Boat Club Mallorca: Membership instead of owning a boat compared

Owning a boat in Mallorca sounds like the ultimate dream – until the bill for mooring, winter storage, maintenance and insurance arrives. This is exactly where a Boat Club Mallorca comes in: you pay an annual or monthly membership fee and, in return, get access to a maintained fleet, without having to worry about marina waiting lists or the winter boatyard visit. In this guide, we compare seven providers active on the island – from licence-free entry packages starting at just under €3,000 a year to exclusive RIB memberships costing €25,000. You'll learn what owning your own boat in Palma really costs, which model suits your usage frequency, and what licence rules apply to boating in Mallorca.

Own boat, membership, or would you rather charter – what suits your Mallorca lifestyle?

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Boat Club, charter or your own boat? The model explained

Anyone wanting to get out on the water in Mallorca essentially has three options – and they differ massively in terms of commitment, effort and cost. A Boat Club (also known as a bootsclub or boat-sharing membership) is clearly distinct from traditional sailing and yacht clubs such as Club de Mar or a Club Nàutic: the latter are long-established associations with their own moorings and a regatta calendar, but without a fleet-sharing model. A Boat Club, on the other hand, is a commercial membership product: you book a boat from a fixed fleet via an app, while the provider takes care of mooring, maintenance, winter storage and, usually, insurance in the background.

As a rough guide, derived from providers' models: up to around 5 days a year, a classic charter via the Yacht charter section or a boat tour. With regular use throughout the season, a membership usually pays off. Anyone who spends more than 60 days a year on the water and wants their own boat often ends up buying anyway – in that case, it's worth taking a look at a berth in a Mallorca marina.

What owning a boat on Mallorca really costs

Before you decide for or against a membership, it's worth looking at the alternative: owning your own boat. Agapi Boat Club has published a sample calculation for a 29-foot boat in Palma de Mallorca (including IVA, to be understood as an illustrative example from the provider):

Note: RIB Club calculates using a different approach: according to them, a simple coastal boat starts at around 100,000 euros, with ongoing running costs of about 10% of the boat's value per year – berth, insurance and unexpected repairs not yet included. RIB Club itself states the possible savings of a membership compared to ownership as "typically" over 25,000 euros per year (provider's own figure).

Both calculations show the same trend: a mid-sized boat in Palma incurs running costs in the five-figure range – before a single outing has even taken place. Anyone who also wants to sell their boat will find guidance in the article Buying & selling second-hand on Mallorca.

An overview of the boat clubs on Mallorca

Seven boat clubs with different models have established themselves on Mallorca – from a licence-free starter package to an exclusive RIB membership. The order below is based on published entry-level prices; providers without a public price list follow afterwards in alphabetical order. All details on fleet, member numbers and positioning are, unless otherwise indicated, the providers' own figures.

Cool Boats Club is based directly at Club de Mar in Palma and relies on lightweight aluminium powerboats from the XO brand, which, according to the provider, are never older than 18 months. Three packages are available: "No License" for 2,990 euros per year with licence-free boats, "Gold Package" for 5,990 euros and "Premium Package" for 8,499 euros (up to 4 or 6 advance bookings per month respectively, bookings 24 hours in advance). The minimum term is 12 months, with a 10% discount for 36 months. The provider positions itself as German-speaking and advertises savings of up to 80% compared to individual rental (provider's own figure).

Agapi Boat Club has grown internationally from Palma (Sweden, Finland, UK, Greece; an entry into the USA is reportedly planned by the provider). The model is tiered: an "Unlimited" membership costs between 3,000 and 35,000 Euro per year depending on location, boat category and season – a 29-foot boat in Palma comes in at 9,900 Euro/year according to the provider's example. In addition there is a "Summer Membership" from 3,000 Euro as well as an OnDemand/PayGo model with no annual commitment, priced at 600 to 1,500 Euro per trip (categories A-C, up to 40% cheaper in the low season). For PayGo, a one-off onboarding session including training is included according to the published price list.

