Freedom Boat Club: Redefining the Boating Experience

Founded in 1989 in Sarasota, Florida, Freedom Boat Club has grown into the largest and oldest members-only boat club in the world. Its mission from the start was to deliver a stress-free way for people to enjoy boating, pioneering the boat-sharing concept that removes the burdens of ownership.

In 2019, the club joined the Brunswick Corporation family, a move that connected it with top marine brands like Mercury Marine and Bayliner Boats. This partnership strengthened Freedom Boat Club’s services and helped accelerate its global growth.

Freedom Boat Club stands apart by managing all aspects of boat care—including maintenance, cleaning, repairs, insurance, and storage—providing members with a premium boating experience without the typical hassles of owning or renting a vessel.

Training

The Freedom Boat Club franchise offers a thorough training program to ensure franchisee success. Here’s a numbered summary of the training provided:

1. Initial Training Program
   Franchise owners, operating principals, and key managers must attend a five-day in-person Initial Training Program covering operations, customer service, management, accounting, computer systems, and marketing.
2. Online Pre- and Post-Training
   Franchisees are required to complete specific online training courses both before and after the in-person training to reinforce learning.
3. Additional and Refresher Training
   Franchisees, including new managers or operating principals, may be required to attend additional training or refresher courses at the franchisor’s discretion, especially when performance issues arise.
4. Training for Renewal or Transfer
   Before renewal or transfer of ownership, the franchisor may require completion of updated training programs to ensure current standards are met.
5. Optional Requested Training
   Franchisees can request extra training, which the franchisor may provide at its discretion, either at the corporate headquarters or at the local franchise site.

Territory Protection

The Freedom Boat Club franchise provides its franchisees with a Protected Territory, which is typically based on geographic area, population size, and local water access. This territory generally covers areas with populations between 50,000 and 100,000, and the franchisor agrees not to open or license another Freedom Boat Club within it as long as the franchisee complies with the agreement.

However, franchisees are limited to operating only one business within their territory unless they sign a separate development agreement. While the Protected Territory prevents other franchise units from entering, it does not block the franchisor or its affiliates from marketing or selling products through other channels, like the internet or wholesale.

Franchisees can also market and solicit customers beyond their own territory but must operate the business only within their assigned area. If a franchisee fails to meet a development schedule under a special agreement, the franchisor may reduce the size of the Protected Territory, typically down to a 5- to 10-mile radius.