Scott Weismantel hopes to open a boat rental facility in Wrightsville Beach as soon as he receives approval from town leaders. The Wrightsville Beach Planning Board heard his presentation during their Feb. 3 meeting, and although board members reacted favorably to his business plan, their recommended action could impact several other boat rentals in town.
When Weismantel originally applied for a privilege license to open the nationwide franchise Carefree Boat Club in Wrightsville Beach, town staff realized the boat club was not a permitted use in the C-3 zoning district and they would need to draft a text amendment to allow boat rentals to operate either as a permitted use or conditional use.
The planning board voted in favor of a conditional use. That would allow the board to set specific conditions later in the process with which each rental company would have to comply. Essentially, it would require all such businesses to be evaluated individually by town boards in order to operate.
Director of planning and parks Tony Wilson said he was aware of several boat rental companies that would be affected by the amendment, including one operating out of Seapath Yacht Club.
Any impact to these companies would be months off, though. The board of aldermen must approve the planning board’s recommendation and town staff must draft the text amendment. Then the new ordinance will come back to the planning board so the conditions can be defined.
Weismantel said his business, which touts the motto “All the benefits of owning a boat without any of the headaches,” would operate out of an office at 96 W. Salisbury St. and rent five boats to club members. The boats range in size from 18 to 27 feet.
Carefree Boat Club would have extensive measures in place to ensure boat drivers were experienced, Weismantel said. Before operating a vessel, each club member must complete both classroom and on-the-water training, which includes a 2-hour test. The club member’s spouse and any children old enough to drive a boat must also undergo the training.
“They’re brand new vessels that are going to cost me quite a bit of money,” he said. “I don’t want them out there banging them up or beaching them.”
Town resident Neal Briggi said Carefree Boat Club appeared to use best practices. As a boater himself, he said he supported any measure that would require captains be more educated and experienced.
“If this can prevent stupidity, I would request the conditional approach,” he said. “I’m not saying I’ve seen the current renters that exist out there necessarily be bad boaters but I do see a lot of bad boaters out there.”
