Wolfeboro Sailboat Sharing Program
This Program is over for the 2018 season. Look for more information on the 2019 program in our Spring/Summer Brochure (Available 4/1/2019)
The Wolfeboro Sailboat Sharing Program (a partnership between Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation, New Hampshire Boat Museum and Brewster Academy) has been selected by the editors of New Hampshire Magazine as “Best of NH 2014.”
This program is designed to allow sailors or graduates of our Adult Learn to Sail program to take out one of the NH Boat Museum keelboats on their own. It is the ideal next step for emerging sailors who have taken a class or two and want to sail more, but don't yet own their own boat.
Members of the Sailboat Sharing Program will pay an annual fee and have access to one of our keelboats during our operating season of mid-June--late September for a set rate that includes mooring, maintenance, inusrance, transportation and boat use.
The 24 foot Sailboat is moored at Brewster Academy below the Boat House. A dedicated dinghy to access the sailboat is located on the beach below the Boat House at Brewster Academy.
Membership Fee
- Resident Rate: $400.00 per member ($400 program fee plus $100 security deposit to cover minor boat damage, tardiness fees, etc… This $100 deposit will be refunded at end of season, minus any deductions)
- Non-resident Rate: $600.00 per member ($600 program fee plus $100 security deposit to cover minor boat damage, tardiness fees, etc… This $100 deposit will be refunded at end of season, minus any deductions)
- 14 memberships are sold per year (members may bring up to 3 guests on boat with them at a time, but only members may make reservations).
Season
- Mid-June through the end of September
- The boat may be booked in the following time slots that are available everyday during each day of the operating season at the following times:
8:00am-12:00pm
12:15pm-4:15pm
4:30pm-8:30pm
How it Works
Members may register for the program starting April 1 of each year.- Membership payments and registration will be handled by Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation.
- After registration, Members must be approved by Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Sailing Staff in order to take boat out on their own.
- For members without prior sailing experience, they may be approved by enrolling in and successfully completing the “Adult Learn to Sail: Keelboat” program.
- All members must pass a sail test with Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Sailing staff.
- Once approved, members contact Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Sailing Coordinator to schedule their 4-hour time slots to use the boat.
- Members may make reservations after they have registered for the program. Reservation requests must be made in writing via email.
- Approved reservations will be entered into an online Google Calendar that is shared with all members.
- Every member receives 10 guaranteed time slots that they can be reserved in advance. 4 weekend slots, 6 weekday slots.
- Every member receives an unlimited number of first come, first serve “impromptu” time slots that can only be made within 96 hours (4 days) of boat use. These can be used on weekends or weekdays, as available.
- Other than the original 10 reservations made at the time of enrollment (4 weekend, 6 weekday) reservations cannot be made more than 96 hours in advance.
- Reservation Calendar will be available to view online, 24 hours a day. Google Calendar will be shared via email with members after they have enrolled in the program.
- Members will utilize a dedicated dinghy to access the boat mooring.
Program Rules
- Only the registered Member and their partner or spouse in the same household may reserve or captain the boat.
- A member may bring up to 3 other guests on to the boat during their time slot(s)
- No alcohol consumption on board the boat.
- Members must have working cell phone with them at all times to use in an emergency.
- Minors must wear Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices at all times. Adults must possess a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device on board at all times.
- The boat must be left in a clean and orderly fashion with all sails rolled, gear stowed and trash removed from boat.
- Violations will result in a fee that will be deducted from security deposit.
History
The innovative program was started in 2012 when a boat was donated to the New Hampshire Boat Museum by Tuftonboro resident Bill Stockman. While the staff and volunteers of the Museum were considering what to do with the boat, Wolfeboro resident Bob Lemaire came forward with the idea of a sailboat sharing program, which he pitched to the Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Department and the New Hampshire Boat Museum. The basic concept of the program is that community members and visitors can buy a “membership” or “share” of the boat for a season (which was set as a low flat fee of $400), and then use the boat throughout the season without the hassle of ownership, registration, maintenance and repairs, moorings, trailering, insurance, etc…The program effectively lowered the cost of boating so that a diverse array of community members can get out and enjoy sailing on Lake Winnipesaukee without having to cover the full expense of ownership on their own.
Both the Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Department and the New Hampshire Boat Museum enthusiastically endorsed the innovative idea from Lemaire. Ethan Hipple, Former Director of Parks and Recreation for Wolfeboro, said, “Think about the typical boat on the lake—it sits vacant for probably 95% of the time and gets used only occasionally after work or on the weekends. And then think of all of the people who sit on shore wishing they could afford to get out on the water. Well, this innovative concept solved both of these problems simultaneously.”
While New Hampshire Boat Museum volunteers set about restoring the boat for use by the public, the Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Department developed a scheduling system, guidelines for members of the program and set up an partnership with Brewster Academy to be able to moor the boat on one of the school moorings in Wolfeboro Bay, creating a convenient public access point for members of the program. Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Staff run skill tests for each member of the program, after which they are permitted to take the boat out on their own throughout the operating season from mid-June to the end of September.
"We're thrilled to have our cooperative partnership honored by the editors of New Hampshire Magazine. The sailboat sharing program is one of the many programs of the New Hampshire Boat Museum which actively get people out enjoying our pristine lakes," said Lisa Simpson Lutts, Executive Director of the museum.