Boating industry booms as coronavirus restrictions ease in Nova Scotia

The novel coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted many businesses and industries, but for some, it’s been the opposite.

The boating industry is seeing a real boom in Nova Scotia as residents opt to explore the province in new ways.

Donna Matthews and her husband had planned a trip to Mexico, but when that got cancelled due to COVID-19, the pair used their refunded money to purchase a membership to the Freedom Boat Club, a cost-effective alternative to boat ownership.

“This year, I just wanted to try everything new. I wanted to grab life, because life can be short,” Matthews tells Global News.

“So instead of 10 days in Mexico, we got the entire summer on the Halifax Harbour, which you really can’t beat.”

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At Freedom Boat Club, instead of owning a boat, you pay membership fees to use the club’s fleet of vessels.

That model was enticing to 55-year-old Matthews, a first-time boater.

She is just one of a handful of new members to the club. Jim Stanley, the Nova Scotia franchise owner, says they’ve seen memberships double since opening for the season in May.

“All of a sudden, boating became the opportunity for people to stay-vacation in many ways in Nova Scotia and have a different kind of experience, and have a continuous experience, all summer long,” says Stanley.

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It’s an opportunity not only for staycationers, but also for those looking to buy a boat who simply can’t find stock.

“Right now, there’s a real dearth of boats, period,” says Stanley.

“If you want to buy one yourself, they’re getting very scarce.”

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Ocean Yacht Sales, a Maritimes-based yacht broker, has experienced a spike in inquiries.

“The sales have definitely increased over past years, for sure,” says Ocean Yacht Sales manager Michael Carey.

“Total inquiries are up about 68 per cent over last year.”

He says the majority – about 80 per cent – of those inquiries are considered “serious,” meaning they will likely lead to a purchase.

“People are coming out of COVID on the other end with another perspective on life and really slowing down the Maritime way and getting out with their friends and family now that the bubble’s been lifted,” he says.

That could be said for Matthews, who says she’s developed a newfound freedom after joining the club. Three weeks as a member, and she says she’s already been out on the water a dozen times.

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“It’s very different from where we were at four months ago, in a house locked up. So, I think the Freedom Boat Club has a great name to it, because it’s really given me a lot of freedom this summer,” she says.

“I’ve never been more proud to be a Nova Scotian than I have been this summer because I can actually see it from the water not just from the land looking at the water.”