Bryan Courtney now owns the Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing. (Photos by Burl Rolett)
A new skipper has taken the helm at a Richmond boat club, with a plan he hopes will right the ship for the three-year-old business.
Williamsburg businessman Bryan Courtney this summer took ownership of the Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing. Courtney is bringing a new fleet and a revamped membership structure to what he called a well-located but unstable business formerly known as the Mariners Club.
“There’s only one quality marina in all of Richmond, and that’s Rocketts Landing,” said Courtney, who also owns the Carefree Boat Club of Williamsburg. “My motive was an opportunity, a way to expand outside of Williamsburg.”
Courtney paid $1 for the Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing, taking over Aug. 1 for previous owner and Mariners Club founder Tory Wiles.
Courtney views the arrangement not as a sale, but as an entirely separate business moving into the riverfront dock at Rocketts Landing. The deal did not include any of the boats or equipment from Wiles’s business, aside from the keys to a marina storage shed.
“My agreement with Tory was simply, ‘Get out, I’m going to bring my own business, my own fleet in, but I don’t want to leave your members out to dry,’” Courtney said.
As ownership changed hands, the club closed for two weeks, during which Courtney honored Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing reservations at his Williamsburg club. The business, which leases slip space at the Rocketts Landing marina, reopened Aug. 15 with Courtney’s four-boat fleet.
Courtney will add another boat by spring, he said, and has about $50,000 invested in the business, including the purchase of the fifth boat.
Tory Wiles opened in the Mariners Club in 2010.
The Mariners Club opened in 2010. The company in 2012 became affiliated with the Carefree Boat Club, which gave its members access to other affiliated clubs. Carefree also has branches in Hampton and Virginia Beach, according to its website.
As owner of the Carefree Boat Club of Williamsburg for 11 years, Courtney said he had kept an eye on the Richmond club. The two businesses offered the same product: access for members to a fleet of boats.
Only about 10 percent of the 46 members on Carefree’s roster were paying on a monthly cycle when Courtney took over, he said. Courtney is working to transition the club’s existing annual memberships into monthly dues.
He is honoring the previous membership contracts until their expiration, although that will mean operating at a loss for at least 18 months.
“It’s one of those things – you just grin and bear it,” Courtney said. “We’re willing to be upside down in the first year to make a point and make a splash.”
Courtney set a goal to re-sign 20 percent of the expiring members and said he is on pace to renew about 35 percent.
Jerry Wilhoit, who has been a member of the Carefree Boat Club for about a year, is among the group that decided to stick around.
“In the product itself, there’s just no comparison,” Wilhoit said. “He is putting a new fleet in. They’re high-quality boats, high-quality products.”
Wiles meanwhile has traded his boat shoes for a coat and tie. He said he’s working for a staffing firm in Richmond and is considering going back to school for an MBA. Running the boat club full-time would not allow him to work back into the corporate world.
“I just wanted to do a career change,” he said. “The boat club was a little taxing; kind of crazy.”
Bryan Courtney now owns the Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing. (Photos by Burl Rolett)
A new skipper has taken the helm at a Richmond boat club, with a plan he hopes will right the ship for the three-year-old business.
Williamsburg businessman Bryan Courtney this summer took ownership of the Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing. Courtney is bringing a new fleet and a revamped membership structure to what he called a well-located but unstable business formerly known as the Mariners Club.
“There’s only one quality marina in all of Richmond, and that’s Rocketts Landing,” said Courtney, who also owns the Carefree Boat Club of Williamsburg. “My motive was an opportunity, a way to expand outside of Williamsburg.”
Courtney paid $1 for the Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing, taking over Aug. 1 for previous owner and Mariners Club founder Tory Wiles.
Courtney views the arrangement not as a sale, but as an entirely separate business moving into the riverfront dock at Rocketts Landing. The deal did not include any of the boats or equipment from Wiles’s business, aside from the keys to a marina storage shed.
“My agreement with Tory was simply, ‘Get out, I’m going to bring my own business, my own fleet in, but I don’t want to leave your members out to dry,’” Courtney said.
As ownership changed hands, the club closed for two weeks, during which Courtney honored Carefree Boat Club at Rocketts Landing reservations at his Williamsburg club. The business, which leases slip space at the Rocketts Landing marina, reopened Aug. 15 with Courtney’s four-boat fleet.
Courtney will add another boat by spring, he said, and has about $50,000 invested in the business, including the purchase of the fifth boat.
