Boats in water Florida

Boat club operator and Brunswick brand, Freedom Boat Club, has acquired the South Florida franchise operations and territory, adding 13 corporate locations from Pompano Beach to Stuart, Florida, with the rights to expand throughout the southeast Florida coastline. This strategic move follows Freedom Boat Club’s recent expansion in Denmark, Spain and the US.

The newly acquired franchise is located adjacent to Freedom’s already established corporate locations in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Islamorada.

“The acquisition of the South Florida franchise business and territory presents a tremendous opportunity to accelerate growth in a year-round boating community passionate about the on-water lifestyle, as well as leverage synergies from the Brunswick family of brands,” says Cecil Cohn, Freedom Boat Club network’s president. “This acquisition represents one of our largest clubs spanning Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties, and we look forward to building on the strong foundation set in place by the former franchise owner and continuing to deliver remarkable experiences to our members.”  

Brunswick acquired Freedom Boat Club in 2019 and has grown the number of boat share hub locations from 170 locations to more than 415 locations globally across North America, Europe, and Australia. Brunswick announced its net sales in the second quarter of 2024 were down 22 per cent versus the first quarter of 2023, yet despite this Freedom has remained steady. Dave Foulkes, CEO of Brunswick, said in statement earlier this year: “Freedom Boat Club had another solid quarter while seeing very steady membership levels despite the macroeconomic uncertainty. Freedom continues to benefit from not having been subject to the cumulative inflation impact that boats certainly have from a purchase perspective, and also not really subject to the higher interest rate environment.”

South Florida franchise

The South Florida branch was founded in 2014 under the ownership of Dan Lund. During his tenure, the club earned consistent recognition for ‘Top Franchise New Member Growth’ and secured the Best of Palm Beach County award for five consecutive years. As a longstanding partner to Freedom Boat Club, Lund played a pivotal role in expanding the business, building strong teams, and fostering a dedicated membership committed to the boating lifestyle.

“Freedom Boat Club has been a fantastic partner to us over the years supporting our growth and success,” says Lund. “Over the past ten years, we have placed a premium on delivering exceptional member experiences, and we know our members will be in great hands under Freedom’s leadership and look forward to supporting their continued success in the market.” 

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