Freedom Boat Club - Newburyport

We just added a Rinker 282 Captiva to the Newburyport fleet

2011-03-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

We just picked this boat up in New Jersey the other day and are thrilled to have another Rinker 282 in our fleet. We added one of these to our Portsmouth fleet last season and it was a huge hit with our members. The Rinker 282 offers space, comfort, and speed making it a great multi-purpose boat. Please continue to check back here to see what our next addition will be.

New boat added to Newburyport fleet

2011-02-18T08:56:00.000-08:00

As mentioned before, we are in the process of updating our fleet for the 2011 season and we recently acquired a great boat for our Newburyport fleet. We are adding a 28' Rinker Captiva (pictured above), the 28 Captiva is a great all around cruiser, it has seating for 12, a spacious V-berth, an enclosed head, as well as a cockpit galley. While this boat offers all the comforts needed for a long day on the water, it also has enough performance to satisfy the thrill seeker in you. We have the same boat in our Portsmouth fleet and it has been a big hit with our current members. Feel free to stop in this spring to check out the boats and learn more about our hassle free approach to boating.

A busy summer....

2010-09-15T13:53:00.001-07:00

Things really picked up around the club this summer and this is the first time I have had a chance to even think about making a post on here. I promised myself I was going to try to get better at this, but I guess we will see in the future....

One piece of info I can pass on at this point is that FBC will be participating in this year's Fall Boat Show in Boston on October 1st-3rd. The show is at the Seaport World Trade Center and you can find more info about the show at bostonfallboatshow.com

New England Boat Show

2010-02-12T11:57:00.001-08:00

We are just one week away from opening day of the New England Boat Show which runs from February 20th-28th at the Boston Convention & Exposition Center. A number of the other shows from around the country have seen a large increase in turnout for their events from te past few years so we look forward to another great show. This is the point when the wheels start turning in the New England maritime industry and the countdown to the boating season begins. All 13 locations of the Freedom Boat Club from New England will be represented at the show this year so if you attend the show, please stop by and say hello. We will be in booth #2338.

Fish of a lifetime caught on FBC Newburyport boat

2009-08-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

I normally don't beleive many fish tales, but seeing that I have pictures to prove it this time; I figured I would show off what fishing on the Merrimac River has to offer. FBC Newburyport member, Mike Codair and friends, landed the fish of a lifetime last Thursday at Half-tide Rocks, not more than one mile from our club. Mike and his crew were on their way in from a full day of fishing on our 25' Bluefin and had some time to kill before our member meet up at Ten Center, so they decided to anchor up and give it one more shot. That proved to be a great decision, they ended up landing a 46lb moster that has to be one of the largest fish caught this season. Mike has put his time in this year and I am glad to see him get this great catch. Congratulations Mike!

First striper caught and it was a keeper!

2009-05-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

To all the fishermen and fisherwomen out there, Get your rods ready! The Stripers have arrived! I have personally witnessed a few breaking the surface and the first keeper has been caught. I have included the story from The Newburyport Daily News below.

First striper of the year is a 'keeper'

By Will Courtney
Newburyport Daily News staff writer

NEWBURY — The earliest-season striper fishing is an effort in tranquility. Typically, it's more about the fishing than the catching.

Fishing in early May likely means catching only the smallest fish, known as "schoolies" for their propensity to travel in schools, which usually arrive ahead of their bigger brothers. As of midweek, no striper catches, even small ones, had been reported from local waters.

Nevertheless, Bob Smith of Plum Island headed to the town dock on the Parker River Thursday to take his first casts of the season, hoping to get some fresh air and maybe land one of those small ones, just to know they were there.

He wandered down a little later than he had hoped, at the top of the high tide, and found no one else there. The incoming tide is said to be the best for fishing.

"I was the Lone Ranger," he said. "I made about six casts, and it just happened."

A fish took his bait, and this was no schoolie — it was a striper nearly 3 feet long. According to the experts at Surfland Bait and Tackle, the Plum Island shop that serves as the hub of local fish stories, it was the first confirmed catch of the season.

The 34-inch striper — 6 inches longer than the minimum size allowed to keep the fish — became dinner for Smith and a friend that night.

Smith normally doesn't keep the fish, but he owed the friend a long-promised filet.

Yesterday, Smith was back at the dock, and he and friend Eddie Fewtrell of Seabrook got a couple of more fish, all schoolies. An unidentified fisherman reported getting two small fish off the Plum Island beachfront, thought to be the first caught off Plum Island.

"It hasn't been great," Smith said. "They're late in coming, a little behind schedule.

But they're officially here.

"From now on, you're going to see more and more," Smith said.

With his fish story out, he will have company at the dock, too.

Please stop by the club or give us a call to see how you can get out on the water and be part of the action.

Freedom Boat Club is moving to the Newburyport waterfront

2009-02-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

Starting on March 15th, 2009 FBC will be operating out of Hilton's Marina (pictured above) on the Newburyport Waterfront . Hilton's Marina is located between Michael's Harborside and The Black Cow Restaurant which is just a short stroll from the activities of downtown. Hilton's is the ideal location for our club and we are very excited about this move. We are now able to offer our members restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, a coffee shop and a number of great restaurants, all within steps of our fleet. Just think how nice it would be to take a day trip out to the Isles of Shoals, return to the marina to freshen up, dine within feet of the marina, then overnight on one of our cabin cruisers, just to wake up the next morning to do it all over again. For members of the Freedom Boat Club, this is just another day in boater's paradise....please call us at (978) 499-0899 to find out how you can get in on the fun.

