BOATING CLUBS CAN BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Boating Clubs Can Boost Your Bottom Line

Boating clubs have traditionally been seen as competition for marinas. By taking the initiative to start a club at your marina, or invite a club franchise to your marina, you could earn revenues beyond slip rentals and services already offered. Boating clubs that make the most money are typically in destination locations. The more people that are frequenting the marina for water-sports, fishing, sailing, or cruising, the more likely there will be people interested in joining a marina’s boating club.

Boating clubs can be a way for people who might not be ready or able to commit to full-time boat ownership to experience the boating lifestyle. According to Boating Industry Magazine, boating clubs are attractive to different groups of people for a variety of reasons.

People who have little to no boating experience may gravitate toward a boating club when they want to learn more about boating but don’t necessarily want to dive in head first. They can receive the training it takes to confidently and safely operate a boat and even try out different types of boats to find what best suites their taste. Then decide whether they eventually want to purchase their own craft.
Some seniors also find value in joining a boating club instead of full-time boat ownership. A boating club is a good way for seniors to enjoy boating without having to worry about the physical demands owning a boat entails.
Joining a boating club is also an option for people looking to enjoy boating or different types of boats without the time, effort, and expense of storage and upkeep. Boating clubs have a variety of fee structures, including annual or monthly membership, and daily or hourly usage fees.
Some boating clubs, such as Circle of Boating, Freedom Boat Club, Carefree Boat Club, and Nautical Boat Club, have multiple locations with boats available to members.

You can build your marinas boating club’s reputation by providing unique experiences for members. Freedom Boat Club, who has clubs all over the United States, touts as one of the most popular benefits it provides its members: the possibility of building relationships. By throwing dock parties, dinner parties, party cruises, even parades, the club builds camaraderie and friendship among its members. Members feel that they’re getting the most of their monthly fees and can meet new people that can become lifelong friends.

There is a significant upfront investment for marina owners who want to start a boating club, but with proper management, the monthly return on investment should eventually more than make up for the initial investment. Potential peripheral benefits to a marina’s bottom line can include increased revenue from fuel sales, ship store sales and restaurant sales. A boat club member may convert to a boat owner and slip renter. Marina’s with lodging may see increased camping or room rentals. When managed and maintained properly, boating clubs can be a win for marina owners and patrons alike.

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About MariCorp

Maricorp is one of the largest floating boat dock manufacturing and construction companies in the United States, specializing in galvanized steel floating docks and boat lift systems. With projects spanning coast-to-coast, Maricorp provides marina consultation and design, marine construction, marina repair and renovation, and boat dock disaster response and demolition.