Carefree Boat Club is 'boating without owning'

CLERMONT, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Buying a boat and selling a boat are often considered the two best days of any boater's life.  Now, there's a third option for those who want to boat without the hassle of owning or dealing with maintenance.

The first Carefree Boat Club has just docked in Central Florida at the historic Cypress Cove in Clermont.

"If you just want to go out and enjoy the fun, the boat club is for you, says owner Tod Howard.  If you want to go out and wash boats and fix trailers and deal with the maintenance, buy a boat!"

'Carefree Boat Club' is kind of like AirBnb for boaters.  You'll have unlimited access to a fleet of boats at your membership location.  It's also an international club which means you could have a boat ready and waiting for you at a number of marinas from Vancouver to the British Virgin Islands.

"What we do is we own the boats, reveals Howard.  We maintain them and then we provide you with a clean, fresh fueled boat at your convenience."

The initial membership fee is $2900 to join which covers required training and insurance, followed by $329 a month for unlimited access to a variety of boats at your club's location.  Tod currently operates two locations.

"At the Clermont location we've got wake surf boats, large board bow riders and tritoons, says Howard.  We also have a variety of boats at our Crystal River location including off shore boats and bay boats.  We even have a tritoon with a slide, so we've got just about everything for every taste." 

Howard a lifelong boater confirms the program offers all the benefits of owning a boat at about a third of the cost.

"A one day boat trip can turn into 3 days of work- and this just makes it all of about 3 minutes, says Tod.  However long it takes you to walk from your car to the boat."

Howard says he has plans to add two more 'Carefree Boat Club' locations in Central Florida within the next year.