Boat Club Hilton Head: Freedom, Carefree and Destination
The three boat clubs on the island, where each keeps its boats, and whether a membership beats renting.
The Three Boat Clubs
Read the guideA national boat club with two Hilton Head fleets: Skull Creek Marina on the north side and Palmetto Bay Marina on Broad Creek.
Read the guideA boat club at Palmetto Bay Marina on the south side of the island: members book a boat instead of owning one.
A boat club at 43 Jenkins Island Road that also takes visitors out for a day on the water.
Side by Side: Where Each Club Keeps Its Boats
Freedom Boat Club: two fleets, one at Skull Creek Marina (1 Waterway Ln) on the north side and one at Palmetto Bay Marina (86 Helmsman Way) on the south side. Members reserve a boat when they want one.
Carefree Boat Club: based at Palmetto Bay Marina (75 Helmsman Way) on Broad Creek. Members book a boat from the fleet.
Destination Boat Clubs: based at 43 Jenkins Island Road. It also takes visitors out for a day on the water, which makes it the one to ask if you want a taste before committing.
Where the boats sit decides where you start the day. Skull Creek opens onto the Intracoastal Waterway on the north side of the island; Palmetto Bay sits on Broad Creek, close to Calibogue Sound and the way to Daufuskie. Check the tide chart before you head out.
How a Boat Club Works
You pay a membership and reserve boats from the club’s fleet. There is no boat to buy, no slip to rent and no storage or maintenance to look after. Each club sets its own membership terms, fees, boat types and training requirements, so ask each one directly and compare in writing before you join.
Is a Boat Club Right for a Visit?
A boat club is a membership, not a day rental. It suits people on the water often: locals, second-home owners and long-stay families. For a single afternoon, a rented pontoon boat is simpler, and a captained charter needs no boating experience at all. Planning a season or more on the island? Start with the club closest to where you are staying.
More on the Water
Rent a boat, join a boat club or launch your own on Hilton Head Island: rental companies, boat clubs, SC boating rules, marinas and ramps.
Every Hilton Head marina in one place: Broad Creek, Palmetto Bay, Harbour Town, Shelter Cove, Windmill Harbour and Skull Creek, plus yacht clubs.
Hilton Head boat charters compared: yacht charters, private sailboats and six-seat boats, with prices, group sizes and the marina each one leaves from.
Where to launch a boat on Hilton Head: C.C. Haigh Jr. Boat Landing, the Cross Island ramp, Marshland Road and nearby Bluffton landings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
What boat clubs are on Hilton Head Island?
Three: Freedom Boat Club, with fleets at Skull Creek Marina and Palmetto Bay Marina; Carefree Boat Club at Palmetto Bay Marina; and Destination Boat Clubs at 43 Jenkins Island Road.
Do I need to own a boat to join a boat club?
No. Members reserve a boat from the club’s fleet instead of owning one.
Can I use a boat club for a one-week vacation?
Boat clubs are memberships, so they suit longer stays. For a week, a pontoon rental or a captained charter is simpler. Destination Boat Clubs also takes visitors out for a day on the water.
How much does a boat club cost on Hilton Head?
Each club sets its own initiation and monthly fees, and they change, so ask the clubs directly. Ask what the membership includes, which boats you can use and where they are kept.
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