Boating Club

Membership programs are based on:

• The number of times you want to go out boating each summer (Membership Level)
• When you want to go boating (Anytime or Weekdays Only)
• Where you want to go boating (Your Home Location – Lake Hopatcong or Highlands)

Our membership program commitment is only one year.

For your convenience, all plans are auto-renewed each year on your anniversary (joining) date, and most members join us for several consecutive years. You can opt out of renewing your plan by simply letting us know, in advance of your anniversary date, that you no longer wish to continue your membership.

No cancellation fees, no long-term commitments. And, when and if you’d like to join us again after a “break” from the Club, you can rejoin for great times on the water for another year. Flexibility is important to us.

You simply make a reservation in our online system. Your confirmed reservation guarantees your use of the Club.

We maintain a ratio of approximately 7:1 Full Members to available boats to ensure our members have unwavering access to the water. Summer weekends are of course our more popular days for reservations, and our weekend afternoons are most popular. We encourage our members to make plans in advance and reserve their time to guarantee their spot.

Our most experienced members have also found that weekdays are some of the best boating days, with less traffic on our waterways. We encourage our members to seek the solitude of weekdays and schedule weekday reservations whenever possible – an early day off work on a Thursday often makes for a fantastic afternoon on the water!

We’ve put together an entire blog post on the subject of whether boating club members can actually get a boat – you can check it out here.

Reservations are made in our online system and all members are given ample opportunity and access to our fleet.

The membership level you choose corresponds to the number of reservations you have to use for the season. One reservation equals a single AM or PM visit, typically 9 AM – 1 PM or 2 PM – 6 PM.

Reservations can be aligned in order to take a boat for an entire day, though we find that one AM or PM reservation offers plenty of time on the water. (Nine hours, 9 AM – 6 PM, is a long day of boating!)

‘Anytime’ Members may have up to two weekday and two weekend reservations on our schedule at any given time. ‘Weekday-Only’ Members may have up to four weekday reservations on our schedule at any given time.

If you’re an early morning boater, or would like to enjoy a late evening dinner on the water, accommodations can be made for our more experienced members. Enjoy early arrivals or later-in-the-day returns that extend beyond our normal business hours.

The Club features an impressive variety of Starcraft Marine luxury triple pontoons and sleek Four Winns fiberglass boats in addition to our Wellcraft Center Console offered at our Highlands location. Both locations feature first-class quality boats specifically chosen to meet a variety of our members’ needs and local conditions. See our incredible fleet of top-notch boats.

Welcome aboard! We specialize in helping new boaters enjoy the boating lifestyle! As part of your on-boarding experience, you’ll receive in-depth, on-water training with a professional instructor to assure that you and your family are safe and comfortable. To further enhance your skills, additional hands-on training opportunities are available throughout the season at the location of your choice to make sure you are comfortable and safe at the helm – all included in your membership!

Some guests that are still unsure about which boating experience might be best for them (renting, joining the Club, or owning) and choose to begin their boating journey with one of our On-Water Training programs. From hands-on lessons to NJ Boating Safety Certificate Courses, our Learn to Boat programs are a great way to start.

Yes. You may bring as many guests as are safely allowed on each boat.

• You are a good candidate for the Boating Club if you enjoy boating, or if you are looking to experience boating for the first time. We include hands-on boat handling and safety training in every membership.
• You are a good candidate if you are in the market to buy a boat, but unsure as to which boat might suit you best, as our Club gives you access to pontoons, bowriders, deck boats, and center console boats. The Club provides a great opportunity to “test drive” different boats for a summer to discover which might best suit you. Once you are ready to buy, we can help with that too! We’re an authorized dealer for Four Winns and Starcraft Marine,and can help you easily transition from Club membership to boat ownership.
• You are a good candidate if you want someone else to deal with the normal hassles, commitments, confusion, or issues that can come with owning a boat. Our team is at the ready to handle everything, from maintenance and repairs, to making sure the boat is clean, fueled up, and ready to go for you when you arrive for your reservation.
• You are a good candidate if you have limited vacation time available and want to make the most of your days off. All of your reservation time is spent enjoying boating – not cleaning, fueling up, or dealing with the other not-so-fun activities associated with boat ownership.
• You may not be a good candidate if you prefer to do your own boat maintenance and care, or if you have a lot of free, unconstrained time to deal with your boat.
• You may not be a good candidate if you cannot plan in advance or if you’re looking for just one boat to suit all your needs.