Tory Wiles opened in the Mariners Club in 2010.
The Mariners Club opened in 2010. The company in 2012 became affiliated with the Carefree Boat Club, which gave its members access to other affiliated clubs. Carefree also has branches in Hampton and Virginia Beach, according to its website.
As owner of the Carefree Boat Club of Williamsburg for 11 years, Courtney said he had kept an eye on the Richmond club. The two businesses offered the same product: access for members to a fleet of boats.
Only about 10 percent of the 46 members on Carefree’s roster were paying on a monthly cycle when Courtney took over, he said. Courtney is working to transition the club’s existing annual memberships into monthly dues.
He is honoring the previous membership contracts until their expiration, although that will mean operating at a loss for at least 18 months.
“It’s one of those things – you just grin and bear it,” Courtney said. “We’re willing to be upside down in the first year to make a point and make a splash.”
Courtney set a goal to re-sign 20 percent of the expiring members and said he is on pace to renew about 35 percent.
Jerry Wilhoit, who has been a member of the Carefree Boat Club for about a year, is among the group that decided to stick around.
“In the product itself, there’s just no comparison,” Wilhoit said. “He is putting a new fleet in. They’re high-quality boats, high-quality products.”
Wiles meanwhile has traded his boat shoes for a coat and tie. He said he’s working for a staffing firm in Richmond and is considering going back to school for an MBA. Running the boat club full-time would not allow him to work back into the corporate world.
“I just wanted to do a career change,” he said. “The boat club was a little taxing; kind of crazy.”
Bryan Courtney, well most Carefreee Boat Club owners are very shady and dishonest. They leave lots of details out about their product BE AWARE. I got to work with the old Mariners Club and Carefree Boat Club and there was a big difference. Mareiners club very funa and easy to work with and the Carefree network seems dishonest and tricky with hidden fees. Great product just need better things to happen.
Chris
“Only quality marina” is a pretty big stretch. Nice docks for sure. But if you like having your boat slammed with car size trees during floods, parking a mile from your boat, walking another mile to the bathrooms, and no cover for your boat, yes. Restaurant and condo parking is a better term. The issue with this club is that you pay a pretty hefty initiation fee ($1500-2000) and pay monthly fees of about $200 and a $25 booking fee when you reserve your boat online. Not to mention you pay every month for the whole year and only get… Read more »
Love Bizsense but interesting article. I have been in contact with Tory since he brougt this great idea to Richmond. I used his service and absolutly loved it. He was great and easy to work with and HE IS THE REASON for a great product. I have heard many bad things that Carefree Boat club has done all over the country to other boat club owners. Doubt the sale went that way seems one sided for Courtney for sure. Watch out for them. They are out to get people. I hope Mr. Courtney is not like the the corporate Carefree… Read more »
As current owner of CBC at Rocketts Landing, I feel it fair that I comment. Tory Wiles and I mutually developed a win-win business agreement – he wanted out and I was able to step in quickly. Though taxing on us, we brought in a different fleet & resources to give us the best chances for success. This also allowed Tory to move out and move on with relative ease which was his goal. Tory seemed genuinely concerned about leaving his members behind especially in the middle of the season. Without obligation or monetary reward, we have honored nearly all… Read more »
I dont have a dog in this fight but I have to comment on a few points here. Bryan Courtney did a wonderful job of taking the high road while facing a variety of low blows from a fellow local businessman in the same Industry. Nice job explaining your situation and showing some class. Bryans comment is what we, potential customers, RVA business folks and residents, want to see from those running businesses and attempting to win over our dollars in exchange for a product or service. Max Walraven of Richmond Yacht Basin (where is that located anyway?) decided to… Read more »
I’ve been a member of the Carefree Boat Club in Williamsburg for three years and have worked with Bryan all three of those years. He runs his business with an uncompromising commitment to quality and safety. As you can see by his comments above, Bryan is also a consummate professional and a trustworthy businessman. We have always had a positive experience working with Bryan. His entry into the Richmond market is a welcome one and the business model that Carefree runs, while not for everyone, offers a unique opportunity for those boaters who want the flexibility to use different boats,… Read more »
Tori is a personal friend and the picture Courtney and the article painted are much more colorful than Tori’s side of things.
Courtney, your response was eloquently written. Welcome to the neighborhood.
Jasp, upon doing a google search of you, it turns up nothing except your peanut gallery opinions on every Richmond forum known to man. Note taken.