Well and the price. I bought my 19' Grady and my place in a campground on the Chesapeake bay for the cost of 1 years fees.
Thanks Wayne! Awesome and very well-organized video. I own Carefree Boat Club of North Idaho and for some people, a club is a great idea, but it's really not for everyone. We only want people to join the club if they are able to use their membership enough to make it pencil out. Have you ever considered doing comparison to Freedom and Carefree Boat Clubs? Would be a very helpful video for a lot of folks.
very good info. Thanks. But is other ways to own a boat, you can buy a used good for around $20K, or if you are ok with a 17 or 20 footer you can find one for $12 to 16K been a few years old. an inboard boat is easy to maintain and less expensive to repair. Now if you don't care of the cost $$$$ go for the club membership.
excellent video, thanks. one small point you missed- if you trailer your boat, you pay a lot less for gas from a regular gas station than you do at harbor gas station.
Good video my advice owning a good new boat is expensive Owning a good used boat is expensive Owning any boat Might be expensive As a boat owner we have a saying Depending on the size of the boat Break out another thousand 😮
Thanks for this video. Very similar to my findings, I have been researching this for nearly a year now. I’m on the South GA coast, and we have a club here as well, about 10 minutes from my house. Our buy in currently is a bit more, around $6800, monthly are same as you mentioned. We get to use it year round, so no down time. The remote locations are a huge value to me as well because we travel in a camper, and cannot also tow a boat.
hello. I travel too. Have you found that there are any challenges reserving from a club thats not your local one? Extra charges for doing so? Team members treat you differently for not being local? Thanks in advance.
Definitely not for me, when I go out boating I decide when to come back or I rather no go out at all not to mention that most of the time I go out boating it just happens out of the blue. Great videos Wayne
I enjoyed your video… and I am considering both options… buy or Freedom Boat Club… I’m 58 and I’ve always wanted to own a boat but I do not live a block or a few yards from a boat launch …. The Club sounds like a good and affordable option.. However, ownership is such an exciting thought…. Probably more emotional that practical however…
Ownership can be tempting but if you're not handy, or don't like to putter around cleaning and tinkering - it can be expensive to keep them well maintained. If you can afford it, a boat club is a real nice way to get into it all without having to learn how to back up a trailer at a ramp!
You and I sound like we are in the exact same boat (pun intended)! LOL There are so many important decisions to be made, and with the high costs of either buying a boat, or joining a boat club, they are costly decisions to consider.
Good reporting. We’ve moved near Crystal River Florida and wondered if this club would be something we could benefit from or just pay a rental fee for other boat renters for a four hour period without a membership fee. For us, Freedom Boat Club looks too expensive.
I agree with every part of this clip. The only advantage I think you left out. For novice boat users looking to buy a family boat.... Two years of FBC is 15 grand. In that time you can... 1) Use many different types of boat to get a feel for what you want and don't in a boat. 2) You are going to make mistakes. Better to do it with a club boat than your brand new boat. 3) You can evaluate how much ACTUAL boating you do verses how much boating you THOUGHT you were going to do. If you boat 15 times a year.... Buying a boat might be a good idea. If you boat 3x a year... FBC nor owning a boat is for you. For only 3x a year??? ...You should charter a boat.... Comes with a captian, including gas, rods, bait, drinks..... $500 for 4 hours 3x a year is $1,500 .... A DEAL !
Great video. Here are some numbers from NY boater on Long Island who just sold his boat to join boat club. Boat I bought used for $40,000 so no payments. Slip and storage $5500 Winterizing $3000 Summerizing $3000 Maintenance throughout the year $7000 Total - $18,500 without boat payments. Just heard about freedom boat club and now it was a no brainer to make the switch!
Just wanted to say thanks you gave me the exact answer I was looking for and also is great cause you had the exact prices for my Area being a fellow Marylander Thanks so much appreciate your being straight to the point no extra BS Thanks again now I know it's definitely not worth it or even close to affordable for me!
Great video and thanks for the financial analysis. I agree with a few commentors here that the November until March monthly payments are going to be painful. BUT. Does anyone here travel during the late fall into the Winter time and sail out of any of their other locations in the reciprocal agreements? For example, I'm from Jersey and barely ever travel during the winter weekends. Perhaps being a FBC member will give me the incentive to travel for a weekend here and there to Florida, Texas or California??
