Is A Boat
Rental Club Right For You
- by: Kadence Buchanan
Owning a boat is a dream for
many Americans, but one that can turn into a nightmare of
unforeseen costs. Many novice boaters don't realize all the
costs associated with purchasing a boat and wind up with an
expensive driveway ornament aside their car instead because they
can't afford gas, insurance or the other myriad things boat
owners must pay for.
In recent years, enterprising business people have begun
offering a solution for the high price of boat ownership: Boat
rental clubs. These clubs rent out their fleet of boats to
members on a daily, weekend or even monthly basis at a
discounted cost. For example, one marina in Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida charges non-members $329 to rent a 21-foot bow rider,
but a member of the club would pay just $136, not including
gasoline.
Typically, boat rental club members must pay yearly dues in
order to receive the discounted prices. However, once most
boaters add up the costs of insurance, gasoline, storage,
docking and maintenance, not to mention the actual purchase of
the boat itself, they find that joining a rental club saves them
money. Boat rental clubs may also offer their members other
benefits such as discounts on equipment rentals like skis or
scuba gear, discounts at local restaurants and a special price
on gasoline and oil.
Membership plans vary from club to club. Some offer annual
memberships with a high initial cost and lower costs for
renewals. Some offer a flat annual fee with no further rental
costs. Some offer seasonal memberships. Be sure you understand
all the terms of the membership agreement and don't allow
yourself to be pressured into more of a membership than you feel
you need. For example, if you're new to boating and unsure how
much you will actually use your membership, a multi-year
contract is probably not the best choice for you.
Finally, if you are an avid boater and plan on taking your boat
out for several days every week, or for a series of long trips,
a boat rental club may not offer you the same savings as it
would a more casual boater. To see if a rental club would save
you money, total up all the costs associated with your boat and
divide that by the number of days you plan to use it in a year.
Then add up all the costs associated with a boat rental club
membership and divide by the number of days you will use your
membership. Whichever number is lower will be the most
cost-effective option for you.
About The Author
Kadence Buchanan writes articles for http://4boatingstuff.com/ -
In addition, Kadence also writes articles for http://wonderfulworldofsports.net/
and http://recreationsource.net/.