Dreaming of that boat life but brought back to reality by inflation? Boat ownership isn't the only way to get out on the water in downtown Knoxville.

Freedom Boat Club has launched a new chapter of its members-only club on the Tennessee River.

Started in 1989, Freedom Boat Club offers access to boats at more than 350 locations worldwide for a monthly fee and startup fee.

The club gives boat access to people who aren't quite ready to purchase their own or wouldn't use a boat often enough to justify the cost.

Located just across the river from downtown at Volunteer Marina Landing, this is the third Freedom Boat Club in East Tennessee.

"We're new to the Knoxville area," COO for East and Middle Tennessee Mariah Lawrence told Knox News. "We're coming in and putting boats in the water, selling memberships to people that don't quite want to own yet or maybe want to own one day. A lot of people get into the club as like the training wheels for potential ownerships."

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Dipping toes into the water

The club aims to lower the barrier of entry for people who want to get into boating without all of the money and time that is usually spent on the hobby.

The club offers the freedom membership for families and the select plan for friends, families or corporate groups. Members pay a monthly fee between $400 and $600 and a startup fee between $4,500 and $7,000.

The club handles cleaning and maintenance of the boats, along with access to toys, floats and water skis. Gas is available for about $6 per gallon.

Members must have a Tennessee boating license if they are born after 1989, and all members go through four hours of training to get ready for the water.

Lawrence said the club offers a social aspect, too, with events planned each month.

"One of the things that we really want to do here is just to let people know that they do have access to the water not just with us, but through the Knoxville Cycleboats, the Knoxville Adventure Collective, and you can even rent pontoons here at the marina," Johnny Miller, director of operations, told Knox News.

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Meet the boats, from Scruffy to Dolly

Freedom Boat Club has four boats to choose from — Summitt, Scruffy, Dolly and Smokey. Lawrence said they plan on acquiring new boats soon.

The boats accommodate for different sizes of groups and functions. Smokey, a Harris Tritoon, fits 10-12 people; and Summitt, a Boston Whaler Center Console boat, is outfitted for fishing and holds six. They also have a bow rider and surf boat.

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Each boat is available to take out from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

Members get four rolling reservations at any time. Booking a boat for half a day counts as one reservation, so that member could make three more reservations. After that half-day outing, the member would get a reservation back to make at any time.

Members can also check out a boat without using a reservation, as long as they call ahead and there's one available.

Along with getting out on the water, Miller said they are in early talks with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Tennessee RiverLine to educate members on the water and get them involved with river cleanups.

"The more we know about the water, the more we're able to educate others about the water and also just be careful," Miller said.

As well as being a more affordable way to boat, Freedom Boat Club wants people to make memories on the water as they utilize everything that the Tennessee River has to offer.

"Knoxville is a river city," Lawrence said.

The other East Tennessee locations can be found along the Tennessee River in Louisville and Loudon, and there are six clubs in Middle Tennessee. The club has more than 80,000 members, with around 600 in Tennessee.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Rent a boat on Tennessee River from Freedom Boat Club in Knoxville