Taking Heartache Out Of Boating

There is an old adage about boat ownership that remains very true: “The best boat is your friend’s boat.” Just show up with a cooler and a fishing rod and go. Sounds like fantasy, no?Well, it’s not. In fact, today people are paying for the privilege to do exactly that and more. They can just make a phone call, show up at the dock, and a boat is ready to go pretty much whenever they would like. Situations like this are popping up across the nation in one form or another. Basically there are companies, some of which act more like a dockside country club, that make your boating dreams come true without the hassle.Brian Zummo, owner of Lindenhurst-based Long Island Yacht Share, sees the potential in this market. He has seen how people can respond to this type of convenience, and that they are willing to pay for the freedom that a boat-sharing program can provide.”This is basically a time-share situation,” says Zummo. “Instead of going to the Caribbean for one week, people can enjoy many days on a boat.”Long Island Yacht Share is a fresh company in a relatively new industry. Zummo’s members will pay $6,500 per season, which allows for 39 days of boating from May 1 through October 31. By contrast, Freedom Boat Club is just that: a club, complete with concierge service and a reach across the entire Eastern Seaboard. Membership ranges from $4,000 to 6,000 per year with at least a three-year commitment. It was established in 1989. David Reale, owner of the Freeport location of Freedom Boat Club, explains that Freedom’s advantage is both the ability to get a boat in any one of its 52 locations. So, if a member is heading to Sarasota, Fla., for a weekend, just call up and reserve a boat. Freedom has four local locations: Freeport, Port Jefferson, Oakdale and City Island. The Freeport location is in its fifth year, says Reale, and with 10 different boats available, members are never unsatisfied. There is no set number of days, either. Overnights are OK, except from Saturday into Sunday.Both operators require boaters to buy their own fuel for every trip. For Freedom Club, the only things they do not provide are life jackets for children.The main reason for the three-year commitment, says Reale, is Freedom wants people to appreciate the boats as if they are their own. So, if you are committing to repeated trips on the same boat, you want it perfect every time you climb aboard-as if it were your own. Zummo says the biggest concern is safety. It is no small feat to be able to navigate the busy waters surrounding LI. So, despite the experience level of a member, the companies require safety orientation before they will release the boats from the dock. If something happens mechanically to the boat, members call Sea Tow, and they can jump on another boat and head back out.While the price tag for either service may seem high to inexperienced boaters, past and current owners know that $4,000 can be a bargain. With docking fees through the roof across LI (up and beyond $250 per foot in some locations), fuel prices sky high and the unknown cost of keeping a boat in working order daunting, many people are starting to see the great benefit of sharing a boat.Of course, the equipment is top flight. Long Island Yacht Share will feature Sea Rays and Boston Whalers. Freedom Boat Club has a wide range of vessels, from a 17-foot, center-console Seafox to a 26-foot Regal, complete with galley and sleeping area. So, one weekend you are out fishing for stripers in the center console, and the next, you are going for a pleasure cruise with the family with all the necessary amenities. In other words, there is something for everyone.”This is just a great opportunity for anybody who wants to spend time on the water,” says Zummo. “It takes the worry out of boating. It can’t get better than that.”