What Rowing Dock does

Rowing Dock is a privately held, family-owned outdoor recreation business operating a single waterfront location at 2418 Stratford Dr on the west edge of Zilker Park on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1999 and acquired by current owner Susan Goldberg in 2010, the company rents kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and pedal kayaks on a first-come, first-served basis, with hourly pricing ranging from $20 (single kayak) to $30 (canoe or pedal kayak) and all-day caps on most vessels. Group reservations of 10-300 guests, corporate team-building experiences, guided tours (Bat Tour, Journey to the Springs), floating movie nights, and floating wedding ceremonies are sold on a bookable basis with deposits or upfront payment.

The underlying operation is physical and asset-based rather than technology-based: fleet management and in-house kayak repair (HDPE plastic welding, Gator Patch) are core competencies, and the business does not offer online individual reservations, a mobile app, or any public API or third-party integrations. Revenue is generated through usage-based hourly rentals, group/corporate bookings with 20% deposits, ticketed special events priced $25-$60, and ancillary sales of gift certificates, Regulars Cards ($135 for 10 hours), and merchandise.

Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer at the dock, supplemented by heavy community-event marketing, social media (#RowingDockATX), earned media (People Magazine, Texas Monthly, Tribeza), and recurring nonprofit partnerships with The Trail Conservancy, Explore Austin, and Flatwater Foundation. Customer segments span individual recreational paddlers (primary), corporate and group events (primary), price-sensitive college students and pet owners (secondary), and special occasion celebrations including weddings (secondary). The business is seasonal, weather-dependent, and bootstrapped with no external funding.

Name

Rowing Dock

Legal name

Rowing Dock

Website

https://rowingdock.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rowing Dock is a family-owned Austin watercraft rental business on Lady Bird Lake offering hourly kayak, canoe, SUP, and pedal kayak rentals, plus group experiences, guided tours, floating movie nights, and wedding ceremonies to tourists, locals, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Watercraft Rentals

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales) (CRAMAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF)

Keywords

• Kayak rentals
• Canoe rentals
• Paddleboard rentals
• Waterfront recreation
• Group boat excursions

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hourly Boat Rentals: Core revenue stream from hourly rental of kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and pedal kayaks. Pricing varies by vessel type with all-day rate caps. No reservations required for individual rentals.
2. Group Experiences and Reservations: Bookable group experiences including group reservations, guided tours (Bat Tour, Journey to Springs), teambuilding activities, and corporate events. Deposit-based booking system with 20% upfront for group reservations.
3. Ticketed Special Events: Special ticketed events like floating movie nights (JAWS, Finding Nemo), moonlight paddles, and holiday celebrations. Ticket prices range from $40-$60 per boat for movie events, $25 adults/$10 kids for family screenings.
4. Retail and Merchandise: Gift certificates, Regulars Cards ($135 for 10 hours), merchandise sales, and occasional used boat sales. 20% discount on merch for group booking participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rowing Dock operates a single-location watercraft rental business on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, providing walk-up hourly rentals of single and double kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards, and pedal kayaks. The business sells prepaid Regulars Cards, hosts bookable group experiences (10–300 people), guided tours, corporate team-building, floating wedding ceremonies, and ticketed special events such as floating movie nights and Earth Day clean-ups.

