Wrightsville Beach recently updated its town code to allow boat rentals as a conditional use in the C3 zoning district. That decision required at least three rental facilities — one new, two existing — to seek conditional use permits from the town as soon as possible. Carefree Boat Club, a new business opening on Salisbury Street, was the first to apply for and receive a permit. Reliant Marine owner Martin Foerster’s business model is slightly different, but May 5 the planning board voted to recommend he be granted a permit as well.
Foerster told the board his business model is based on keeping boating affordable. He rents 16 boat slips at No. 2 Marina St. from the property owner Sandra Overbeck. Foerster said the rental facility previously operated as a part of Reliant Marine but it will soon branch out into its own business, SeaGate Boating.
Initially, his rental business involved buying, refurbishing and renting boats, he said, but over the years some of his loyal customers have added their own boats to his fleet of rentals.
“They’ll either put a boat that they already own and are not using enough,” he said, “or they’ll buy a brand new boat … and trust me enough to let me rent it for them.”
He also addressed the board’s safety concerns, saying he does, and will continue to, comply with the rules in the town’s ordinance mandating no boat trailers or boats parked on the property, no Jet Ski or personal watercraft rentals and compliance with local and state laws.
He said he makes sure his customers are responsible and experienced on the water, starting with the customer’s initial phone call inquiry.
“We’re listening to what they want to do, what their needs are, but we’re also screening on the phone,” he said, “because if somebody doesn’t want to take the time to go through the orientation, or takes it too lightly, we make sure they understand the process . . . and usually they’ll opt out if they don’t have the right mindset.”
Once the customers arrive at the docks, Foerster said, they undergo an on-the-water orientation.
“We’ll take them out in groups and teach them how to get into Masons Inlet without grounding the boat, how you anchor on an island,” he said.
Board members and two residents who spoke during the public hearing were in favor of Foerster’s business model.
“I appreciate your conscientious effort to make sure those people that are on the water know what they’re doing,” board member Vivian “Zeke” Partin said.
The board of aldermen will vote whether to issue the conditional use permit during its May 7 meeting.
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