Like fractional jets, fractional sailing is taking hold around the world with good reason. Wealthy people get a better bang for their flying buck by using a fractional jet instead of owning their own private aircraft. Likewise, folks like you and I, can stretch leisure time and money via fractional boating instead of owning the yacht. Today, all people can enjoy a “luxury lifestyle” at a fraction of the price and the commitment.
Here on the docks we see it every day. Boats decaying at the slip. The owners had every intention of using them all the time but that’s not how it usually works out. Fantasy of individual boat ownership versus the reality are really at opposing ends of the spectrum. With fractional yachting you actually get to live 90% of the fantasy while doing away with 100% of the reality associated with owning a boat. Like anything, there are compromises in life. On one hand, ownership of a boat presents the opportunity of usage whenever you like. However, the simple reality is that usage will drop sooner than later for 99% of us. All of a sudden that mighty freedom machine tugging at its dock lines becomes a burden in more ways than one. A fractional membership plan allows you to sail a little or a lot. Occasionally you have to give way to another member who has reserved a sail time before you got to it. But with just a little planning and flexibility your compromise will hardly be felt. Sure, you plan to spend every weekend on your fantasy boat. You still won’t. Life will get in the way. This has been proven over and over again.
Our Members say the same thing every time. “When I was looking at the SailTime program from the outside, I was afraid the boat wouldn’t be available when I wanted to go sailing”, reports Member, John McKinney, a Southern California financial planner. “What I found out after I became a Member was that the boat was available more than I could get free time to use it”, he said.
Prospective Members come down to the docks with all kinds of ideas. They are going to sail around the world. Or, not as grand, but still, big plans of going cruising in the tropics for a year or two. These are great goals that are attainable for those who choose. But, from a practical standpoint, goals like these require several steps along the way. Are you really going to just go buy a boat and then learn how to sail ? Fractional sailing lets you get in the repetitions required to become a proficient and confident sailor. Along the way, you will learn what kind of boat you might want to cruise off over the horizon with. We find that about 80% of our Members are fulfilled with their SailTime experience. The other 20% are looking to buy their own boat down the road; maybe in one year or maybe in three. That’s what we are here for. We serve both types of sailors. The boat manufacturing industry has nothing to worry about either. That 20% group is the number of people buying a boat each year already. We give four times that volume of people the opportunity to enjoy the lifestyle minus the ownership. Some will go on to buy and some won’t.
Cultural researchers saw a shift long before the current economic climate. People have been growing weary of owning more stuff for a couple years now. We have unabated desire for new and exciting experiences even more than we used to desire acquisition of possessions. It’s the foundation on which our company was formed and the bedrock of the “fractional” trend in general. What began with resort property has moved from jewelry to jets to cars and boats. What we are looking for is readily available use. It doesnt have to be a (depreciating) asset any more for your fantasy to become reality.
