Air, water, soil, sunlight, plants and animals – including humans – make up an ecosystem or network. Ecosystems can be as tiny as a patch of dirt in your backyard, or as large as the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.

At Carefree, we do our part to sustain these ecosystems in various ways. By joining a club, you take part in the ‘Shared Boat Concept’, dividing boat time and resources with 10 other members. In the process, exertion levels harmful materials, fuel, and cleaning products are dramatically reduced, saving our precious waters and ecosystems.

Below are some ways that you can get involved, do your part and become an environmentalist!

Reducing pollution from your yard or neighborhood:
Reduce or eliminate lawn fertilizer use, upgrade older septic systems and decrease nitrogen pollutants by half, pick up dog poop and other animal waste, install rain barrels, build rain gardens in our yards and around our church, school or business parking lots, grow oysters under our pier

Reducing air pollution:
Plant trees, drive fuel-efficient cars, drive fewer miles or carpool.

1.  Fishing: VA Beach has been rated as the hot spot for fishing on the east coast. There are numerous species that are caught within 5 minutes of the marina. The more popular species include Rock Fish, Flounder, Tau Tog, Blue Fish, Spanish Mackerel, Spot and Croaker. Many of the fish mentioned have records held in this area, which we are extremely proud of! In addition, there is always a season and bite for each month of the year – an ideal aspect for fishing in this region. Some of the best fishing is in the winter months when the bait fish enter the bay. The game fish follow and provide excellent fishing. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that connects VA beach to the Eastern Shore provides structure for many species of fish and is productive most of the time; we refer to it as an anglers treasure in this area.

2.  Whale/Dolphin Watching: This is a popular event in the VA Beach region. Whales and dolphin are routinely observed about a mile offshore – in front of the Cape Henry Lighthouse.  This area is a 15 minute boat ride from the marina. We suggest taking a sunset cruise past the light house. Enjoy a picnic dinner and watch the bay come to life – we promise you will talk about it for years to come!

3.  Cruising: Where do we start?! There are so many areas to travel in the lower Chesapeake! Some of our favorites are: Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore (2 hour cruise from marina), Waterside Norfolk (1.5 hour cruise), Smithfield Station (2 hour cruise), Yorktown (2.5 hour cruise), and Tides Inn (4 hour cruise). There are also many rivers, which converge in the bay along with 7 cities to visit locally. Some of our much loved restaurants are within a 30 minute boat ride, a perfect setting for a romantic evening with your special someone!

4.  Sailing: The open waters of the Chesapeake Bay provide the most serene sailing you will ever have the pleasure to experience. You can actually sail to destinations in half a day and get back by nightfall! Like competition? There is an amateur sailing race every Wednesday evening that will provide a lot of fun for friends and family as they can all get involved in the race, too!  We suggest doing this at least once, but don’t blame us when you and the family become hooked.

5.  Water Sports: With all of the rivers and bays there is plenty of room for tubing, skiing, wake boarding, wake surfing, swimming. The bay temperatures are mild in spring through fall, which provides months to enjoy your water sports. If you are into diving or spear fishing, there are many areas that provide good water clarity, sites, wrecks etc. to enjoy.

Come to VA Beach and go boating with Carefree.  Let us help create fun and relaxing memories that you will remember for a lifetime.

Hunter 280: Can you say Luxury Boating?! This beautiful boat resides at our Annapolis location, and is a perfect way to sail the Bay! Cruise with friends, watch eagles soar, and relax as waves lap against the hull.  This spacious 28′ Hunter has full set of sails; air conditioned cabin, head, inboard diesel engine and sleeps 4. Hampton Virginia and Washington DC locations also have beautiful sail boats for those that love this type of boating and may be visiting in the near future!

Bryant 233: What would it take to get your family to fall in love with waves and water in Boone Lake, Tennesee? How about walk through the innovative deck design featuring a full sun lounger!  Don’t forget our stainless steel cup holders, in-deck storage for the standard Coleman Cooler, and a telescoping, three-step ladder for the safety of the smallest swimmers. The 233 has even more comfort and amenities, including a full instrument panel with Kenwood Sound System, and lots of storage space for food and gear. Sunbathers can lounge on a comfy padded rear deck, while you and your navigator relax in upholstered Captain’s chairs. Wood free construction promises years of lasting durability even for the most active of families. Stafford, VA and Tampa, FL also have a great selection of boats similar to this, make sure you check them out!

Hurricane 2400 Sundeck: Calling all fishermen! This Cape Coral native has everything you need to catch the BIG ONE! USCG equipped, GPS, depth meter, VHF, AM/FM CD stereo, dual battery, hydraulic steering, fresh water wash down, sink, swim platform, swim ladder, full bimini and of course, a cooler to keep the catch fresh! Fort Myers, Middle River, and Virginia Beach are some of the other clubs that members can put this great boat to work.

Premier Sunsation 225 Pontoon: Who doesn’t like to party in Occoquan, VA? Celebrate your favorite birthday on this large pontoon! It is a party barge for 11 – Also ideal for sightseeing adventures or just anchoring and letting the kids swim. Bring your coffee, the Sunday paper, and meander among the waterfowl on Mattawoman Creek. The Boone Lake, Lake Norman and Richmond locations also have similar boats that members can use at their leisure.

Sea Ray 240 Sundeck:  Activity enthusiasts will love this boat from Lake Norman, NC! Perfect for wakeboarding, tubing and skiing! It is equip with a tower, wakeboard racks, spacious storage and room for plenty of friends and family.  Bravo III twin prop improves handling and performance, too. It also provides bimini top, flip-up bolster seats, Sirius radio with CD and MP3 input, fresh water sinks and wash downs to rinse off! Fort Lauderdale, Miami and South Holston Lake are a few other clubs that also have boats comparable to the Sundeck.

