If you’re a current member of Harbor Sailboats or have done some research on us, you probably know we also operate SailTime San Diego, a fractional membership club. What are the differences between Harbor Sailboats (Sailing Club) and SailTime San Diego (Fractional Membership)?
Lets first define what a sailing club is. A sailing club is usually a privately owned organization that offers sailing lessons and or sailboat rentals to non-boat owners. A club will usually operate a fleet of vessels that are located in the same marina and available for charter to the club members. Most clubs will have a one time initiation fee along with annual or monthly minimums and offer discounted charter rates to its members.
A factional membership program like SailTime is similar expect sailors are purchasing a membership (i.e. usage) to a specific boat rather than a fleet of boats like a sailing club. With a factional membership, a boat is typically owned by a single person and the rest of the users are essentially leasing a share of the boat rather than becoming equity partners. This program is similar in concept to a time share or fractional ownership of a yacht but without the nasty commitments and fees associated with those.
Deciding which program to join will depend on how often you plan to sail. If you think you’ll be sailing once a month or less, than a club like Harbor Sailboats is a good option. If you think you’ll be sailing at least once a month and likely more, a SailTime membership will prove a better program. Finally, if you’re going to sail once a week than boat ownership may come attractive to you.
A program like SailTime will have a monthly rate that usually cost more than one charter of an equal boat and less than three charters of that same boat. This is why it will make sense to join a fraction program if you plan on sailing on a more regular basis.
Most new sailors will feel more comfortable joining a club like Harbor Sailboats since they can start with the basics and build their skill levels on various size boats and models before making a bigger commitment to a fractional membership or ownership. The majority of fractional members “graduate” from sailing clubs after they have gotten hooked on the sport and have the confidence to skipper boats with less supervision.
No matter your resume or goals, our organization can accommodate you! Come by the office to learn more about the sailing club, SailTime San Diego, or our boat ownership programs.