Thank you for a very good video and comparison! My last boat had an outboard engine, and my current boat have an inboard engine. The reason for me to go from outboard to inboard was that outboard-engines very often get stolen and when they steal then they often just saw them of totally ruining the boat. At least that is the case here in Sweden where we have a lot of outboard engine theft, and big leagues that sell them in east EU. This was exacly what happend to my last boat and in my opinion is the biggest con with and outboard enginge. Appart from that i totaly agree with your analyzis. Kind regards Tommy
I'm from Cleveland Ohio our boats are on Lake Erie so the cost here shouldn't be to much lol but I'll definitely get some quotes and let everyone know the cost in my area
If you have 100% decided you want a boat to run regularly, and you like the boats the FBC in your area has they seem like a pretty good deal. Take away the boat ramp and driving-with-your-boat potential nightmares, and also the problems associated with theft from boats in storage (whether on your driveway or in a facility), etc - it's not bad. Of course - if it's not the kind of boat you want, or it's more boat than you were looking for, it might pay to re-examine all options on the table. For me - I wanted a 14-18 foot simple fishing boat - so this was way more than I wanted. I am also looking for a permanent live-aboard yacht - and there they're also not suitable.
This is a well made video.. very informative with honest finance numbers. Well done Wayne
Thank you kindly!
Wayne good point of view i love how you cover both sides i honestly was going to cut off video after you mentioned the fee but I thought ill listen to all the video glad I did as it would be good depending on your situation also with whats going on with the boating industry
What a ripoff
Agreed!!!
Love the way you get right to the punch line about cost as the first item, and then the value. Excellent.
We belonged to Freedom Boat Club for a couple of years. It was convenient and a great way to learn about boating safety, handling, and determining whether boat ownership might be right for a family. The reservation system is designed so that boats are available for all members. Members can reserve boats for 4-hour increments or an 8-hour increment if you book back-to-back reservations; you can have 3 reservations active at once (an 8-hour booking counts as 2) and only one of the 3 reservations can be on a weekend. Where we live in Massachusetts, a weekend of rain or high winds/small craft warning can be highly disappointing. The pandemic made boat availability very challenging, though the club was attempting to buy more boats (like everyone else!). We decided to buy our own and appreciate the practical experience that the club gave us. And we appreciate learning from your experiences too, Wayne!
Thanks for sharing!
We get 4 reservations on the West Coast. Yeah, the small craft advisories are bummers!
Not worth it
So your not a member anymore what happens to your initiation fee?
Were you able to sleep on club boats overnight?
I joined in Ottawa and am very happy.
You forgot one advantage and it’s a big one. It’s not that you don’t have to do maintenance… it’s that you don’t have to WORRY about it. If a boat were to break down, I just call FBC at the marina and they’ll come get me. That peace of mind is huge.
That one would be a win for me as well. Always wanted to have a boat but never did because of all the work and hassles that come with it. This just might give me all that I need and want. Are you still happy that you joined? God bless!!!
@@anns1921 Yes, still happy! Cheers!
I encourage all my friends to join Freedom Boat Club or buy a boat outright. I'll gladly pitch in for fuel and beer.
That's smart!
🤣
A friend with a boat is better than boat ownership!! LOL!! Boat stands for Break Out Another Thousand!!
Great video! We have been members of FBC for a couple of years now. There a couple of things that aren't mentioned in the video that may be relevant. Your local location(s) and franchise owner / team make a huge difference in the overall experience (some locations are corporate owned, but many are locally owned). The locations are supposed to only keep new boats for a maximum of 3 years and maintain 1 boat in the fleet for every local 10 members. If this guideline is followed by the franchisee owner it really makes a huge difference in the value that your realize as a member. For example, our local club has 15+ boats a few miles from my house and 100+ boats across the 6 local locations within 1 hour of my house. All of the boats are less than 3 years old and some of the new ones are far exceeding $100K boats. They all have GPS and the fishing boats have nice fish finders. When you run the membership fee numbers in your video (which are also directionally accurate in my local area) the repeated newness (always getting a new boat experience year after year) and the price tag on these boats being 2X what you are showing in your video, this tilted the benefits in our favor when making our final decision on joining the club vs. buying a boat (or renting on a day by day basis as we did previously). On the other end of the spectrum, some of the negatives that we have found are that reciprocal locations haven't always maintained these standards (maybe acceptable number or type of boats for the local standards, but in our experience tend to be older / lower cost models or may be very restrictive on the number of reciprocal reservations they honor on a given day). In addition, some locations require special training that if you are only visiting for a couple of days on vacation may not be practical to obtain for a short trip if the same training is not required at your local club. Overall, its great to step on the boat and go and come back and step off the boat and leave. No cleaning, no maintenance, no gassing, no storage. My club is buying expensive boats and maintaining them well with no rips, no tears, no old boats. If you can afford it and don't want the headache of put in, pull out, storage, and breakdowns I recommend going for it. P.S. I don't work for this company! Shout out to our local owners / dockhands in Southwest Michigan for providing a great experience for us!