But sometimes the flip side of boat ownership seems overwhelming. The price of purchasing a boat, finding storage space, routine maintenance – the list goes on and on.

Rather than succumbing to the old saying, our members reap all the benefits of owning, without the headaches and at a fraction of the cost!

With the Carefree Boat Club the possibilities are endless: Unlimited usage, a huge selection of boats, great availability and 20+ locations that are accessible for you and your family to enjoy.

Your membership also includes free “on the water” instruction, social functions and outings with a helpful, courteous staff. Not to mention, no maintenance, cleaning or insurance to deal with!

So, what are you waiting for? Call today and start making memories on the water with family and friends that will last a lifetime!

On September 11th, 2001, Doug Zimmerman’s life changed forever. Like many people, Mr. Zimmerman realized that life was short and could be over at any moment. There was no reason to delay taking the risks that he had always thought about, yet kept putting off for one reason or another. Zimmerman quit his job three weeks after 9-11 and began to work on a business plan for his own enterprise.

Starting out with one location, five boats and one employee, he opened the first boat club of its kind in this area. As the old saying goes – out of tragedy comes triumph.

Carefree now has 23 locations nationwide with a renewal rate of over 50%. Additionally 50% of our members had never boated before joining CBC – we are honored to have introduced this wonderful recreational opportunity to them. This holds true especially for the Washington DC area – many of our members had no idea they lived so close to the water!

As we look to the years ahead, Carefree takes pride in continuing to operate at the highest standard in the boating industry. This means quality and upkeep of our boats, making lasting memories and building lifelong friendships.

We would like to give a special thanks to the members, employees, dock staff, marinas and partner organizations that have made our 10th anniversary possible. With your help, Carefree Boat Club is moving steadily forward in our mission: to allow families to spend time together on the water without the hassles of owing a boat and at a fraction of the cost.

The choice is yours – sightseeing, shelling, swimming, watching dolphins, fishing or cruising the waters from the comfort and convenience of your own boat. Enjoy access to the Marina’s heated pool, stroll through the many village shops and take advantage of undercover parking to keep your vehicle cool! If you forget something for your outing, no need to worry – the Marina’s store will have many of your last minute boating needs.

When you return from your adventure, enjoy the marina’s waterfront eateries, attractions and other activities. You can dine indoors and enjoy the atmosphere or sit outdoors and benefit from the breathtaking scenery.

Whether you are already a member, new to the area or belong to an affiliated Carefree Boat Club and in town for the weekend, the Fort Myer’s crew looks forward to your visit! Be sure to ask about the concierge service, it is a perfect complement to your Carefree Boat Club experience.

Whether you are a beginner or have been fishing your whole life, you know that there is a special knowledge that is continuously acquired. The more you know the bigger and better fish you will catch!

In this entry, we are sharing our knowledge of fish, bait and location along with some great photos of members and their trophy worthy fish – enjoy!

LARGE-MOUTH BASS: This type of fish may be the most sought after game fish in the country. Largemouth Bass relate strongly to stumps, logs, brush, weeds and boat docks. They also relate to structure features such as points, rocks, drop-offs, flats, cuts and creek channels. Bass are primarily sight feeders so the murkier the water, the shallower Bass may be feeding. In murky water (like the Chesapeake Bay), light penetration is only a few feet, so work the surface and the shallows. Bass also have good color vision, and get interested in objects that move.

Bait: Try using dark colored lures in muddy water and light colors in clear water. Look for spots other anglers might overlook and try varying the speed of your retrieve.
Location: Look for them in the backs of creeks as these areas often provide them both shallow and deep water in relatively small areas close to their migration routes.

CATFISH: This is one of the most relaxing types of fishing. The Catfish is a
powerful fish that lives in areas of heavy cover and snags. Make sure to match your gear to the size of fish you expect to catch as well as weather conditions.

Bait: Catfish are bottom feeders so it’s best to use enough weight to keep your bait near bottom. Catfish only see shades of light and dark, but have great sense of smell because their body is covered from head to tail with external taste buds.
Location: Its streamlined shape and feeding strategies enable it to thrive in current.
They can also adapt to a wide variety of other waters. So when fishing rivers, try directly below the dam and upstream ends of outside bends that can both generally provide the best daytime cat fishing.

STRIPERS: Stripers can live in either salt water or fresh water.
Stripers go after schools of baitfish. A key is to look for shad or minnows popping out of the water or where a flock of birds are feeding on the water’s surface. This will mainly take place early morning or near sundown.

Bait: A good year-around bait is live shad.
Location: Power Plant lakes are a good spot due to the warmer water. This makes the fish more active. Look for areas near water discharge and at the mouth of tributaries.

TROUT: There are several different species of trout; the most common would be the hatchery stocked rainbow and/or brown trout. These stocked fish tend to school up along drop-offs. During spring and fall, the fish can be caught in the middle of the day, feeding up in the shallows.

Bait: Some of the most effective baits are Power Baits and Nuggets. Covering a trout’s eyes will often cause the trout to stop struggling while you remove the hook.
Location: When trout fishing, focus your efforts on areas where the most water
passes in a concentrated area. Check for boulders that form “chutes” of water, or where a log against a bank creates a “funnel” of water. The riffles below these spots are prime trout-feeding locations as well as slack water areas behind objects.

*certain information taken from Larry’s Fishing Hole

Drum roll please; the results are in and we are excited to showcase the outcome!  Not surprisingly, the members love the dock staff, the variety of boats, and cruising with their families.  Other interesting points are the number of members who are new to boating and why they joined in the first place.  Interested in becoming a member?  Take a look at the statistics, who our members are and what they have to say about Carefree Boating!

A special thank you to those that took the time to fill out the survey and as always, being a part of the Carefree family.