Published on: 01 September 2022
Hamble-based subscription boating club, Pure Latitude, has reported major growth in recent years. The combination of increased popularity of marine tourism and a preference for staycation solutions has resulted in an unprecedented growth of the subscription model for sailing and motoring. Pure Latitude Boat Club has reported an increase in membership growth of 70 percent in the last two years and is now firmly established as the original and largest subscription boating operator in the UK.
Martin Gray, managing director, said: “We are delighted by the growth of our membership over recent years. To see an increase in sailing and motorboating like this is great for the industry on two counts; firstly we bring in new people to boating and secondly, every year a significant number move on to buy boats. Pure Latitude Boat Club provides the best club membership in the UK to serve that growth. As always we will exhibit at Southampton Boat Show, which is a prime opportunity for prospective members to see first-hand the quality of our boats and to hear about our fantastic membership proposition.”
Pure Latitude Boat Club will exhibit an Axopar 28 and a Hanse 348 at berths M367 and M469 at the Southampton Boat Show 2022 this September.
The popularity of the boat club is attributed to its unique business model, living up to the vision of ‘boating but better’. Pure Latitude Boat Club was founded by Gray in 2008 and is the UK’s number one membership boat club. Members, from novice to expert sailors, can benefit from the use of any boats in the fleet. Bespoke one to one training is available, skippered events range from racing to social, to long distance adventure sailing. Club membership maximises the opportunities to get on the water year-round, without the expense and hassle of maintenance at less than the cost of an annual mooring.
Membership growth has driven an expansion of the fleet which now extends to over 20 boats based mainly in Port Hamble, but also in Lymington, Plymouth and Windsor on the Thames. The fleet is constantly under review and being refreshed with three brand new boats being added in 2022; a Hanse 348, a Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 and an Axopar 28C. The fleet is boosted by a number of larger boats available to members on a skippered basis, via the Pure Plus Collection.
With membership and fleet expansion Pure Latitude Boat Club has invested in extra resource in 2022. The business now includes a Membership Services team, which delivers personalised account management to the members.
Pure Latitude Boat Club is an RYA registered training centre delivering theory and practical courses across both sail and motorboats exclusively for members. Not only is training a great draw for new and rusty sailors, but Pure Latitude Boat Club enters skippered boats into major regattas; Round the Island, JOG racing, Cowes Week to name but a few, as well as undertaking planned Adventure Sail trips around Europe.
Training, events, adventure cruises and the choice of the whole fleet of yachts gives Pure Latitude Boat Club members a membership like no other club due to the wide-ranging opportunities to get afloat.
Visit Pure Latitude Boat Club at berths M367 and M469 at the Southampton Boat Show from 16 – 25 September 2022.
