Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club offers an alternative to boat ownership
Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club offers an alternative to boat ownership
It’s an unusual overcast day in Southwest Florida, but despite the steel-colored skies, a family is preparing to board a boat at the Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club in Bonita Springs. Toting beach bags and dressed in beachwear, the family simply parks their car in the boat club’s parking lot and boards the boat of their choosing, a privilege they’re entitled to as club members. When they return from their excursion, they’ll just dock the boat and head home, enjoying all the fun of boat ownership, without ever worrying about cleaning, maintenance or any of the other potential headaches associated with owning a boat.
While this family embarks on their journey, another family is behind the scenes, making it all happen. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016, Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club is a fastgrowing family-owned business presided over by the Botana family: patriarch Omar; his wife, Sherry; and sons Adam and Derrick. Longtime family friend Steven Meinbresse is the marina’s manager.
“My grandparents bought this land in the 1970s for their retirement, and they rented out boats as a side business,” says Adam Botana. Adam’s parents, meanwhile, were in the carnival business, and the family traveled around the country to events such as NASCAR races, concerts and state fairs until a dozen years ago. That’s when, Adam says, his dad had the idea of opening a full-fledged boat-rental business on the property. The enterprise evolved to include the boat club concept, which was spun off as a separate business in 2006.
By 2015 the boat club had grown to 276 members and 28 boats in the fleet, a 10:1 ratio of members to boats. “The boat club has exploded,” says Adam, and the Botana family is planning accordingly, having recently acquired 800 additional feet of waterfront to expand their already robust property.
The expansion, which Adam hopes will be ready this spring, will accommodate about 30 additional boat slips. “We’ll be able to double the size of our boat club,” as well as increase the size of the rental fleet, Adam predicts. He notes how remarkable it is that after opening 10 years ago with one member, the Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club soon will be able to expand to 600 members with 60 boats. Adam offers several reasons for the boat club’s appeal. First, the economics make sense. Purchasing a boat such as a Hurricane Deck can cost around $45,000 to $50,000, and then to dock the boat at a marina can cost hundreds of dollars a month, or purchasing a slip can cost tens of thousands, Adam explains. Compare these costs with those of the boat club’s membership,
which include a one-time fee of $10,000 and a monthly rate of $250. This covers what Adam describes as “walk-in turnkey” service. “The cost is less than the depreciation of your boat, and you don’t have to deal with the hassle” of boat ownership, he adds.
The turnkey service includes maintenance and upkeep such as washing and cleaning the boats, plus parking amenities and extras such as coolers and wine openers. There’s also the diversity of the Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club’s fleet, which includes a variety of deck boats, pontoons and fishing boats. “No other club has the fleet we have,” says Adam.
While most members are seasonal residents who have boats up north and are experienced boaters, some members have no experience at sea and benefit from the club’s complimentary atsea training. “People get tired of golf and want a new activity,” says Adam, and the club makes boating easy and accessible.
Sometimes, even experienced boaters take advantage of the training, adds Adam. Boaters who are accustomed to sailing in deeper waters up north, for example, may need some tips on navigating the shallow waters of Southwest Florida.
Another benefit is the club’s Bonita Springs location. “Our members can sail to seven restaurants within a 45-minute ride, visit three beaches or be in Marco in two hours,” says Adam. Along the way, they’ll enjoy mangroves, dolphins and bird watching. “I’ve traveled everywhere,” says Adam, “and this is home, this is paradise.”
The heart and soul of the boat club, Omar and Adam agree, are the members. “We wouldn’t be here without our members,” says Adam, who predicts smooth sailing and great conditions ahead for the club and its members.
“I see nothing but growth from here on out,” he says. “My grandpa had a vision for this property, and he would be proud.”