Boating Clubs?

HoustonAg926

Joined: Apr 25, 2024

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1:34p, 11/6/24

Anyone have experience with a boating club? I am interested in Houston area boating clubs for my family to enjoy a day out on the water every now and then. I don't want the hassle of storing and maintaining a boat so I have taken interest in these club models. I have read mixed reviews online so wanted to check with TA and see if anyone has experience. Thanks

txags92

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In reply to HoustonAg926 • 2:18p, 11/6/24

HoustonAg926 said:
Anyone have experience with a boating club? I am interested in Houston area boating clubs for my family to enjoy a day out on the water every now and then. I don't want the hassle of storing and maintaining a boat so I have taken interest in these club models. I have read mixed reviews online so wanted to check with TA and see if anyone has experience. Thanks

I have no recent experience, but back in the late 80s/early 90s my dad was a member of Club Nautico that was based out of the Tiki Island Marina. It was great for doing occasional fishing trips, but it wasn't always the best if you wanted to go fishing outside of their normal business hours...which were 8-6 or something like that. So no sunrise trips to the Jetties or overnight fishing under a green light. Not sure if that has changed with the newer club models, but that was the main limitation that we didn't like. Otherwise the boats were usually in pretty good shape and it was nice to just have to refuel it, but otherwise not have to deal with maintenance or cleanup after the trip. Also, doing more than 1-2 trips per month got really expensive fast.

Contrast that with having your own boat stored at a dry storage warehouse at the coast where you can call ahead and have the boat put in the water the night before, show up with bait and gear, and head out at 5am or at 10pm. Come back and leave a couple of 20s in the electronics box for the storage crew and ask them to rinse it out when they take it out of the water and wash it down. Yeah, it was more expensive, but way more convenient for fishing overnight and early mornings. Until the storage warehouse burned down in Hurricane Ike...

Honestly, if you don't want to take the full plunge into buying a boat, for the cost differential, if your main interest is fishing and you just want to go once a month or so, I would hire a guide instead. Rental via a club and paying for fuel, membership, bait, etc. is not that much cheaper than just hiring a guide.