Awesome first hand info - thanks for sharing!
En mi ubicación tenían 3 barcos nuevos y ahora sólo queda 1 viejo.
Y han cerrado la oficina.
@@cfc7188 - what was your location?
@@vikkimorvant2239 Spain.
Thanks for the price info. Nothing is more annoying than sales pitches where you can never get a straight answer when it comes to the price of something.
One of the best videos I’ve ever seen on RUclips when you take into account honest commentary, get to the point info and answering the questions that we all had about cost. Very well done.Thank you!
I appreciate that!
Great video. I did a TON of research on this. If you have a slip at your property don’t do it. If you want on average a basically 2 year old or newer boat it’s perfect. I am under 2 miles to the club and local slip fees are almost $4000 per year by me. We paid $4000 Initiation and $420/mo. After the first year I am basically getting to boat for what my slip fee would be. Boats at my Freedom Boat Club are over $60,000+++ new. It’s a no brainer. As I mentioned unless you have water access at your house why do you want anything else.
Great example of the type of situation (and type of boater) that Freedom Boat Club is a logical choice!
Sold my 1986 aluminum boat last weekend and used the proceeds to pay for most of the FBC initiation fee.
Club is a 20 minute drive for us.
Boat ramp 5 minutes away but a fustercluck on the weekends… trailer lot is usually full by 8am on Sat and Sun.
Showed up at the marina at 2pm, on the water at 2:05
Even more important for us is the fact that when we were done we drove home. No trailering, cleaning the deck, flushing the engine, then doing it a second time because it’s salt water.
And I upgraded from a nearly 40-year-old bucket to a 2021 boat worth over $45K
The math worked for us, especially considering we would have had to buy a new vehicle to tow a bigger boat than our aluminum craft.
We’re so excited to be in FBC
That's awesome - thanks for sharing!!
Must say.I was hesitant at first, but once I joined, it was the best thing I ever did. It's great. All you have to do is get to the dock, and the boat is ready.When you get back, they check on how much fuel you used and that's what you'll pay for the day. The fees are worth it. When you look at how much you pay to buy your boat and to store it and have maintenance done, you now have an old boat where when you join the club,They replace the boats every few years and you're driving around a sixty to seventy thousand dollar boat. In my opinion you can't go wrong. Love being a member. If you're a 24/7 Type of person. You need to own your own boat.
More and more I'm thinking this might be for me. Thanks for the info & God bless!!!
@anns1921 if you're ever in the area I'd be more than happy to show you. Hudson Fla.
The reservation system is very strict and , at least here in SE Florida, the clubs are seriously over booked. You have to plan weeks in advance unless you can boat on the weekdays. I researched it for weeks even going to the local club and asking them to bring up their reservation app to see how booked it was. That's what turned me off. I ended up joining a smaller club for a year to see if the wife was into it and after the year was up bought a boat. I had been a boat owner in the area from 1980 to 2000 but divorce ended that. My second wife loves the life so we bought a boat recently.
One of the things to think about if you are into fishing as I am is that everything you need to bring has to be taken off the boat every time. Coolers, rods, tackle etc has to be brought to the boat and taken off the boat every time. You can't store anything on the boat.
Anything that is a pain to do will be done less and less as time goes on.
