Base Owner FAQs

The primary cost is financing your first boat — typically requiring a deposit of around 20% of the vessel purchase price. Beyond that, you'll need working capital for initial marketing and operational setup. There are no large office lease commitments, no significant staff costs and no major inventory expenses. Once your enquiry is received and the confidentiality agreement signed, we'll share detailed financial information specific to your situation.

A genuine love of sailing and the water is important - but you don't need to be an expert sailor. What matters more is business acumen, local knowledge of your waterway, and the drive to build a membership base. Graham Raspass, who founded SailTime Australia, didn't learn to sail until he was 48.

No. A SailTime base can be operated from a home office. You will need access to marina or yacht club berthing for your vessels, but SailTime will guide you through identifying and securing appropriate facilities in your location.

You receive comprehensive support across every aspect of the business - including a full operations manual, access to SailTime's proprietary scheduling and member management software, marketing materials, legal agreements, vessel financing introductions, insurance programs and ongoing operational guidance from the SailTime Australia team. You're in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

Most base owners launch with a single vessel and grow from there. Starting with one boat allows you to build your membership base, learn the operational rhythms and establish yourself in your local sailing community before scaling up.

This varies depending on your location, vessel availability and how quickly you build your initial membership base. SailTime will work with you through every step - from vessel selection and commissioning through to member recruitment and your first sail.

SailTime's proprietary platform handles all member bookings, scheduling fairness, maintenance tracking, financial reporting and member communications. You don't need to build any systems from scratch - everything is provided and supported.

Absolutely - in fact this can be an excellent fit. If you already operate a marina, yacht club, sailing school or marine services business, a SailTime base can be a natural and complementary addition. It brings recurring membership revenue and increased activity to your existing facilities.

We are actively seeking base owners in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. If you're based in one of these states and have access to quality sailing waters, we'd love to hear from you.

SailTime Australia operates as a traditional franchise. You operate your own independent business under the SailTime brand, systems and support structure. This gives you the benefits of an established brand and proven model SailTime’ is a member of the Franchise Council of Australia

Complete the enquiry form on this page and we'll be in touch. We'll ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement so we can share detailed financial and operational information with you. There's no obligation at that stage - it's simply the first step in understanding whether this is the right opportunity for you.