It is hard to believe Carefree Boat Club launched it’s first office in Woodbridge, VA 10 years ago!  As we celebrate this milestone, we would like to share the story of how CBC was conceptualized.

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.