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Both take the hassle out of boating. A club gives you access to a shared fleet with a low entry cost. Galenne makes you a co-owner of one specific, larger boat at your marina, with a quarter of the calendar and everything handled. Each has its place. Here is how to tell which one fits you.
| Freedom Boat Club | Galenne | |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | A membership to use a shared fleet | A 25% share of one specific boat, held in its own LLC |
| Upfront | Initiation fee: $7,999 on the Miami Freedom Boating Plan ($5,999 weekday plan), before promotions | From $54,500 for a 25% share. An asset, not a fee: it comes back when the boat is sold, less depreciation |
| Monthly | Membership dues, plus fuel | $950 to $1,350 per owner, plus fuel |
| The boat | Name-brand boats from a shared fleet (Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Bayliner, Harris), whichever is free that day | Always the same boat, 25 to 32 ft (Saxdor 320 GTO, Malibu Wakesetter 25 LSV) |
| Booking | Limited reservations at a time, with weekend caps at many clubs | 1/4 of the calendar per share, weekends and holidays rotated between 4 owners |
| Where | 400+ locations worldwide, reciprocal use | Your home marina: Rickenbacker (Key Biscayne) or Haulover (Miami Beach) |
| Exit | Stop paying dues. Nothing to sell | The boat is sold at the end of the cycle, usually after about 4 years, and you get your 25% of the sale back |
| Best for | Occasional boaters, beginners, travelers | Experienced boaters out most weekends who want a better boat of their own |
Freedom figures from Freedom Boat Club's published Miami offer and member rules, which vary by location. Ask your local club for current dues and rules.
Charter, boat clubs, co-ownership and owning alone are not cheaper or pricier versions of the same thing. Each fits a different stage. The right one depends on how often you go out and how much you want to deal with.
A few special days a year. Pay per day, captain included, no commitment.
Learn and try different boats for a low entry cost, within the club's booking limits.
You know what you want: a bigger boat, always the same one, at a top Miami marina, a quarter of the calendar, and nothing to deal with. Built for experienced boaters, and for owning without buying a whole boat.
If you use the boat every week, say once you retire, a boat of your own makes sense. Even then, two Galenne shares (half the boat, twice the time) cost about half.
Galenne is built for step 3: recurring use, bigger boats, great marinas and nothing to manage.
Not upfront. A club costs less to join. Co-ownership costs more to start, but that money buys 25% of the boat: at the end of the co-ownership cycle, usually about 4 years, the boat is sold and you get your share back, less depreciation. We estimate about 8 to 10% a year for a pre-owned boat with low hours. You also get a bigger boat that is always the same one, and your monthly contribution covers everything except fuel.
Clubs share a fleet among many members, so most limit how many reservations you can hold at once and how many can be on weekends. With Galenne four owners share one boat. Each 25% share gets a quarter of the calendar in the Galenne app, with weekends and holidays rotated fairly.
Yes. You own a 25% membership interest in the single-asset LLC that holds the boat's title. It is real equity, not a membership, and you get your share of the sale when the boat is sold.
Clubs are a good way to learn, and Freedom offers unlimited training. Galenne owners start with a professional captain and get signed off by a Galenne captain before going out alone, at their own pace. A captain is always available on request.
Yes. Some people keep a club for travel, since Freedom has hundreds of locations, and co-own a boat for their regular days at home in Miami.
Estimates, not promises. Depreciation and resale figures on this page are estimates. They change with the market, the boat's hours and condition, and actual results can be higher or lower.
Galenne share prices exclude Galenne's acquisition fee, closing costs and applicable Florida taxes. Fuel is billed by use. Resale value is not guaranteed. Third-party figures are published prices or typical ranges and may change.
