STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — Two boat clubs with locations on the Treasure Coast have shut down within days of each other, leaving local members without access to boats they paid thousands of dollars to use. Both companies also operate, or operated, in other parts of Florida.
Carefree Boat Club, which had Treasure Coast locations in Fort Pierce, Stuart and Vero Beach, announced Sept. 9 that it had ceased operations across its Treasure Coast, Gulf Coast and North Florida clubs.
Donald Collins, a Carefree member, told CBS12 in a phone interview that he got no warning before the shutdown. The only word he received came after the fact, in an email from the company informing members the decision was already final.
“I read the handwriting on the wall,” Collins said. “I called my credit card company and said no more auto payments to Carefree.”
He said after reaching out multiple times, Carefree finally addressed the closure.
“This is not a decision we arrived at quickly or willingly,” the company wrote in the email Collins shared with CBS12. “The cumulative effects of inflation, sharply higher costs for boats, financing, insurance, dockage, labor, maintenance and repairs, together with softer consumer demand and price sensitivity, severe weather-related disruptions and declining marine asset values, created pressures that ultimately proved unsustainable.” The email said all future month-to-month billing had been suspended, but it did not address refunds for members who were charged after their local club stopped operating.
JetRide Boat Club, which has a Treasure Coast location in Stuart along with locations elsewhere in Florida, including Englewood, Punta Gorda and the Tampa Bay area, also ceased operations effective Sept. 1. A notice posted to the company’s website tells members the closure is permanent.
“After nine years in business, JetRide Boat Club has made the difficult decision to permanently cease operations effective September 1, 2026,” the notice reads. It directs members with questions to email the company directly.
“So I’m paying for something that doesn’t even exist anymore. That just closed shop for no reason,” said Dustin Henderson, a former Jet Ride member. He said he had run into financial problems with the club before, including billing issues he had to sort out with the company in the past. Henderson says he’s still paying that debt.
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Members of both clubs say they are still waiting to hear whether they will get any money back.
When asked if he would take legal action for his $4,000 deposit, Collins said it isn’t worth it.
“What would I do? File a suit that would cost me more than $4,000 if there happens to be a class action, sure. I would get on board, but otherwise no, I’m not going to go after it,” said Collins
CBS12 has reached out to both companies for comment and will update this story with their responses.