RIB Club describes itself as a private members club that has been active in Mallorca for over 17 years (according to its own information) and operates from six marinas: Puerto Punta Portals, Club de Mar in Palma, Port d'Andratx, Santa Ponça, Marina de Bonaire in Alcúdia and Alcudiamar. Membership numbers are limited, and there is no public rental. Four tiers are available: Club Entry from 8,500 Euro, Club 9 (new 9-metre boats) for 11,000 Euro, Club 11 for 14,500 Euro and Club 13 (luxury day cruiser) for 25,000 Euro per year. From Club 9 upwards, members get, among other things, two freely bookable days at any time, a members' app, a Sea School as well as club events such as Season Opener or Sea Picnics.

Catany Boat Club is based at Club Náutico de Santa Ponsa (Calvià), a local family-run business with an office at the harbour (Mon-Sat 9am-4pm). Membership is tiered according to boat category (length) and modality (number of bookings); prices are available on request, with the provider deliberately positioning itself as an affordable alternative. Included are training, 24-hour assistance at sea, a booking app as well as trips from several harbours; additional equipment such as SUP or wakeboard can be added on.

Freedom Boat Club is, according to its own claims, the world's largest boat club (part of the Brunswick Corporation, founded in 1989, with over 450 locations worldwide, including 25 in Spain as of March 2025). In Mallorca there are bases in S'Arenal (Club Nàutic S'Arenal), El Molinar, Puerto Portals and Alcúdia. The model combines a one-off admission fee with a monthly contribution (prices available locally on request) and offers unlimited outings depending on the plan, unlimited training by licensed skippers as well as reciprocal access to locations worldwide. The fleet includes Quicksilver and Sea Ray motorboats, among others.

Mallorca Electric Boat Club is a niche provider based in El Molinar (Palma) and relies on a 100% electric fleet from manufacturer X Shore. In addition to the membership (price on request, excluding mooring and maintenance costs), there is also a day charter with a captain for 900 to 1,500 Euro. The target group is environmentally conscious boating enthusiasts in the Bay of Palma.

Weboat Club is based at Port de Calanova (Palma), with a second base in the south of France (Port de la Rague) and announced expansion into Croatia, Greece, Italy and Germany. The model is a monthly-billed subscription with a limited number of members per boat to secure availability; included, among other things, are unlimited outings, member events and test days for prospective members. The price depends on the boat category and is available on request. The fleet consists of day boats from the brands Nimbus and Axopar; the provider is German-speaking and cites over 100 members on Mallorca (self-reported).

Anyone who would rather book individual tours instead of a membership, or is looking for a skipper, will find suitable operators in the directory Charter & boat tours on Mallorca.

Comparison table: prices, locations, models

The following overview summarises the key facts of all seven providers (prices as of August 2026, where publicly available).

Please note: With all providers the following applies: additional costs for damage, excess/deductible or fuel should be clarified in writing before signing the contract – there are no uniform, publicly documented flat rates for this.

Which model suits whom?

Not every Mallorca resident needs the same solution. Broadly speaking, three target groups can be distinguished:

• Residents with regular use: Anyone living on the island year-round and wanting to get out on the water several times a month usually benefits most from a membership with plannable booking days, as offered by RIB Club or Weboat Club – berth, maintenance and winter storage are all covered, so you don't have to worry about them yourself.
• Second-home owners: Anyone who is only on Mallorca for part of the year is often better off with more flexible models such as Agapi's OnDemand/PayGo or Cool Boats Club's entry-level packages – high fixed costs for unused weeks are avoided.
• Regular holidaymakers (a few weeks a year): For 1-2 stays per year, a classic boat tour or a charter via Yachtcharter Mallorca is usually more worthwhile than committing to an annual membership.

Note: Anyone generally interested in premium memberships on Mallorca will find related topics, for example, under Golf membership Mallorca or Registering a yacht in Spain.