The Club season begins on May 1st and goes through September 30th, weather and water conditions permitting.  We are closed on Wednesdays; reservations are open every other day of the week during the season.

Yes – some members choose to pay their dues on a monthly basis and can do so using their credit card – it just costs a bit more.  We also offer a discount for members who choose to pay their membership fee in full.  Please contact us at [email protected] to discuss our membership payment plans and which option suits you best.

Bridge Marina has been in the marina business for over 65 years, which paved the way for us to develop New Jersey’s first boating club, founded in 2006. Renowned as the finest boating service provider available, our friendly, safety-conscious team is dedicated to ensuring your boating experience is remarkable.

Bridge Marina is New Jersey’s premier boating destination – the first freshwater NJDEP Certified Clean Marina and the state’s only nationally recognized “Marina of the Year.” Celebrated for our exceptional hospitality and keen focus on boating safety with multiple Trip Advisor Certificates of Excellence and a SeaTow Foundation National Safety Award, we are committed to being your gateway to unparalleled boating adventures, industry innovation, and dedicated community support.

No. Bridge Marina owns and maintains the equipment and you obtain a membership to use the facilities for the membership’s term, just as you might join a gym. You simply join the Boating Club for the season.

Safety is very important to us. Each boat is furnished with equipment for your safety and protection.

Yes. Insurance is included in your membership.

Yes. Each boat is equipped with a charts as well as a depth finder; many of our fleet boats also have GPS. Our helpful and friendly staff will be glad to guide or advise you on fun spots to explore.

No. For your convenience, our team fills the boat up for you and invoices your account accordingly.  Gratuities are also appreciated by our dock hand team.

Bridge Marina has an experienced service department and tow boat service ready to assist you.

Yes.  There are a limited number of memberships available each season within each level and location. When membership fills to capacity, you will be placed on our waiting list for the following season.

Renting a boat is a great solution for many. With a boat rental, you enjoy a low-cost, low-commitment way to enjoy boating! This is a perfect solution for so many of our guests because it’s a relatively easy way to enjoy a day out on the water with family and friends. But, you are relegated to one type of boat (if you rent with us, you will rent a gorgeous luxury triple pontoon boat) and you only get to enjoy boating during that one outing you’ve reserved. We have thousands of guests who are more than happy with this set up.

However, some guests prefer fiberglass boats and/or would like to have a variety of boats to choose from. If you fall into this category, the Boating Club could be a better solution for you, as members have access to an entire fleet of sleek Four Winns fiberglass boats, gorgeous Starcraft Marine luxury triple pontoons, as well as a Wellcraft center console at our Highlands location.

Some guests are also looking to enjoy boating more than one or two times during the summer. As a Boating Club member, you choose and pay for the number of times you’d like to enjoy boating – (membership levels range from five to unlimited reservations). Depending on the membership level you choose, the Boating Club may be a better overall value for you.

Boating Club membership also offers more experienced members access to watersports equipment (tubes, wakeboards and the like) and the ability to perform water sports, such as towing/tubing; boat rentals strictly prohibit such activities.

Bottom line: There are benefits and tradeoffs to each type of boating option – it all depends on what you’re really looking to get out of the experience. We specialize in helping our guests discover which boating experience best fits their needs. Simply contact us and we can walk you through our process to help you discover your best fit.

There are benefits and tradeoffs to each type of boating experience – it all depends on what you’re really wanting to get out of the experience. We specialize in helping our guests discover which boating experience best fits their needs. Simply answer a few questions in our free Personalized Boat Buying Advice program and we will help walk you through our process to help you discover your best fit.

No; club membership includes access to a variety of watersports and safety equipment.  However, some members choose to bring their own as a personal preference.

**We do not suggest engaging in watersports activities or tubing as a brand new member. Watersports require a good amount of skill and practice in order to be enjoyed safely. Proper life jacket use, the use of a spotter, understanding how to tow a rider properly, and how to navigate the waters safely with other boaters present are only some of the serious considerations that must be understood thoroughly before engaging in watersports.**

Afternoon (PM) reservations end at 6 PM. More experienced members may arrange for an “after hours” drop-off of the boat. With an “after hours” drop-off, dock hand assistance is not available – the member is responsible for docking the boat without any assistance, cleaning, and covering the boat at the end of their reservation. Please speak to a team member for more details.

