Freedom Boat Club expands to Dewey Beach
Freedom Boat Club has increased its presence in the Cape Region with a new location at Dewey Beach Yacht Club on Rodney Avenue, offering boaters convenient access to Rehoboth and Indian River bays.
Bev Rosella, who launched the service in 2018 in Lewes with husband Tom, said club members pay a one-time joining fee and monthly dues that enable them to have unlimited use of a fleet of boats.
The club offers a variety of boats and locations, she said, with mostly pontoons moored in Dewey because of the shallow Inland Bays, where boaters like to tie up and picnic at the sandbars, go tubing, fishing and crabbing.
“People love it because it’s so easy,” she said. “You show up at the dock, where the boat is clean and full of fuel, ready to go.”
All insurance, boat maintenance and slip fees are included with the membership. Boaters only pay to refuel the boat when they return, and bring their own leisure supplies.
Two sessions are available each day, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then from 2 p.m. to a half-hour before sunset. Boats need to be back at the dock before dark for safety reasons, Rosella said.
Freedom Boat Club dock staff member Trip Latimer said he operates much like a concierge, readying the boat for members, assisting them to and from their vehicles with belongings, and offering guidance on best locations for preferred leisure activities.
Latimer said he files a float plan, so he knows where the boats are heading and where to look for them if they don’t return when expected.
Speaking of safety, membership includes unlimited training, Rosella said. The first session is mandatory for all new members; it includes classroom training on boating rules and an onboard session with a U.S. Coast Guard captain instructor. Once certified, members can reserve a boat and head out.
Some people feel comfortable with more training, she said, which is available to ensure everyone feels safe and confident on the water.
Advanced open-water certification is offered for boaters who want to venture into the ocean with the proper vessel, such as a center- or dual-console cruise boat. Boats are replaced about every three years, she said.
Because it’s a network franchise model, Rosella said, Delaware members have access to boats in all Delaware locations. Reciprocal memberships offer members the use of boats at close to 400 locations throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Additional Cape Region Freedom Boat Club locations include Riverside Business Park & Marina at the end of Pilottown Road in Lewes, Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, Lewes Anglers Marina, Long Neck at Pot-Nets near Paradise Grill and Love Creek Bridge Marina.
For more information, call 833-BOAT-FBC or go to freedomboatclub.com.
