Cruising for Pleasure

Not everyone can afford a luxury boat, not everyone wants one, nor the cleaning and maintenance hassles. Which is why boat-share businesses have sprung up around the country. The offer owners or ‘members’ affordable, seamless, fuss-free boating for as many days as they need.

It’s a fact (and one that is spruiked by boat-share operators) that most boats are used fewer than 40 days of the year. So for those boaters who aren’t fanatical, who just want to get out on the water with friends and family on a few sunny weekends each year, boat share makes sense.

One of the latest success stories in the boat-share business is Pleasure Cruising based in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct. On a recent sunny Autumn day, Boatpoint and Boatsales paid the smart operators a visit to see just what makes their operation tick.

Pleasure Cruising is run by Gary Freeman, who told us that the ‘club’ now has four boats operating all year round.

“We’ve grown quite quickly,” Freeman said. “Melbournians love The Bay but many aren’t prepared to spend the initial outlay on a new boat and then continue to pay for the on-going maintenance and berthing of it.

“We operate as a club, not dissimilar to a golf club. Members join and, depending on their level of membership, they get a certain number of days per year on a certain class of boat.”

Pleasure Cruising currently has four boats in the fleet ranging from 28ft up to the luxury Mustang 38, which we took out for a lunchtime cruise.

All the boats are fully equipped with safety gear, galley equipment, crockery, cutlery and linen.

All the members have to do is book the boat on-line, walk on at the marina and enjoy the boating lifestyle. Members can enjoy a day afloat, a weekend away, or even a week pottering around the nearly 2000 square kilometres of Port Phillip Bay.

As part of their membership, members receive five hours of training in all aspects of the boat and its operation, including berthing, safety and the boat’s systems.

The concept isn’t new, but what we found when we visited Pleasure Cruising is that the operation is tailored to take advantage of some of the unique aspects of boating in Melbourne.

For example, during the Melbourne Cup (or any other big event at Flemington), Pleasure Cruising runs shuttles in the boats to the racecourse and back for members. This way, their members avoid parking or public transport. Simply drive to Docklands, jump on the boat, and then arrive in style!

Due to the proximity of the CBD, Pleasure Cruising also offers members skippered and catered lunch cruises with or without their clients. They also offer corporate memberships whereby a number of managers may become members and the staff and clients can enjoy a day out on the Bay.

Our sortie took us up the Yarra River, passing the Maribyrnong River, the Westgate Bridge, picturesque Williamstown and then out into The Bay proper. The Mustang is capable of around 32 knots and, according to Gary, will get you to Geelong -- a great destination for a weekend away -- in about an hour and a half.

Fully catered, we cruised over to St Kilda and along the coast for while, taking in the sun and the marvellous vistas of the beaches and foreshore with the cityscape backdrop.

As we turned for home it dawned on us that this really isn’t a bad way to go boating. No dragging food and drinks onto the boat, no fuelling up, no cleaning after event – simply walk off the boat, hand the key to the Fleet Manager and head back to the car.

The boating life was meant to be easy after all!

For more information go to www.pleasurecruising.com.au or phone 1 300 132 565.