Accommodations can be made for early morning departures for our more experienced members and can be set up with a team member in advance. An early morning departure outside of our normal business hours does not include dock hand assistance, and requires the member to uncover the boat and successfully depart from their slip independently.

Yes – you can align two reservations in order to take the boat out for an entire day at your home location.  However, we find that one AM or PM reservation offers plenty of time on the water. Nine hours (9 AM to 6 PM) is a long day of boating, sun, and fun!

If you find that you would like to upgrade your membership to a higher level (for example, you’d like to upgrade from a 5 reservations level to a 10 reservations level), you can do so without fees during the first 30 days of your active membership. You would simply be responsible for the difference in price between the two levels. You may also purchase an additional reservation at any time during your membership for an extra cost.

Yes – you save money by paying your dues in advance, rather than paying monthly; an even greater discount is offered if paying by certified check or cash.

There really is no “best time” to join, as membership is for one full year.  But, we do have a limit on the number of memberships we can sell in any given year in order to comply with our strict “members to boat” ratio that ensures fair access to our boats, so we do recommend interested members do not wait until later in the season to join.  In addition, we’ve found that members who join in the middle of summer – and are anxious to get out on the water – are sometimes delayed by the amount of time it takes to get their NJ Boater Safety Certificate and schedule their on-water training.

Regardless of when you choose to join the Boating Club, we do suggest that you give yourself an ample amount of time to secure your NJ Boater Safety Certificate and schedule time for your on-water boat training.

Members who join in the off season are not only guaranteed a spot in our membership for the upcoming Summer, they also give themselves ample time to secure their NJ Boater Safety Certificate (required for membership), and they are afforded first access to our schedule for required on-water training.

Yes – if you choose to take advantage of our monthly payment program, dues are paid once a month for a 12-month commitment. If you do not wish to pay your dues every month for 12 months, we suggest our pay-in-full program, which also offers a discount on our fees.

Upon joining, members choose a “Home Location” where they will do the majority of their boating.  Members typically choose to schedule their hands-on training at their home location, however, if you are a Lake Hopatcong home location member and plan to use your membership at our Highlands location as well, please schedule your training at our Highlands location. By successfully conducting your hands-on training on tidal waters in Highlands, you will have access to make reservations on our Highlands fleet.

Members have limited access to go boating at the location outside of their home location by using our reciprocity reservation system.  Simply contact us by phone at (973) 663-1976 to schedule your reciprocity reservation, noting that full day reservations (9 AM to 6 PM) are typically not available at locations other than your Home Location.

Safety is extremely important to us. All members, regardless of skill level, receive our hands-on training.  Even our most experienced members have shared that they learned something new or valuable from their training, and also appreciated the time on the water, getting to know the boats that are part of our fleet.

Reservations are “use or lose” and have no cash value; they cannot be carried over from year to year.  So, when choosing a membership level, we suggest that potential members realistically think about how many times they will actually be able to go boating. Take into account family Summer trips, camps for the kids, and other activities during the summer →  the number of times that you will realistically use the Boating Club may be less than you think.

Only if they are older than 25, trained with our team, hold a NJ Boater Safety Certificate and are listed on the agreement, but they may not take the boat out without you.

No, “shared” memberships are not good for the overall Club experience, as they restrict access to boats and negatively impact other members.  You can, however, bring friends along on your boat trips!

Yes – many of our members enjoy waterfront dining as part of their boating trips. When choosing a dock and dine restaurant, please be mindful of the condition of any docks you approach, and use fenders, lines and bumpers correctly. Make sure you are comfortable with docking the boat on your own. Our team is happy to assist with additional training on how to tie up and dock your boat if needed.

Yes – many members enjoy fishing or crabbing on our boats! We find that crabbing and fishing can be particularly messy activities and ask our members to be mindful of cleaning up after themselves. We also suggest members utilize the Wellcraft Center Console at our Highlands location for these activities

Our friendly dock hands are the driving force that make our Club so enjoyable for our members. Upon arrival, our team members are ready to help you load up your gear, board, and depart from your slip safely. Upon return, our team is there to help you with docking and deboarding. Our dock hand team works hard every day to keep our fleet impeccably clean, fueled up, and professionally maintained for your use.

Gratuities for our dock hand team are greatly appreciated.