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LAKE LIFE MADE SIMPLE

Freedom Boat Club Makes Enjoying The Lake Hassle-Free

Article by Roger Ireland

Photography by Courtesy of Freedom Boat Club

Originally published in Texoma City Lifestyle

With summer here and the mercury rising, there is no better way to beat the heat than a trip to the lake. Freedom Boat Club of North Texas has made enjoying the lake hassle-free while remaining cost-effective. As owner Sue Wallace explained, “It is lake life made simple.” All you need to do is reserve the boat on an easy to use website and show up. The dock team greets you and helps you onto the boat and that’s that – you’re on the water! The convenience of the club means you can go to a soccer game in the morning, wakeboard or go tubing in the afternoon, and be home for dinner.

With more than thirty boats to choose from including Sea Rays, center consoles, deck boats, surf boats, and Tri-Toons, you’re not constrained to a single lake experience. And given locations on Lake Lewisville and Lake Texoma in addition to over 400 other locations across the nation and the world, the possibilities are literally endless. Freedom Boat Club members can indulge in year-round boating and all the fun and joy it has to offer without the burdensome tasks of cleaning and maintenance or the recurring costs of insurance and repair that come with ownership.

While offering tremendous benefits and reach, Freedom Boat Club of North Texas is also a locally owned and operated family business. Shortly after starting the boat club, Sue’s son Chris joined to oversee operations and sales and her husband John joined to manage fleet sales. Together, they get to share their passion for lake life with the region. Six years ago, when considering retiring from the corporate world, Sue was looking for other business opportunities. A colleague who was a club member in Florida introduced the idea. Having grown up boating, the notion of doing something she loved and sharing that with the broader community just made sense.

Sharing fun on the water with family and friends is what it’s all about. While Sue notes that members often love taking clients out on the boat rather than another boring lunch meeting, it really is a respite from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. A trip to the lake offers families an opportunity to disconnect from the wired world and reconnect with each other. As Sue recalled from her own experience, “I loved to see the smile on kid's faces as they were tubing or getting up on a wakeboard or skis for the first time. It’s also fun to see the amazement of kids watching their parents do the same thing.”

One of the best advantages of a boat club is the opportunity to enjoy different lakes with absolutely no hassle or effort. Lake Lewisville is an oasis in the middle of the urban sprawl that offers lots of family friendly parks and excellent water for skiing and wakeboarding. Lake Texoma is much larger with more beaches and hiking/camping opportunities as well as being renowned for striper fishing. Both have excellent restaurants and bars that you can enjoy before or after you take a day on the water. Chris recommends The Point and Parlor at Grandpappy Point, Schooners, The Island Bar and Grill, Pelicans Landing, or the Lake House at Alberta Creek on Lake Texoma. On Lake Lewisville, Rockin’ S at Hidden Cove or the recently reopened Charlies at Pier 121, home pier to the boat club.
 

In the end, Freedom Boat Club is all about making waves of fun and excitement! Comprehensive training programs not only ensure safety but also foster confidence and expertise among members, enabling them to navigate and enjoy the water with ease with their friends and family. Boating is about being part of a larger community as well. Building on their existing calendar of events such as fishing seminars and outings as well as the Women's boating group that gathers for fun outings on the water together, the club plans to deliver a full social calendar that is jam-packed with events tailor-made for mingling and making connections with other boaters.

To become a member at either Lake Texoma or Lake Lewisville, contact Sid Laub at 903-419-2339 or sid.laub@freedomboatclub.com 

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