Carefree Boat Club of Central Virginia has expanded to Urbanna Boat Yard & Marina. (Photo courtesy of Carefree Boat Club of Central Virginia)
The local arm of a boating club chain continues its regional expansion with a new location in river country.
Carefree Boat Club of Central Virginia has come aboard at Urbanna Boat Yard & Marina, where the club leases several slips for its motorboats that its members use recreationally.
The expansion to Urbanna, along with the club’s recent expansion to Hopewell, is intended to make the long-running local club profitable by casting a wider net for members, co-owner and Managing Partner Tim Baker said.
“We do know the club can’t reach the necessary goals financially with just Lake Anna and Richmond locations. We need that expansion to be profitable,” Baker said.
Carefree Boat Club operates out of Kingsland Marina on the James River in eastern Henrico County, where it is headquartered, as well as at Anchor Point Marina on the Appomattox River in Hopewell and Sturgeon Creek Marina on Lake Anna. The club began to operate at the Urbanna marina in early June.
The club presents itself as a lower-cost alternative to boat ownership, allowing members access to club-owned and -maintained boats. Baker said the variety of locations has helped the club cater to more members’ preferred ways to enjoy time on the water.
“I’ve noticed (Lake Anna) has more of those individuals who want to go out and use the water toys, skis and tubes and stuff. The rivers have more folks who want a scenic and leisurely tour. What we have noticed so far with Urbanna is it’s people who like to go fishing,” Baker said.
Baker said the local club already had interest in expanding to the eastern part of the state when it learned from Carefree Boat Club’s corporate headquarters that the Urbanna marina had inquired about bringing a club to its location. Baker said about $500,000 was invested to expand to Urbanna.
Carefree Boat Club currently has three slips at the Urbanna marina and plans to increase that to seven slips. It has a single boat there and intends to increase its fleet to three to five vessels.
The club planned to add the 13th boat to its fleet this week. The club has about 40 members, with a goal to increase that number to between 225 and 250 people by the end of 2024.
Initiation fees currently range from $4,000 to $6,000, and monthly fees currently range from $240 to $450.
The club has nine employees.
Baker co-owns the Central Virginia club with Nick Bawa. They’re in talks to bring on a third partner who Baker declined to identify.
Though locally based for the time being, the club plans to eventually relocate its headquarters office to the Urbanna marina.
Carefree Boat Club launched in 2002 and its licensees operate more than 100 locations in the United States and internationally.
Carefree Boat Club of Central Virginia has expanded to Urbanna Boat Yard & Marina. (Photo courtesy of Carefree Boat Club of Central Virginia)
The local arm of a boating club chain continues its regional expansion with a new location in river country.
Carefree Boat Club of Central Virginia has come aboard at Urbanna Boat Yard & Marina, where the club leases several slips for its motorboats that its members use recreationally.
The expansion to Urbanna, along with the club’s recent expansion to Hopewell, is intended to make the long-running local club profitable by casting a wider net for members, co-owner and Managing Partner Tim Baker said.
“We do know the club can’t reach the necessary goals financially with just Lake Anna and Richmond locations. We need that expansion to be profitable,” Baker said.
Carefree Boat Club operates out of Kingsland Marina on the James River in eastern Henrico County, where it is headquartered, as well as at Anchor Point Marina on the Appomattox River in Hopewell and Sturgeon Creek Marina on Lake Anna. The club began to operate at the Urbanna marina in early June.
The club presents itself as a lower-cost alternative to boat ownership, allowing members access to club-owned and -maintained boats. Baker said the variety of locations has helped the club cater to more members’ preferred ways to enjoy time on the water.
“I’ve noticed (Lake Anna) has more of those individuals who want to go out and use the water toys, skis and tubes and stuff. The rivers have more folks who want a scenic and leisurely tour. What we have noticed so far with Urbanna is it’s people who like to go fishing,” Baker said.
Baker said the local club already had interest in expanding to the eastern part of the state when it learned from Carefree Boat Club’s corporate headquarters that the Urbanna marina had inquired about bringing a club to its location. Baker said about $500,000 was invested to expand to Urbanna.
Carefree Boat Club currently has three slips at the Urbanna marina and plans to increase that to seven slips. It has a single boat there and intends to increase its fleet to three to five vessels.
The club planned to add the 13th boat to its fleet this week. The club has about 40 members, with a goal to increase that number to between 225 and 250 people by the end of 2024.
Initiation fees currently range from $4,000 to $6,000, and monthly fees currently range from $240 to $450.
The club has nine employees.
Baker co-owns the Central Virginia club with Nick Bawa. They’re in talks to bring on a third partner who Baker declined to identify.
Though locally based for the time being, the club plans to eventually relocate its headquarters office to the Urbanna marina.
Carefree Boat Club launched in 2002 and its licensees operate more than 100 locations in the United States and internationally.
Alright! Urbanna in the Bizsense! Cool idea for a great little town. Good luck.