YCOA TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
8/29/2007 2:14:40 PM by Stacy Wynn
With a slogan like “The Freedom of the Ocean is Forever Yours” and a promise to “Open Up a New World of Boating” we just had to take a closer look at Yacht Club of the Americas to see what the largest network of premier private yacht clubs in the Americas has been up to since their much-anticipated debut last year.
Photos courtesy of YCOA
There’s no question that there are a lot of plusses to owning your own dockominium or rackominium space. It’s a healthy investment virtually guaranteed to have a healthy appreciation, especially as the resource dwindles with condominium developers snapping up all the great waterfront property along the coastline. Ownership guarantees your boat a space, even as government regulations limit the number of new marinas. You can rent it when you’re not using it and there are potential tax benefits, and it is an asset that can be liquidated at any time.
Until recently, purchasing dockominium or rackominium space meant buying into a renovated former marina or dry storage, usually a rather mundane location with a ship’s store at most. Which, of course, meant inconvenient trips to the grocery store for gourmet treats to take aboard and a yacht club membership, if desired, in order to experience life’s luxuries. Not anymore. Developers such as Steeven Knight and his Yacht Club of the Americas (YCOA) are providing locations and sophisticated service and facilities that put some of world’s notable yacht clubs, their high membership fees and limited number of slips to shame.
This is true high-tech storage for your boat at state-of-the-art facilities that even the iPod generation will not be able to look down at with their technological savvy noses. All is wrapped in the exclusivity, comfort and relaxation associated with the traditional yacht club ambience. Things are spiced up further by trendy amenities such as a martini/cigar lounge, waterfront cocktail bars, tiki hut barbecues, spa, fitness center, swimming pool, saunas, gourmet deli and coffee shop as well as a fashionable owner’s lounge. Practical concerns are addressed with a repair and service center, five-star concierge service that can see your boat provisioned with a phone call, and 24-hour security. To date, these comprehensive offerings have attracted such notable boaters as Mike Alstott of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and celebrity angler, Jose Wejebe of ESPN2’s longest-running outdoor show, The Spanish Fly.
“As the network grows, members can sail from one YCOA location to another where there is a uniform emphasis on luxury and quality service,” says Knight, a self-described son of a yachtsman who admits to having salt in his veins. “I strongly believe the boating world is ready for a branded port of call like YCOA. With increasing pressures on time, many executives are looking to YCOA to take the workload out of boating. USA Today reports that boaters from inland cities spend about $147 on fuel, food and lodging each time they drive to a waterfront city to use their boat. In addition, about three hours is wasted on the work necessary to get the boat in and out of the water.”
Knight was not casual in his choice of locations. Take the beautiful Sanibel Harbour site. This flagship property is just three minutes from the Gulf of Mexico and across from Sanibel Island. The club and surrounding environs are sophisticated and laid-back. In addition to first-rate service and conveniences, the location is known for impressive fishing since the area is teeming with tarpon, snook, redfish, sea trout and a myriad of other fish including pompano, tripletail, sheepshead and grouper.
The YCOA at Naples Harbour is a popular refueling stop for those heading down to the exotic Marco Island, 10,000 Islands and the Keys. A total of 626 dry slips and wet slips up to 100 feet will keep this a happening facility. In downtown Fort Myers, the Beau Rivage and San Trope waterfront high-rise development has become part of the YCOA network. The area is convenient to the scenic Caloosahatchee River that goes through Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. Named Riviera Harbour, this property features 47 wet slips.
Several new yacht clubs are under construction or in the planning stages under the YCOA banner. The furthest north is the St. Augustine venture. The site has been cleared at Fort George Harbor with an anticipated completion date of November. The project is slated to feature 150 dry stacks and 35 in-water slips as well as a 5,000-square-foot pool and a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse and owner’s lounge with a restaurant, a spa and a fitness center.
At the opposite end of the Florida map will be the Key West club, which takes full advantage of this unique island and its varied heritage. Taking the boat out will not be a chore when surrounded by some of the best waters on the planet for giant marlin and sailfish. When not afloat, the Historic Seaport District will charm mariners, as will the five-star Key West Harbour. Don’t miss the Treasures of the Atocha exhibit. This airy complex will include 400 dry slips, and 43 wet slips with a traveling lift that can handle up to 150,000 lbs.
Claiming more of Florida’s stunning west coast waters, the Tampa Harbour site plan calls for an impressive 700 dry slips and 40 west slips in busy Tampa Bay. On the east coast, the Stuart Harbor club is an excellent starting point for taking the Intracoastal up north, going outside for an ocean journey to the Keys, or crossing the state via Lake Okeechobee. Four hundred and fifty dry slips and 150 wet slips will accommodate members.
The Disappearing Island is just one of the highlights of the New Smyrna Harbor Club. At low tide the “island” is a fun destination, while at high tide it offers fantastic fishing. Anglers will also be thrilled by nearby Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. Twenty wet slips complement the 280 high-tech dry stacks.
Ownership at any YCOA location entitles members to reciprocal privileges at all of YCOA’s affiliated locations, including a new joint venture in Grand Bahama. The long-range goals have the company expanding its facilities as far north as Long Island and as far south as Cancun, Mexico.
The company’s thriving U.S. locales encompass a growing network of properties that are continually expanding. “We are excited to expand our model to new locations,” says Knight. “As we continue to add to our network of facilities, our newly acquired properties will serve as valuable assets in creating our network of home ports for boaters. The YCOA concept brings peace of mind and enjoyment to owners of boats. Clubs in the network extend five-star concierge service and wholesale pricing of amenities and fuel to all owners and members.” Sounds like they picked the perfect slogan.
Meet the PresidentWe sit down with the President of YCOA, Steeven Knight, to learn a little more about YCOA and its mission.
“The mission of YCOA is to save local marinas from developers who take water access away from boaters,” says Knight. “If we don’t start preserving access to marinas, we’re going to be out of luck. In addition, our goal is to make boating simple, less time-consuming and more enjoyable.”
Knight says all you need to do is show up and everything is done for you. “With one phone call, all your provisions are in your cooler,” he says. “All your sandwiches are in Ziploc bags. You basically step on your boat and off you go for a day of boating.”
“I am a longtime Florida resident and the son of a yachtsman,” continues Knight. “I started off my sailing career in a 12-foot boat in Fort Lauderdale. I had a great childhood growing up on the wonderful South Florida waterways.”
When Knight isn’t hard at work saving the working marine waterfront at locations from Key West to Jacksonville and on Florida’s west coast, this avid powerboater is giving back to the community. This year, he donated a gift in-kind to the University of Tampa Marine Science Center, valued at $537,500.