Revolutionizing the Boat-Sharing Industry, Freedom Boat Club of Maine Continues to Expand

With its stellar boat-sharing model and membership perks, the Freedom Boat Club of Maine is making big waves throughout the state.
Now championing its seventh location at DiMillo’s Marina at Doanes Wharf in Kennebunk, the company is gaining appeal for its affordable alternative to vessel ownership – a concept that may transform the recreational boating industry and the marina business.

A Model That Works
“I believe the boating industry will continue to adapt and grow the shared-use model of boating; it makes boating easier and more relaxing,” said Steve Arnold, the owner of Marina Holdings, LLC – a family of businesses that includes Freedom Boat Club of Maine, Yarmouth Boat Yard, Moose Landing Marina, Maine Boating Academy, Sea Tow Portland/Midcoast and Portland Sea Taxi. “When members want to go boating, they simply reserve the boat they want to use at the location of their choice. When they show up, our crew assists them in getting their gear onto the boat they reserved, which is already clean, gassed up and ready to go.”

When members return after a day of boating at these clubs, staff members meet them at the dock to grab their lines. Instead of having to deal with cleaning the boat, members simply turn over the keys to the club’s crew members and allow them to take care of all the work.
This model has already proven successful at Freedom Boat Club of Maine’s locations in Boothbay, Yarmouth, Naples, Sebago Lake, Portland and South Portland. Members enjoy unlimited boating at all Maine locations and at 400-plus clubs across the globe, without the hassle of boat cleaning, maintenance and ownership. They can also choose from an entire fleet of vessels, including ridged inflatables, center and dual consoles and pilothouse and pontoon boats.

Access to the Water
“This model expands the funnel of potential boaters,” Arnold said. “Freedom Boat Club not only reaches new boaters; it also keeps others in boating longer by directly addressing key pain points of boat ownership: cost, education, maintenance and access to the water. Because the boat club model is less expensive than ownership, it brings in younger boaters and a more broadly diverse demographic. For those new to boating, it’s a great way to see if the lifestyle is a good fit, as membership includes unlimited safety and navigational training.”

One of the most limiting factors facing boaters today is access to the water. Finding available slip space can be daunting, and launch ramps are often crowded and hectic, Arnold said. Freedom Boat Club helps eliminate those barriers with its ever-expanding network of club locations.

Partnering with Freedom Boat Club can be as beneficial for club members as it is for marina owners, who can lock in multi-year contracts for added stability. Due to the higher usage of the slip space (with more boaters coming through the marina), marina owners who have fuel, restaurants and ship’s stores on their properties can sometimes have significant increases in sales.

“Club networks will continue to grow globally as there is a broad appeal for the ease of use that boat club membership offers,” Arnold said. “Competitors in the space will differentiate themselves with the breadth of their networks and the unique appeal of their specific locations. “I expect they may also expand the types of fleet vessels they will offer, as well as other conveniences and services they may want to provide to members.”

Safety and Assistance
Building on that idea, Arnold’s Sea Tow Portland/Midcoast recently expanded its territory and added a Sea Tow vessel in Kennebunk, which will operate from DiMillo’s Marina. Sea Tow is the nation’s leading on-water marine assistance provider, and this is the company’s second territory expansion since Arnold purchased the franchise last year. The new fleet of customized, fully equipped Sea Tow vessels will now be strategically positioned at marinas in Kennebunk, South Portland, Yarmouth, Naples, Sebago Lake, Bath and Boothbay Harbor.

Sea Tow’s crew of licensed U.S. Coast Guard captains maintains an average response time of less than one hour. The crew members regularly patrol and assist boaters in the coastal waters of Saco Bay, Portland Harbor, Casco Bay, Freeport, Brunswick, Harpswell and Boothbay. They also cover the Saco, Kennebec, New Meadows, Sheepscot and Damariscotta inland rivers and freshwater areas such as Long Lake, Sebago Lake and Brandy Pond.With a Sea Tow membership, boaters pay one annual rate and receive free boat towing, dock-to-dock towing on all covered vessels, nationwide coverage, fuel delivery, battery jump starts and exclusive member discounts.

“With the expansion and addition of this new vessel in Kennebunkport, we will greatly enhance our ability to service this very popular boating region,” Arnold said. “Previously, our closest Sea Tow vessel was stationed in South Portland, so the response time for boaters needing help in this area will be reduced significantly.”

DiMillo’s Marina manager Luke DiMillo added, “It’s a huge benefit, not only for our marina tenants and guests, but for anyone boating in the river.”