Freedom Boat Club marks significant milestone
Freedom Boat Club has announced that it surpassed 600,000-member boating trips in 2024. This marks the second year the company has achieved this significant milestone. It comes as no surprise given that it’s seemingly the biggest boat club in the world and continues to expand at speed via franchise and acquisition.
The trips have been counted across its 400+ locations spanning North America, Europe, and Australia where it opened a branch in Brisbane, during late December. Earlier in the month, the club celebrated its 35th-anniversary.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate this remarkable milestone for the second year in a row,” says Cecil Cohn, president of Freedom Boat Club Network. “This accomplishment reflects our ongoing commitment to driving greater participation in boating, fostering inclusivity across all demographics, and delivering remarkable experiences to our members.
“Through our innovative shared-access model, we provide an unparalleled opportunity for both first-time and seasoned boaters to connect with the water and embrace the freedom of the boating lifestyle. We look forward to welcoming even more members in 2025 and continuing to elevate the boating experience.”
In 2024, Freedom Boat Club says it saw remarkable engagement across North America, with 16 of its clubs achieving over 10,000 trips each. This milestone highlights the widespread enthusiasm for boating, with strong participation from both seasonal and year-round markets, spanning coastal and inland lake locations.
The club’s recently received several industry honours which include ranking first in the Boat Club category on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list. The company’s pursued aggressive expansion through its franchise model and this is the ninth consecutive time it’s been recognised on the list.
In October last year, Arturo Gutierrez, general manager, Freedom Boat Club EMEA, told MIN about his plans for the ongoing franchise growth: “We believe there is opportunity to grow in many markets in which the shared access model is still unknown.“
There are two ways in which we grow, through company operated clubs, but also through franchising. We already have a strong network of successful franchisees, who have bought the rights in specific territories to operate under the Freedom Boat Club brand and operating model. We believe a significant portion of our future growth will come from franchising opportunities.”
Main image courtesy of Freedom Boat Club, San Diego.
