Go boating for a day without owning a boat. That’s the beauty of membership in boat clubs. In March, Freedom Boat Club, the world’s oldest and largest boat club operator and a division of Brunswick Corporation, announced its expansion into Puerto Rico. Freedom’s first and flagship club on the island is in Fajardo. Members have unlimited access to its Puerto Rico-based fleet as well as fleets globally across Freedom’s 380 locations in 34 U.S. States, Canada, and Europe, through its reciprocal access program.
Puerto Rico has many world-class beaches and endless small islands to explore making it a boater’s paradise,” says Mike Centeno, a native of Puerto Rico, successful entrepreneur, and water sports enthusiast who owns and operates the island’s Freedom Boat Club franchise. “Currently we are located at Puerto Del Rey Marina. We plan to open 7 to 10 other locations throughout the island of Puerto Rico. The plan is to give members access to navigate anywhere on the island, covering the North, East, South, and West coasts. Moving forward, and I can’t give details yet, however, we will be looking to plant the Freedom Boat Club flag in the surrounding islands of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
The present fleet includes 10 boats, from 21- to 27-foot in length representing brands like Bayliner Trophy, Sailfish, Release, and Sea Ray. Centeno projects he’ll have about 100 boats in Puerto Rico within the next year or two contingent on the volume of the membership sign-up. Additional makes, models, and sizes will be introduced as locations on the island expand to more marinas. www.freedomboatclub.com/franchises/fbc-of-puerto-rico/fajardo.html
A Hysterical … er, I mean, Historical Perspective on USVI & BVI Marine Industries