In my area a cabin cruiser rents for $500 per hour. Freedom boat club monthly already covers that. And slip fees are almost 2k/mo here in LA. Definitely worth it in my area
I just joined FBC and am very excited! There are 3 locations within 25 minutes of my home that are all owned by the same franchisee so they're all available as my "home" club and each has 10-15 boats. They've said they maintain the ratio of 7.5 members per boat across the 3 clubs, so hopefully getting reservations won't be a problem. Fingers crossed!
How has it been for you so far with reservations?
@@isaacbokri5795 It has been very easy to get reservations! The clubs in my area keep their memberships to 7-8 members per boat. I'm very happy I joined and it has absolutely been worth the money!
I am looking into FBC myself and your video is SO HELPFUL! Thank you for such a great video with all the hypothetical numbers for price geeks like me!
You're so welcome!
Thank you! for the upfront and efficient delivery. I knew I was out at 1:30 into your video
Thank you getting to the point in 60 sec. I saved minutes of my finite life 🧬. I liked your video and subscribed. Thanks ☺️
They just opened one in Puerto Rico. I'm excited. We can boat 365 days a year here. You forgot to mention the insurance costs and they can be quite high! Great video
Good points!
Boats AND RVs - yes - maintenance holes. Great comparison. Thanks.
Thank you for this video. My wife and I just moved to Glyndon MD and got into boating. We completed our educational boating license course and now we are thinking of options for our first boat or boat club options. It was great to get your input so close to home.
Another thing to consider is that these boat clubs often also rotate in brand new boats every two or three years. So on the ownership front, you should also factor in what it would cost to do the same. Taking that depreciation hit on a new boat every 2 to 3 years Would be massively expensive over time. I am a Boat Club member of a different Club, but the fees are generally similar. One thing that really grinds my gears is the off-season cost. As you mentioned, I have to continue to pay the fees through a six or seven month winter off-season. Yes this is the same for Boat owners who have financed their boats. But it's really only the same for Boat owners who live in my area. Boat Club members that live in Florida have access to the boats year-round, and my Club costs are subsidizing their boat use. And that annoys me. They get a lot more use and availability paying the same fees that I'm paying With 6 to 8 months of winter.
Wayne….Very well done. Exactly what I needed to make a decision. One aspect not mentioned that attracts me to join is the local club in my area offers lessons and sources for boating skills, fishing etc. Since it has been years since I last was boating or fishing, this is also valuable for me. Boating safety is a stated priority and in Florida, even with the purchase of a large boat, there are limited requirements for licensing etc. Therefore would suggest, as I plan to at meeting set for next week with the club rep, what sources and unique membership benefits may be available….ie member activities. This ties into another benefit….that generally, as an indirect aspect, having just relocated to the area in the past months, we also see the club as another source for meeting others from the area. Overall, the video really helped summarize and helped confirm or consider what I had done in trying to weigh the pros and cons. Good stuff. Thank you
Nice video. My local club offered a winter special initiation fee for half the price. I imagine one can wheel and deal price terms too. Thanks!
This guy just did all the hard work for me. Great video!
Glad I could help!
I am a Freedom Boat Club member in SW Florida. I am down there about half the year, and am in MD the other half. I have two boats in MD a 50 foot boat I live on when up here and a 22 foot center console I use for fishing and local bar hopping etc. I have really liked the ease of the FBC, but have had some issues with availability and the lack of good electronic chart plotters etc. I really like the ability to use boats in multiple locations with FBC. I have done it in San Diego several times and will do it in RI in a couple of weeks. I am on the fence right now with staying with FBC or moving my 22 Foot boat to Florida. It will depend on whether access to boats gets better or worse in my area. I’ve already paid the down payment at FBC so it will come down to access over cost
Good review! I've been boat owner for 30 years and agree with everything from Pro's and Con's in your review. One thing I discovered is that storing boat I would use 5 to 10 times a year. However, after getting boat slip as you mentioned I use it now 20-30 times a year. I can just walk out and ride for hour or so at any time. So the increase in slip I'm getting 3x more usage.
Thanks! When it's close by and in the water, it's easier to be spontaneous!
As a member of the maryland/dc franchise, I can say everything you said is 100% correct. Just wanted to add a couple things
1. The only time I couldn't get a boat is when the blue angels are flying over Annapolis
2. Another negative is that you can't customize the boats to add things you want
3. You can take out different types of boats depending on what you want to do
4. Freedom provides all the training you need or want
Excellent video Wayne. Straight to the point--all meat no filler. You PROs & CONs provoke thought--weel done Sir! Rich
Thank you!
