If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you know we spent nearly every weekend in August (and some weekdays) on a boat thanks to my friends at Carefree Boat Club, an exclusive membership providing unlimited access to an entire fleet of boats!
Whether we wanted to explore Lake Washington, fish the Puget Sound, or take a house boat tour along Lake Union, we had the opportunity to see the amazing benefits of a boat club membership.
Before we started this nautical adventure, I shared ‘6 Reasons To Join A Boat Club,‘ and now I’m here to offer ‘4 Reasons To Join a Boat Club In The Off-Season’ because NOW is the time you can really maximize the membership!
Boat Options
In Seattle, Carefree Boat Club has four local marinas, Fisherman’s Terminal (Lake Union), Shilshole Bay (Puget Sound), Bellevue (Lake Washington) and Anacortes (San Juan Islands) with 17 boats in total…plus, members have access to 55+ clubs nationwide.
If you sign up for a boat club in the off-season (fall and winter), I guarantee you’ll have first dibs on the premier options in the fleet! Carefree Boat Club works on a first come, first serve philosophy with either 2 or 4 advance reservations. During the summer, some of their most popular boats get picked quickly, however, since boating tends to be somewhat seasonal in places like the Pacific Northwest for leisure adventurers, your opportunity to reserve your favorites is more likely in the fall and winter!
And with boats like the Robalo, you can create an enclosed heated cabin within seconds.
Less Crowds
Once the weather cools down you’ll find less crowds on the water, making it easier to navigate and explore on your own timeframe – a perk if you travel through the Ballard Locks!
Family-Friendly
One of our favorite days on the water was spent exploring Lake Union and Lake Washington with our family on the Manitou SES Bar Pontoon. Most of the fleet in the Carefree Boat Club has a canvas cover, so rain or shine, it’s easy to entertain friends and family.
Get Outside
Once we bid adieu to summer, sadly we often say goodbye to all outdoor activities. Being a boat club member, you have a reason to enjoy crisp mornings, whether it’s fishing for salmon, catching fresh crab, or island hopping through the Puget Sound. We discovered new marinas with generous moorage, beautiful restaurants and most importantly – new places to mark on the map.
A few of the boats in the Carefree Boat Club, like the Chaparral Signature 270, have a comfortable berth that can easily sleep 4 people – perfect staycation when you need a night away!
Also makes for a cozy place to play games in the evening!
We’re fortunate to live on the coast, with fresh lakes and salt water within reach on any given day…it would be a waste not to enjoy it year-round don’t you think?
If you’d like to learn more about Carefree Boat Club, I covered all of the details in my post 6 Reasons To Join a Boat Club!
You can also call 206-567-BOAT to schedule a tour of the fleet (highly recommend!).
XoXo Portia
*Photos edited by Jasmine Klein Photography
Disclosure: We received a complimentary membership in exchange for this post. The opinions expressed here represent my own, which I take great pride in providing pure honesty…because I’m OBSESSED with sharing the Good!