Licence and legal requirements: what you need for boating on Mallorca

In Spain, motorboats up to 15 hp and up to 5 metres in length are exempt from licence requirements under certain conditions (during the day, no more than 2 nautical miles from the coast). For larger or more powerful boats, you need a Spanish Titulación (such as the Licencia de Navegación or the PER) or a recognised foreign licence – depending on the situation, for example the German Sportbootführerschein See combined with an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). Details, requirements and the recognition process can be found in our separate guide Sportbootführerschein Spain.

All clubs check the existing licence during onboarding. Anyone who does not yet have a boating licence can get started via the providers' Sea School or training offerings – though taking a separate course outside the club is also an option.

Most common mistakes when choosing a boat club

A few pitfalls keep cropping up in membership contracts:

1. Underestimating the minimum term: Anyone who realises after just a few months that they use the boat too rarely is still stuck until the end of the contract with 12-month agreements like Cool Boats Club's.
2. Overlooking pre-booking limits: Packages differ greatly in the number of possible advance bookings per month (e.g. 4 vs. 6 with Cool Boats Club) – anyone wanting to go out spontaneously several times a week needs the right package.
3. Location access misjudged: Not every membership is valid at every harbour – RIB Club, for example, is tied to six specific marinas, while Agapi offers a multi-harbour model.
4. Additional costs not clarified in writing: Fuel, damages or excess should be clearly stated in the contract before signing.
5. Licence requirement checked too late: Anyone without a valid licence should clarify in advance whether the desired boat allows a "No License" package or whether training is required.

What comes next? The path to membership

1. Clarify your usage profile: How often a year do you really want to be out on the water – a few times, regularly throughout the season, or year-round?
2. Compare locations: Check which marina is most practical for you – an overview is provided in the guide Yachthäfen auf Mallorca.
3. Contact providers: Ask the club directly for specific prices, advance booking limits and additional costs – many prices (e.g. at Catany, Freedom, Mallorca Electric Boat Club or Weboat Club) are only available on request.
4. Check licence or book training: Clarify early on whether your existing licence is recognised or whether a Sea-School course is required.
5. Take a test drive or trial day: Providers such as Weboat Club offer test days for interested parties before you commit long term.
6. Check the contract including additional costs: Read the clauses on minimum term, cancellation and damage regulations before signing.

Checklist before boat club membership

• Realistically assessed usage frequency (charter vs. membership vs. ownership)?
• Does the location/marina suit your own place of residence or second home?
• Price, minimum term and cancellation periods available in writing?
• Advance booking limits and availability of desired boats clarified?
• Licence requirement of the respective boat type checked?
• Additional costs for damages, fuel or excess contractually fixed?
• Alternative charter providers used for price comparison?

Conclusion: Membership as a middle ground between charter and ownership

A Boat Club Mallorca bridges the gap between spontaneous but non-binding charter and the cost-intensive ownership of a boat. The price range of roughly €2,990 to €25,000 per year shows just how different the models are – from the licence-free entry level at Cool Boats Club to the exclusive RIB membership with a limited number of members. Anyone who wants to get out on the water regularly, but not daily, and doesn't want to worry about a mooring, maintenance and winter storage, will usually get around much more cheaply with a membership than with their own boat – the cost benchmark of around €55,000 in running expenses per year for ownership speaks for itself. In the end, your personal usage profile determines which of the seven models suits you best.

Official sources

• Cool Boats Club (Boat Club Mallorca, prices & packages): https://www.cool-boats.com/bootsclub-mallorca
• Agapi Boat Club (membership models, cost comparison): https://agapiboatclub.com
• RIB Club (club tiers, marinas, ownership-vs-membership guide): https://www.ribclub.com
• Catany Boat Club (membership Santa Ponsa): https://catanyboatclub.com
• Freedom Boat Club Spain: https://freedomboatclub.es
• Mallorca Electric Boat Club: https://mallorca-electricboatclub.com
• Weboat Club (boats & prices Mallorca): https://weboat.club/en/boats-charter/boats-mallorca
• Club de Mar-Mallorca (classic yacht club, for comparison): https://www.clubdemar-mallorca.com/en