Very good video, well explained. First time owner? Spend some time on Freedom boat, a few years! Learn, see if you like it then buy one
I love the fact you ran the numbers. Thank you so much
Glad it was helpful!
Half the fun for me in boating is working on the boat, Good hobby and feeling of self worth,etc, Darryl in Canada
Awesome video! Lots of information without listening to a sales pitch!
This was really helpful and provided exactly the information needed to make an informative decision without the hassle of a pushy sales rep who might not be so forthcoming with the upsides and the downside of the club.
I know a couple of people that are members and they love it. It works well for their needs and the area they boat. Both of them are not interested is owning and maintenance and having to trailer. I on the flip side own my boat out right and love the possibility of trailering where ever I want to. I don't dislike the idea of the club, just not for me.
Thanks for sharing!!
Great video. Absolutely hits the nail on the head. Two parts to my story. We have been boat owners for over 32 years - lengths from 21' to 34'. I bought my 8th boat in June 2022 - 24' dual console - our first brand new boat. Enjoyed it (but sparsely) for two summers. Kept on my own private mooring at an annual cost of $100. Motor has 40 hours of use. We love boating but are in our mid 70's. Part two - we are in Ft Myers, FL from January through April. Got an email from Freedom on Sunday with a great deal - $ 3,000 off the initiation fee, payable 50% now and 50% in April 2024. Monthly dues commence in April 2024 also. The boats at my local club are similar to the boat I purchased - and the marina is less than one mile from our house. I mapped out your cost comparisons for ownership versus FBC. Totally supports my moves. Now we can enjoy boating for the Cape Cod and Florida seasons plus other areas if we travel around the USA. Last step - selling our current boat hopefully for a decent price. And I may also buy a small boat to keep on the mooring to maintain the mooring permit.
You fail to take into account the cost of the new boat. Not gonna be $100. More like well over $100,000. There's maintenance, insurance, storage, and yes, slip fees if you're not on the water with a waterfront property. Then the waterfront property premium.... FBC, or any other one, knocks that out of the park!
Great analysis of the membership. This showed me exactly what I needed to weigh out as options. I appreciate it.
Great to hear!
Better off buying.
Great video !!! I too was thinking about Freedom Boat Club I did get the similar numbers...and now my local club is not charging monthly fees till 2023. I think the boat club is good for me because I don't know how to work on outboard motors (lack of tools and knowledge) . I owned a jet ski for many years and I could never find a cheap place to work on my jet ski.. then when it broke down in the middle of the summer , it was impossible to get it fixed in a timely matter. I spent thousands of dollars in maintaince on the jet ski but did all the oil changes and winterization myself. I just hoped Freedom Boat Club had a Jet Ski rental program at a lower cost. At this time I decided not to join due to the costs.
You did a great video and thank you for getting right to the point. Some videos are too long and I'm out in the first few minutes. I just learned about Freedom Boat Club so just trying to see if it's a good fit for me. It sounds like you've got the perfect set up for where you are. I'm originally from Baltimore/Towson area but now living in the beautiful Pacific NW. Nice to see a video from another Marylander. Looking forward to checking out your other videos. Happy boating & God bless!!!
Thanks so much. Great video, very informative. You seem honest and authentic and knowledgeable.
I appreciate that!
This is great video. We went through a similar thought process when we wanted to start boating. Freedom BC made the most sense for us. My favorite part is taking boats out in lots of different locations.
That is a fun feature for people who travel or have other locations nearby.
The perfect information at the perfect time!! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for making this!!! I originally thought the prices were ridiculous, but now you do the math it’s not that bad. Also…very happy you pointed out that sailboat!!! It’s actually what I’m looking for! Although I don’t think our location has any…:(
Thanks for the video. That's more expensive than I thought. I'm a welder. With 10K I could build a small boat in a year. At this price it seems smarter to buy.
Don’t forget on top of the monthly dues for the boat club is gas plus tip for the deckhands each session. I love the idea of the boat club if I did not already own a truck and not live in HOA community. It just depends on each person circumstances. I agree with you though. It was more expensive than I thought. So I just ended up purchasing.
