SeaZen boat club: the benefits of ownership without the disadvantages

Summary

The Boat-Club is a new form of navigation particularly well suited to the Cote d'Azur. It allows easy access to "his own" boat, without suffering the disadvantages of the property. After 3 months of tests in Beaulieu sur Mer, seaZen launches this innovative concept in pre-booking. If you read this article to the end, you may wonder: "Does it still make sense to buy a boat today?"

The facts

Today, to take his relatives to sea, on a boat that can accommodate 8 people, you must pass a boat license or follow sailing courses. It is expensive and time-consuming.

Once the experience is gained, the question arises of buying a boat and a ring. It still takes time and is expensive, very expensive ... not to mention the maintenance of the boat as soon as it is launched.

Of course the alternative is to rent a boat, but renting a boat with such a capacity remains a punctual leisure. It is punctual because of the price and also the time devoted to each handover. This handover time is even prohibitive for just a few hours sailing.

The self service solution

To give the same flexibility of boating experience to a tenant as to an owner it is necessary to simplify the rental experience. Only the self-service rental allows you to rent a few hours with an economically accessible price.

How does it work?

SeaZen uses an autonomous solar-powered electric boat. Because it is solar, it is easier to operate for an equivalent capacity of reception. It adapts well to a program of local outings on the Côte d'Azur by bringing more comfort and friendliness.

.

The on-line booking system lets you rent the boat from your smartphone or computer. Everything is simplified in order to maximize the navigation time. A young French company has developed the concept which is launched in pre-order in the port of Beaulieu.

Seriously, can a self-service boat being operated in France ?

Technically speaking the solutions exist, just see the popularity of Cars, Scooters or Bikes in fleets. As for the Boat Club, nothing new either, it is a classic addition to the Atlantic.

However, to spend a friendly time boating, the good boat condition is essential. It would not be viable to let the boat deteriorate as seen on some self-service cars. The self-service car is perceived as a simple means of transport, the self-service boat must bring a moment of pleasure. The member of the boat club must therefore accept beforehand to invest more, it must be aware of it and the deposit is the key difference to incite him to appropriate "his" boat. The other key difference comes from the fact that on the self-service car, there is no control between 2 rentals. While for a boat club, there is a boat inspection between each rental in order to maintain a constant quality and safety.

Key fingers

A ten of outings distributed in the year does not cost more than 2 000 € when "after work" for example. Nothing to do with the budget to rent a berth, to which should be added the maintenance budget of the boat (often 10% of the purchase price), fuel budget, time spent ...

Finally a deposit brings the flexibility of being able to recover the sum at any moment in case of departure of the Boat Club. There is also nothing to do with the depreciation cost of investing in a boat, an investment without a guarantee of liquidity for resale, the day the owner wishes to stop sailing.

An innovation specific to the Côte d’Azur ?

Although the price of boats and the lack of berth have always encouraged professionals to look for innovative products, it is only thanks to the simplicity of solar boating that self-service can really develop. It is therefore not insignificant to specify that the climate of the Côte d'Azur on the one hand and the production of Suncy boats in the PACA region have facilitated the genesis of this project.