The boat clubs introduce their national association in Palma
The 2021 edition of the Palma International Boat Show hosted the presentation of the Spanish Boat Club Association (ACNE), a new entity associated with the Association of Nautical Companies in the Balearic Islands (AENIB) and the National Association of Nautical Companies. The secretary general of ANEN, Carlos Sanlorenzo, and the president of AENIB, Jaume Vaquer participated in the presentation.
The boat clubs, which have only recently started to get established in Spain, provide their users an opportunity to sail all year round without the costs and obligations related to having a boat in ownership. The clubs have a fleet of boats available to the users on a time- related subscription, without a need to worry about maintenance, mooring, insurance etc.“This business model emerged in Spain hardly a decade ago, and during this time it has grown a lot. Currently there are over 100 clubs registered in the whole country and we are sure there will be more. Even the boat manufacturers are starting to introduce their own clubs”, explains the president of ACNE and CEO of Fanautic, Fernando Larunbe. “In the United States, where this modality has operated for over 30 years, some clubs have over 30.000 users”. In the Balearic Islands there are currently about 10 active boat clubs, Larunbe says.
“At AENIB we will support this association that is going to give voice to one of the newest and most interesting forms of enjoying yachting”, indicates the president of AENIB, Jaume Vaquer. “All initiatives geared towards strengthening the influence of the nautical sector in all its different varieties are welcome. The boat clubs represent a modern way of life and are very much in line with the current times. They can provide an access to the sea and yachting to many people who otherwise wouldn´t have the courage to approach this fascinating environment. Besides, with this activity the moorings, so scarce on our islands, can be used more efficiently. Something that the administration should pay attention to”, he points out.
It is not charter
“Boat clubs are treated as charter, but our activity is very different: we try to create synergies between the members in order to build a community of users, we participate in their nautical training, we instill in them concepts of ecological, sustainable and civilized yachting… Besides, our clients are, in contrast to charter, mainly neither foreigners nor occasional tourists, but basically local”, he assesses.
“We want to bring yachting closer to the residents, make it easier for them to get in for a reasonable price (four times cheaper than charter), hoping that they will take up the practice, which in the long run will benefit the whole nautical sector. It is about promoting the yachting in Spain among the locals”, he resumes.
One of the central issues on the agenda of the new association is to “gain support of the public administrations for the development of this activity, above all bearing in mind that it is a way to take advantage of the limited moorings, thus allowing more people to participate in nautical activities”. “We believe that the boat clubs are a path towards democratization and sustainability of recreational yachting”.