I really thank you for getting right straight to the point You're a great guy
If you fish the FBC isn’t even an option really, not to mention certain things you would normally keep on the boat. You will be walking down to the dock like Gilliigan, not to mention those sun up sun down restrictions are lame. For any recreational boater it seems pretty good. Keep in mind if you don’t take care of your boat, it will treat you like crap and you will get crap when time to sell
What a delight to find someone straight forward and honest. Good presentation. Thanks a bunch!!
I love the way you explained the whole process very clear
Thank you
Excellent video. The decision varies per person and situation, but as a complete newbie boater I like the idea of training and access to new(-ish) boats with no mechanical/cleaning/hauling/ storage responsibilities. It would help me decide whether to 'dive in' (so to speak) on buying one later. (For instance, seeing how much I actually use it over the course of a year). I think it has value as a gateway and learning experience.
That is exactly their 'sweet spot' and you might come to the conclusion that membership is the ideal option for you!
Have fun!
Very fair video, very helpful
Glad to hear!
It's an interesting concept, and makes a lot of sense for a lot of people. I own a boat, our 5th one, but I can see that a Boat Club would make a lot of sense for a first time boater, to find out if they will really boat enough to actually own one full time. We trailer ours as far away as 6 hours and spend weeks at a time on a lake. Being able to stay out past dark, is a lot of fun. These are all things one couldn't do in a Boat Club. When we travel to the FL Keys, we will rent a boat for a day or so. Most of those boats aren't all that great, and will cost between $350 and $450 for the day. So a boat club membership would be a benefit in that scenario. Our non boat owning friends own a house in Cape Coral FL. I have tried to convince them to get a membership, so we can boat when we come down there, plus we could get one from dozens of areas in Florida.
Excellent presentation and explanations. Thanks.
This was super helpful. We are looking into Freedom Boat Club righ tnow.
We owned a powerboat for 5 years so we know the TRUE cost of boating. Most boat owners ignore depreciation as a cost. It's massive. FBC makes sense. You lose some "freedom" to go out when you wish on your own boat, but it really is an easy way to get on the water. It hurts to make those October - March payments but even with 6 months of use, it's worth the cost.
Well done & Hi from Michigan 😎
Thanks, this was soooo helpful! My husband and I live in Maine, are nearing retirement and would never want to own a boat due to the effort and work involved, and the unpredictable cost of ownership. Freedom boat club would work great for us, as long as we are willing to pay the price of belonging. Debating that......
Excellent video! This answered all of my questions. Thanks Wayne!
Thanks for the information and comparisons!
My pleasure!
This was full of great information thank you!
I'm interested in FBC, because I really want a center console boat, but prices ranging from $115,000 for the Sea pro 22' I could possibly afford to $185,000 for the Grady White 25' I dream about, would cost me WAY MORE than a FBC membership. I'm hoping to utilize their club for at least 5 years, which would help keep my cost around $406.60 a month. My loan payment for the Sea Pro 22' would be around $659,00 a month with $20,000 down payment! I do worry that I live in New England (NH), and there will be about 4 to 5 months the boats won't be available because of weather, but I own a Bass Boat now and have the same issue.
Great unbiased video Wayne! Our spots are located on the east side of Michigan. Our initial payment is a couple thousand dollars cheaper than the Maryland location. I can agree and say it really just comes down to the person. Freedom makes a lot of sense to someone more than it does another. And the specific franchise. Our owner is always looking for new ways to make the club a better experience for everyone.
That's good to hear. There is certainly a 'sweet spot' where membership to Freedom Boat Club really makes good sense for some of us!
@@WayneTheBoatGuy Come do a review at the best club in the nation!
We have a marina, how much does freedom boat club pay host marinas?
thanks. Great video. I have a vacation rental at lake of the ozarks right by freedom boat club. eventually, when I can be there more I will join
Great video thank you for getting to the info I was looking for right at the beginning. Very nice.
Great info, thanks for helping us reach a decision
Interesting! I was visiting Florida back before the real estate went parabolic. I was noticing a lot of affordable homes on canals, where you could have a boat in your back yard, and take the canals out to the inlet, out into the ocean. Some guys at a bar said, no, that is too much trouble, it takes too long to get through all those passages to get out, and all you would need is Freedom BC, and you take a boat from the intra-coastal or wherever with less delays. That sounded good, just on community and socializing levels, if not financially. ( I wasn't imagining 5 grand just to get started.) However, I still think this video hits it well, by saying, if you have water access right at hand, you may still just want to own it yourself.
