Freedom Boat Club Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Freedom Boat Club is a membership-based boating franchise giving members shared access to a fleet of boats without ownership. Franchisees run club locations at marinas managing the fleet, maintenance, reservations, and member services.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Freedom Boat Club franchise requires a total initial investment of $264K – $623K, including a $50K franchise fee. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 32 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $264K – $623K
- 22nd pct Recreation & …
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 437
- 53rd pct Recreation & …
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Recreation & Entertainment · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Recreation & Entertainment avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $264K – $623K including a $50K franchise fee.
- RETURNSTotal revenue for FY ended Dec 31, 2024 comprised Royalties $9,471,629, Franchise fees $549,793, and Other $13,301 (Statement of Operations, Item 21 audited financials).
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 84/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 32 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- DATANo Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Freedom Franchise Systems, LLC
- Parent company
- Brunswick Corporation
- Predecessor
- Freedom Franchise Sales LLC
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President
- Cecil Cohn
- Incorporated in
- FL
- HQ
- 10975 Hughey Kimal Drive, Venice, FL 34292
- Auditor
- Robinson, Gruters & Roberts, P.A.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $10.0M
- vs $9.0M prior year
Affiliated brands
- Name Pr
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Cecil Cohn
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 2011
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 31
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 67% below the typical recreation & entertainment franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown12 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $50K | $50K | |
| Training Expenses | $2K | $4K | |
| Real Estate | $3K | $9K | |
| Improvements (including Signage) | $2K | $5K | |
| Furniture, Equipment | $2K | $4K | |
| Boat Inventory | $150K | $400K | |
| Professional Fees | $2K | $7K | |
| Insurance | $7K | $15K | |
| Start-up Advertising | $15K | $60K | |
| Deposits, Licenses/Permits | $1K | $4K | |
| Sales and Marketing Support Fee | $0 | $15K | |
| Additional Funds - Three Months | $30K | $50K | |
| Total initial investment | $264K | $623K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $264K – $623K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $30K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- Greater of 6% of Gross Revenues or Minimum Royalty ($1,00…
- Ad fund
- 0.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 6.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty (flat) | greater of 6% of Gross Revenues or $1,000/month after first year, $2,000/month after second year |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.5% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Transfer fee | $15K |
| Renewal fee | $13K |
| Inventory (initial) | $150K – $400K |
| Total fee load | 6.5% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Freedom Boat Club did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Freedom Boat Club unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
26%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Total revenue for FY ended Dec 31, 2024 comprised Royalties $9,471,629, Franchise fees $549,793, and Other $13,301 (Statement of Operations, Item 21 audited financials).
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 6.5% — below the Recreation & Entertainment average of 8.8%.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System expanding at 8.3% CAGR over 3 years across 437 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Recreation & Entertainment averages
How Freedom Boat Club Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 437
- Opened
- 33
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 12
- Terminated
- 2
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 4.9%
- Company-owned
- 149
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 66%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +8.3%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +8.3%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 33
- Closed (3yr)
- 12
- Terminated (3yr)
- 2
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 4
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Transfer rate
- 0.9%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Termination rate
- 0.7%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 2.3%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 31 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
31
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 32
- Loan volume
- $20.7M
- Median loan
- $286K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 11
- Defaults
- 0
- Typical loan rate
- 6.4%
- avg rate to borrowers
- vs industry
- 0.0%
- brand is above its industry ↑
- Jobs supported
- 452
- 3.4 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 46%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 14% went to startups / new businesses, 86% to established operators
Vintage analysis
Freedom Boat Club charge-off rate by loan vintage
Top lenders financing Freedom Boat Club franchisees
Showing 3 of 11 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Freedom Boat Club's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 10 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 8 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 9-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 32 loans, banks have historically viewed this brand favorably for lending.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 0.0% — 100% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Freedom Boat Club presents meaningful litigation risk, opaque unit economics, and modest growth—warranting deep validation before investment.
Litigation (Item 3)
FBC Marine Group v. FFS (2018): former franchisee alleged deceptive trade, Florida Franchise Act violations, fraudulent inducement. Settled in January 2019 for $700,000 total ($52,000 litigation-related, $648,000 for buyout of purchase option rights). All cases including two related prior suits dismissed with prejudice.
Largest disclosed settlement: $700,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Robinson, Gruters & Roberts, P.A.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 84 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHSettled litigation involving fraudulent inducement and negligent misrepresentation regarding termination of franchise agreements—indicates systemic disputes over contract enforcement
- 02MEDNo Item 19 (Average Unit Volume) disclosure—inability to assess actual profitability; combined with undisclosed net income, prevents ROI validation
- 03MINORModest unit growth of 7.1% YoY against high initial investment ($263.5K–$622.5K) suggests marginal unit economics and potential market saturation
- 04MED6% minimum royalty floor on undisclosed revenue base creates cash flow risk; royalty burden is unknown without average unit volumes
- 05MINORCollective settlement agreement indicates multiple franchisees had termination grievances—suggests franchisor enforcement practices or performance expectations may be problematic
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 6.5% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | exclusive |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 5 mi |
| Territory population | 50,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 50 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 10 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 4 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Sarasota, Florida |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | FL |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
FBC Marine Group v. FFS (2018): former franchisee alleged deceptive trade, Florida Franchise Act violations, fraudulent inducement. Settled in January 2019 for $700,000 total ($52,000 litigation-related, $648,000 for buyout of purchase option rights). All cases including two related prior suits dismissed with prejudice.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 37 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 12 hrs
- Training location
- Venice, Florida or other location designated by franchisor
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- QuickBooks and Microsoft Office 365
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: QuickBooks and Microsoft Office 365
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
5 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Freedom Boat Club · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Freedom Boat Club franchise?
The total investment to open a Freedom Boat Club franchise ranges from $264K – $623K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Freedom Boat Club franchise owners earn?
Freedom Boat Club does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Freedom Boat Club FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Freedom Boat Club FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Freedom Boat Club's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Freedom Boat Club has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 32 loans, meaning 0.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Freedom Boat Club franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Freedom Boat Club has 437 total units in the United States, including 288 franchised units and 149 company-owned units. 33 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Freedom Boat Club a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Freedom Boat Club as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 84 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent Freedom Boat Club, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.