The Boat is Waiting! Why are you?

Freedom Boat Club celebrates 20th year in business

2009-02-19T08:23:00.001-08:00

“How do we make boating simple and hassle free?” was a question posed by the founders of Freedom Boat Club (FBC) twenty years ago. With this question a unique idea was born. A membership club for boating enthusiasts that reduces their cost of boating, provides expert training, eliminates the physical strains such as maintenance or cleaning, allows access to a fleet of boats for any excursion, and ultimately creates more opportunities for time on the water. Since its inception, FBC has grown to forty-five locations throughout the United States due to the concept’s popularity.

This simple idea has proven to have timeless benefits as well. Amidst the credit crunch, environmental concerns, and fuel consumption awareness, FBC has been able to expand and increase its membership base. Since FBC is a membership club based on monthly dues, no long-term financing or credit is required. This has proven useful as home equity and the stock market has declined. The idea is also an inherently “green” or environmentally friendly form of boating. By members sharing a fleet of boats, they are using less shoreline for dockage and putting fewer hulls into landfills long-term. Lastly, by scaling the size of a boat to their needs for the day, members ultimately use less fuel. Imagine being able to adjust the size of your car each trip based on the number of passengers!

Staying true to its roots after twenty years, FBC wants to make the joy of boating available to all who are interested. If you are new to boating and lack training, an avid fisherman looking for more time on the water, a busy young professional or family trying to fit it all in, or a retiree tired of the strains of boating, FBC welcomes you to learn more about what the club can do for you. Visit www.freedomboatclub.com or call Jake Goodridge at (978) 499-0899 for more details.

Meet us at the show!

2008-12-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Freedom Boat Club will be exhibitor's at both the Rockingham Fishing & Hunting Exhibition and the 2009 New England Boat Show this winter. We will have boats from our fleet on display at each show as well as our 20th Anniversary special pricing available. This pricing will only be available through the end of February so try to make it to one of these shows or contact us directly to take advantage of this offer.

The Rockingham Expo is being held on January 10th-11th at the Rockingham Park Racetrack in Salem, NH (across the street from the Mall at Rockingham Park). We will have our Sailfish 2360 on display for the fishing enthusiasts and our crew will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. You can find more information about this show at www.rockinghamexpo.com

The New England Boat Show will run from February 14th-22nd at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. We will be in booth #3300 this year and will have two boats from our fleet on display. This is truly an event that the boating enthusiast will not want to miss! The New England Boat Show also has over 350 exhibits of marine accessories for your boating needs. You can visit www.naexpo.com/boatshow for more information about this show.

These are two great shows and we hope to see you there.

Great article on Freedom Boat Club from The Portsmouth Herald

2008-09-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

There was a great article written about the Freedom Boat Club in The Portsmouth Herald earlier this summer that I wanted to share with you, in case you missed it. Enjoy!

Rocking the boat

New business changes Seacoast pastime

By Adam Leech

aleech@seacoastonline.com

June 23, 2008 6:00 AM

PORTSMOUTH — The Port City's working waterfront is working a little differently on Sagamore Avenue.

Sea lovers who love to boat but hate the hassle of maintenance, can't afford mooring fees or can't find a marina slip now have another option. For a $5,900 entry fee and $299 per month, Freedom Boat Club offers unlimited use of its boats in Portsmouth and Newburyport, Mass., and four visits at 42 other locations in the United States.

After finding success with the franchise in Newburyport, Mike Goodrich and his son, Jake, opened the 44th Freedom Boat Club at 955 Sagamore Ave. — formerly the Sagamore Creek General Store & Lobster Pound — two weeks ago.

"We had no intention of being here this quick and open, but when this piece of property became available, we couldn't resist," said Mike.

Members must get their safe-boating certificate and complete six hours of training. Then all they have to do is call the club, tell it when they need a vessel, and the boat is ready to go whenever they want.

Because the Goodriches own the Newburyport club, Portsmouth members get full use of that fleet as well. The membership also comes with four visits per location in other clubs in Michigan and on the East Coast, from New Hampshire south. One could spend a year going from location to location, paying only the monthly fee.

"It's a concept that's growing very rapidly," said Mike. "I think it's catching on now because the cost of boating and maintenance is getting to the point where people are saying, 'I can't be bothered.' This is a practical, affordable way to go boating — especially in an area like this with a limited amount of marinas and moorings."

So far there are five members in Portsmouth, most of whom signed up prior to the club opening or even before the new pier was installed. There are 20 members in Newburyport, which has been open for a little over a year.

All the vessels are top of the line, and members have the option of taking out the cruiser boat or the center console fishing boats. For some people, Mike said, the convenience just works.

"For people who own boats, it's very hard for them to go for a two-hour ride because of all the time it takes to put the canvas down, open up the boat, go ride, come back, wash down, clean it up," said Mike. "We do all that, so their actual time boating is boating. ... The headache is gone."

The bite is still on...

2008-09-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

While the bluefish have moved in lately and put a damper on the number of striper's being caught near the mouth of the Merrimac. Member Howie Snyder and his father were still able to find these two "keepers" down at Badger's Rocks. Howie is our forth member to land a keeper this season but unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the rest. I am sure there will be more to come.

FBC Newburyport's new blog

2008-09-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

You can now check in here to keep up to date with the happenings at the Freedom Boat Club in Newburyport. I will provide weekly updates about additions to our fleet, fishing reports, member news, special deals we are offering, or anything else I think may be of interest.