I’m similar to Wayne. I purchased an older boat for $11k, put $3.5k while rebuilding it, I store the boat in my backyard, and the boat ramp is about a mile away. The costs upfront are high with boat ownership but the ability to take my boat out whenever I want is the main reason I didn’t consider a boat club. I also enjoy spending time with my son as we work, fix, and maintain our boat.
That’s great man. There’s pros and cons to both for sure. Personally I was like you too. But I was tired of washing the boat after going fishing. I was so dead from Spearfishing the last thing I wanted to do was clean the boat
FBC really depends on your situation. I live in the city and I’m a 5 minute walk to the marina. Perfect for me! I have friends that live on the water 30 mins away with property and a buoy. Boat ownership is perfect for them. They are envious when they have to maintenance issues though.
The answer is: it depends on you and your situation.
I looked into this…can’t take the boats out early, must be back by late afternoon, can’t go out past a few miles, possible to take overnight but with significant restrictions. Ok so no serious fishing, no sunset cruises, no tie up for dinner, restricted ability to go long distance. Why again would you do any boat club?
thanks for starting from pricing
I've been weighing the pros and cons of FBC vs. buying, but was completely unaware of the dawn/dusk limitation.. not sure how I missed it. I'm sure that's not an issue for many boaters, but I'm an early riser and like to be out on the water by sun up... so I suppose that's the proverbial straw. Thanks for the presentation!
Yeah - I am not sure if some locations might be a little flexible in that regard, but I would assume they would need staff to work those hours if they were to allow that.
They told me they are there right when the sun comes up it's purely a safety issue
our local club allows you to grab the keys the night before, so you can head out early AM and not have to wait for the dockmaster...it's all case-by-case with the local club :)
As someone that would want it for fishing only the 830-9am is a huge deal breaker. Well and the price. I bought my 19' Grady and my place in a campground on the Chesapeake bay for the cost of 1 years fees.
Thanks Wayne! Awesome and very well-organized video. I own Carefree Boat Club of North Idaho and for some people, a club is a great idea, but it's really not for everyone. We only want people to join the club if they are able to use their membership enough to make it pencil out. Have you ever considered doing comparison to Freedom and Carefree Boat Clubs? Would be a very helpful video for a lot of folks.
I see some Carefree clubs in the Chattanooga area. What does Carefree do that is different from FBC or Nautical BC?
Thanks for the video, very informative
Nice job Wayne, very informative
This is so helpful! I am trying to get my dad excited about retirement and we are in a nearby area, this will really help!
Good luck!!
Very honest and educational video thank you.
very good info. Thanks. But is other ways to own a boat, you can buy a used good for around $20K, or if you are ok with a 17 or 20 footer you can find one for $12 to 16K been a few years old. an inboard boat is easy to maintain and less expensive to repair. Now if you don't care of the cost $$$$ go for the club membership.
Excellent video thank you
Great unbiased assessment, Thx.
excellent video, thanks. one small point you missed- if you trailer your boat, you pay a lot less for gas from a regular gas station than you do at harbor gas station.
Good point! - Although in some areas we can only get ethanol free fuel at marinas.
Good video
my advice
owning a good new boat is expensive
Owning a good used boat is expensive
Owning any boat
Might be expensive
As a boat owner we have a saying
Depending on the size of the boat
Break out another thousand 😮
Great video, nice editing and like the B roll 👌
Thank you 🙌
Thanks for this video. Very similar to my findings, I have been researching this for nearly a year now. I’m on the South GA coast, and we have a club here as well, about 10 minutes from my house. Our buy in currently is a bit more, around $6800, monthly are same as you mentioned. We get to use it year round, so no down time. The remote locations are a huge value to me as well because we travel in a camper, and cannot also tow a boat.
hello. I travel too. Have you found that there are any challenges reserving from a club thats not your local one? Extra charges for doing so? Team members treat you differently for not being local? Thanks in advance.
I enjoyed your detailed video, done very well thank you for the information.
