Freedom Boat Club Corporate has been acquired by Brunswick Corporation. The terms of the deal to buy the world’s largest members-only boat club have not been disclosed, but Brunswick has retained Freedom Boat Club’s management team led by John Giglio. Locally, there are three Freedom Boat Club franchises owned by co-owners Lisa Almeida and Kevin Seelig in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine.
“We are excited to have this leader in marine services as our new corporate owner,” said Almeida. “We are looking forward to the support they will provide to us as franchisees and the new products and services they offer. We are also happy to continue working alongside John and his team as we continue to introduce new boaters to the benefits of Freedom Boat Club membership.”
Brunswick Corporation, based in Mettawa, Illinois, operates and leads the world’s best-known, most profitable recreation and lifestyle brands. Freedom Boat Club is now part of Brunswick’s Boating Services Network as part of the company’s Business Acceleration group.
Freedom Boat Club, founded in 1989 in Venice, Florida, has a track record of steady growth in membership based on its model of offering affordable, hassle-free boating for a simple monthly fee. FBC has nearly doubled its location footprint and tripled its membership base in the last five years, and currently operates more than 185 corporate and franchise locations in more than 31 states, Canada and Europe. More than 20,000 members have access to a fleet of more than 2,200 boats.
