WIGGINS MARINA BULL
WIGGINS MARINA BULL CUSTOM DESIGN BUILT TO LAST EASY MAINTENANCE +1 (805) 485-7821 wigginslift@wigginslift.com www.wigginslift.com THE SAFE, COMPACT, SELF-PROPELLED SUBMERSIBLE BOAT CARRIAGE One man can easily and safely do dry docking and launching of sailing and motor boats on ramps and slipways with a SUBLIFT. Typical usage is docking for fast service, cleaning of hulls and for winter season storage. 1 12-90 ton sales@sublift.se | www.sublift.com
BOATSHARE & CHARTER Share, socialise and save with Freedom Boat Club The world’s largest and oldest boat club, Freedom Boat Club, has a presence in more than 330 prime locations across North America, the UK, France and Spain. In February, it opened a second location in the UK, with ambitious plans for more. Established in 1989 in Florida and founded on the idea of making boating accessible to everyone, today Freedom is a highly experienced operator in the boat club segment, offering 28 locations in Europe, with plans to add more ahead of the 2022 boating season in the UK and France. Through its boat share concept, the company attracts both first-time boaters and experienced boaters looking to enjoy their time on the water while Freedom handles the purchase of the boats, maintenance, storage and cleaning. It aims to make the boating experience as simple as possible, with members “arriving and driving” for a day out on the water. In May 2019, Brunswick Corporation – the world’s largest marine manufacturer – acquired Freedom Boat Club, which has since almost doubled the number of locations it offers, from Club members have access to a broad range of boats. 170 to 331, with more than 50,000 memberships and 70,000 members. In April last year, it opened its first UK- Hythe Marina Village, with its excellent access to Solent waters, is an ideal location for the UK’s second Freedom Boat Club. based location at Trafalgar Wharf in Portsmouth, one of the most desirable boating locations in the UK (see Marina World, July/August, p.46). It had an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the market, enabling it to grow further. This month, Freedom opened a second UK location in Southampton, at Hythe Marina Village, part of the MDL Marinas group. The new location will provide additional access to the Solent for existing members and allow Freedom to reach new customers from a broader demographic throughout the region. The new location is planned to open for the 2022 boating season, with new boats being added to the fleet to support the expansion. The sharing economy The global boat club industry and boat share model is expanding rapidly internationally, helped in part by the pandemic “boating boom”, which pushed many consumers to opt for outdoor activities that allowed them to safely socially distance with friends and family. Boating became the perfect option for many, with the industry overall experiencing unprecedented growth. The same proved true for Freedom Boat Club. After its initial opening in the UK in April last year, it experienced tremendous growth from new members looking to get out on the water, who may not have had access to a boat before. “These boaters have since become our biggest advocates of Freedom Boat Club,” says Jason Worthy, vice president of Boating Services, EMEA. www.marinaworld.com – March/April 2022 41