Definitely not for me, when I go out boating I decide when to come back or I rather no go out at all not to mention that most of the time I go out boating it just happens out of the blue. Great videos Wayne
us too! We like to be spontaneous
I enjoyed your video… and I am considering both options… buy or Freedom Boat Club… I’m 58 and I’ve always wanted to own a boat but I do not live a block or a few yards from a boat launch …. The Club sounds like a good and affordable option.. However, ownership is such an exciting thought…. Probably more emotional that practical however…
Ownership can be tempting but if you're not handy, or don't like to putter around cleaning and tinkering - it can be expensive to keep them well maintained. If you can afford it, a boat club is a real nice way to get into it all without having to learn how to back up a trailer at a ramp!
You and I sound like we are in the exact same boat (pun intended)! LOL There are so many important decisions to be made, and with the high costs of either buying a boat, or joining a boat club, they are costly decisions to consider.
Good reporting. We’ve moved near Crystal River Florida and wondered if this club would be something we could benefit from or just pay a rental fee for other boat renters for a four hour period without a membership fee. For us, Freedom Boat Club looks too expensive.
I agree with every part of this clip. The only advantage I think you left out.
For novice boat users looking to buy a family boat.... Two years of FBC is 15 grand. In that time you can...
1) Use many different types of boat to get a feel for what you want and don't in a boat.
2) You are going to make mistakes. Better to do it with a club boat than your brand new boat.
3) You can evaluate how much ACTUAL boating you do verses how much boating you THOUGHT you were going to do.
If you boat 15 times a year.... Buying a boat might be a good idea.
If you boat 3x a year... FBC nor owning a boat is for you.
For only 3x a year??? ...You should charter a boat.... Comes with a captian, including gas, rods, bait, drinks..... $500 for 4 hours 3x a year is $1,500 .... A DEAL !
Great points!
Great video. Here are some numbers from NY boater on Long Island who just sold his boat to join boat club.
Boat I bought used for $40,000 so no payments.
Slip and storage $5500
Winterizing $3000
Summerizing $3000
Maintenance throughout the year $7000
Total - $18,500 without boat payments.
Just heard about freedom boat club and now it was a no brainer to make the switch!
And you never have to think about and/or schedule all those things again!
Just wanted to say thanks you gave me the exact answer I was looking for and also is great cause you had the exact prices for my Area being a fellow Marylander Thanks so much appreciate your being straight to the point no extra BS Thanks again now I know it's definitely not worth it or even close to affordable for me!
Interesting video. I suppose it works for some. Cheers Wayne
Great video and thanks for the financial analysis. I agree with a few commentors here that the November until March monthly payments are going to be painful. BUT. Does anyone here travel during the late fall into the Winter time and sail out of any of their other locations in the reciprocal agreements? For example, I'm from Jersey and barely ever travel during the winter weekends. Perhaps being a FBC member will give me the incentive to travel for a weekend here and there to Florida, Texas or California??
Thank you for a very good video and comparison!
My last boat had an outboard engine, and my current boat have an inboard engine.
The reason for me to go from outboard to inboard was that outboard-engines very often get stolen and when they steal then they often just saw them of totally ruining the boat. At least that is the case here in Sweden where we have a lot of outboard engine theft, and big leagues that sell them in east EU. This was exacly what happend to my last boat and in my opinion is the biggest con with and outboard enginge.
Appart from that i totaly agree with your analyzis.
Kind regards
Tommy
Wow - that's some very serious theft!
Being from Maryland and having a boat was always great
Thank you. Doesn't' seem unreasonable but outside of my current budget.
I'm from Cleveland Ohio our boats are on Lake Erie so the cost here shouldn't be to much lol but I'll definitely get some quotes and let everyone know the cost in my area
If you have 100% decided you want a boat to run regularly, and you like the boats the FBC in your area has they seem like a pretty good deal. Take away the boat ramp and driving-with-your-boat potential nightmares, and also the problems associated with theft from boats in storage (whether on your driveway or in a facility), etc - it's not bad.
Of course - if it's not the kind of boat you want, or it's more boat than you were looking for, it might pay to re-examine all options on the table. For me - I wanted a 14-18 foot simple fishing boat - so this was way more than I wanted. I am also looking for a permanent live-aboard yacht - and there they're also not suitable.
Thanks getting straight to the point
Great video Wayne!
Great breakdown
Great video!!!!!!!!!!!!!