Product overview

Rowing Dock is a water sports rental company offering kayak, canoe, and stand up paddleboard rentals on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. The core rental products include single and double kayaks ($20-25/hour), canoes ($30/hour), stand up paddleboards ($25/hour), and pedal kayaks ($30/hour). The company operates on a first-come, first-served walk-up basis. Additional services include group experiences for 10-300 people, guided tours (Bat Tour and Journey to the Springs), corporate team building activities, floating movie nights, and floating wedding ceremonies. The business is located at 2418 Stratford Dr, Austin, TX 78746 in Zilker Park, open daily 8am-9pm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kayak Rentals Single kayak rentals at $20/hour and double kayak rentals at $25/hour on Lady Bird Lake, walk-up first-come, first-served with no reservation required; life jackets and paddles included, all-day rate available.
• Canoe Rentals Canoe rentals at $30/hour accommodating up to three adults or two adults and 1–2 small children, walk-up availability with all-day rate; suitable for smooth, serene family sailing on Lady Bird Lake.
• Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Rentals Stand up paddleboard rentals at $25/hour on calm Lady Bird Lake waters; beginner friendly with all-day rate available and kids as young as eight able to paddle with parent supervision.
• Pedal Kayak Rentals Single-person hands-free pedal kayak rentals at $30/hour; leg-powered propulsion for effortless navigation; recommended for renters 5 feet or taller; no all-day rate offered.
• Group Experiences Bookable group rental services for families, friends, and coworkers of 10–300 people; includes picnic area access, expedited check-in, dedicated attendants, and 20% off merchandise; 20% upfront deposit required.
• Guided Tours Private guided paddle experiences such as the Bat Tour (seasonal, min 5 people) and Journey to the Springs Tour (min 3 people); approximately 2.5 hours with dedicated guides, complimentary water/Gatorade, free splash bag rentals, and exclusive picnic area access; 100% payment required upfront.
• Teambuilding & Games Customized corporate team-building activities on the water focused on mental strength, communication, and teamwork without excessive water contact; final headcount required 7 days in advance.
• Corporate Experiences Corporate event services for 10–300 attendees including full or partial dock buyouts, optional photographer/videographer, and on-site food permitted; tailored to private corporate outings.
• Floating Wedding Ceremonies Wedding ceremony venue on Lady Bird Lake where couples marry on an inflatable floating platform while guests arrive by kayak, canoe, or paddleboard; positions Rowing Dock as a unique Austin wedding destination.
• Gift Cards & Regulars Cards Gift certificates and Regulars Cards (prepaid $135 for 10 hours of paddling, applicable to canoes, single/double kayaks, or paddleboards, excluding pedal kayaks) sold at the shop for gifting and frequent paddlers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,900 volunteers removed 14,000 pounds of trash from Lady Bird Lake at 2024 Earth Day event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• The Trail ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2025Annual Earth Day Lake and Land Clean-Up partnership. Rowing Dock hosts the west end cleanup site with volunteers removing trash from Lady Bird Lake and surrounding trails. 2024 event had 1,900+ volunteers removing 14,000 pounds of trash. Rowing Dock provides boat and foot-based volunteer opportunities.
• Epic SUPsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2025Earth Day 2025 partner location. Epic SUP hosts the east end cleanup site, allowing volunteers to clean from the water or land.
• Local Food and Beverage VendorsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 April 2025Earth Day event sponsors including Thundercloud Subs, Richard's Rainwater, Via313, Sno Beach, Easy Tiger who provide food and beverages for volunteers. These represent local Austin business partnerships for event support.
• Explore AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2022ATX Paddle Dash - annual kayak race on Lady Bird Lake benefiting Explore Austin's mission of empowering youth through leadership, mentoring, and outdoor adventure. All event proceeds support the nonprofit.
• Flatwater FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2022Guaranteed to Wrinkle Paddle with Purpose event supports Flatwater Foundation, which provides therapy to cancer patients. Event includes 1.5-hour SUP paddle with minimum $30 donation going directly to foundation.
• TruFusion AustinminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 July 2022Summer Sweat Series partnership combining 45-minute barre fusion workout at Rowing Dock followed by hour-long SUP on Lady Bird Lake. Includes cross-promotional offers for both businesses.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Boatsetter: Peer-to-peer boat and watercraft rental marketplace that competes for leisure paddling and small-craft demand via an app-based booking model. Represents the digital, on-demand shift in watercraft rental.
• GetMyBoat: Online marketplace for boat and watercraft rentals including kayaks and paddleboards. Targets the same leisure customer with a digital-first booking experience that traditional walk-up docks like Rowing Dock do not offer.

Direct peers

• Texas Rowing Center: Also located on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, offering kayak and SUP rentals, lessons, and paddling programs. Directly competes with Rowing Dock for the same tourist and local paddler base on the same waterway.
• EpicSUP: Austin-based stand-up paddleboard rental and instruction operator referenced as a Rowing Dock partner for Earth Day clean-ups. Operates a complementary fleet and similar direct-to-consumer walk-up model.

Regional players

• Lakeway Marina: Marina on Lake Travis west of Austin offering boat rentals, slips, and water recreation. Comparable boat-rental activity but on a different lake and targeting a more suburban/weekend demographic.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op: National outdoor retailer offering kayak and paddleboard rentals and classes at select locations. Wider product portfolio but overlapping paddlesports rental capability serving the same activity category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RowingDock
• Instagraminstagram.com/RowingDock
• Xx.com/rowingdock
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rowing-dock

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rowing Dock