Borrowing a boat

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The Navigator Club dockmaster Chris Haight at Beverly Port Marina takes care of the hassle of owning a boat. Members pay a yearly fee and are able to use the club's boats. Mark Teiwes

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July 13, 2011

New Beverly club offers Zipcar-like program at marina

By Bethany Bray Staff Writer The Salem News Wed Jul 13, 2011, 05:00 AM EDT

BEVERLY — You could say Ed Mancini is in the business of giving people the best of both worlds.

His Navigator Club allows members to enjoy time behind the wheel of a boat without having to put any effort or expense into maintaining it.

The Charlestown-based club opened a location at the Beverly Port Marina last week.

Much like the Zipcar shared auto program, Navigator members are able to use any of five boats in the Navigator fleet, leaving the worry of cleaning, docking and maintaining the boats to club staff.

"The shared boating concept, for many people, make sense for a variety of reasons," said Mancini, a Salem resident. "We have numerous members that could afford to buy a yacht but choose not to, just because they don't have the time. They can reserve a boat for six or seven hours, then come back in, hand us the keys and go home. To them, it's a priceless scenario."

Annual membership packages normally range from about $5,500 to $7,500 per family; Mancini is offering discounted rates to mark the opening of the Beverly location. The fleet operates from mid-May to mid-October, but members can purchase a membership good for 12 months at any time of the year.

"The challenging economy has actually helped us, because people don't want a feeling of being locked into any long-term commitments (of boat ownership)," Mancini said.

New members are given training, with at least 10 hours on the water.

"We want people to feel comfortable and safe on the water," Mancini said. "The more fun they're having, the longer they're going to stay a member."

Besides training, Navigator employees focus on service, Mancini said — from helping members carry coolers from their cars to making sure the boat is fully stocked with amenities, such as fishing gear.

Fuel is not covered by membership dues; members are asked to return boats with a full tank of gas.

Mancini says he keeps a close eye on the boat-to-member ratio to ensure there are enough boats to meet demand. As membership grows, he adds to the fleet.

Opening a Beverly location was "a no-brainer," he said.

It takes only a few minutes to reach open water from Beverly Port Marina, which minimizes the amount of time members spend in a no-wake zone, he said. The location has good parking, an easily accessible fuel dock, new docks, bathrooms and facilities.

"Not to mention, I live a mile away," he said.

Mancini grew up in New York and moved to the Boston area after college. He worked in corporate marketing, but eventually decided to "do his own thing," he said.

"I learned a lot, did a lot of writing and doing marketing plans," he said. "But something was missing. I grew up on or around the water. Being a boater and fisherman, I said 'You know what? I'm not going to do this anymore.'"

After a stint in boat sales, he researched and wrote a business plan, opening the Navigator Club in 2008 with one boat. He soon expanded the fleet and now operates with five boats and 25 members.

"There's a niche market for this," Mancini said. "There's people that put a value on high-quality boats, excellent training and a premium level of service."

Staff writer Bethany Bray can be reached at bbray@salemnews.com and on Twitter @SNewsBethany.

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