Bair Island Aquatic Center, Inc.

What Bair Island Aquatic Center, Inc. does

Bair Island Aquatic Center, Inc. (BIAC) is a California 501c3 non-profit rowing and paddling club operating from a single boathouse at 1450 Maple Street in Redwood City, California. The organization provides year-round access to protected marine waters in the San Francisco Bay Area wetlands — Redwood Creek, Corkscrew Slough, Westpoint Slough, and the Port of Redwood City shipping channel — for human-powered watercraft including sweep rowing shells, sculls, coastal boats, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and surfskis. BIAC serves adult masters rowers from beginner through competitive skill levels, adaptive and para athletes (including visually impaired rowers and disabled veterans through the Freedom Rows program), experienced coastal rowers, paddlers, and corporate groups seeking team-building events. Programs are led by USRowing-certified coaches across Learn to Scull, Masters Teams (Novice, Intermediate, Competitive, Daylight Crew), eRows technical sculling, Adaptive Rowing, Coastal Rowing, and Corporate Team Building lines.

The underlying "technology" is operational and instructional rather than software-based: a fleet of human-powered watercraft, established waterway traffic patterns separating rowers from paddlers in a shared commercial shipping channel, and accumulated domain expertise handling 8+ foot tidal variations, fog, freight traffic, and currents. Back-office infrastructure is limited to a Wild Apricot-powered membership website (gobair.org) for enrollment, class registration, and donations. The organization maintains relationships with USRowing, World Rowing, the City of Redwood City, the Port of Redwood City, and the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.

BIAC's revenue model combines recurring and transactional streams: annual club memberships plus $88/month Masters Team fees (subscription), $350 Learn to Scull courses, $20–$25 per-session technical classes (eRows, Daylight Crew), $20 guest day fees capped at three visits per year, and $1,500 base corporate team building events for up to 12 participants ($50 per additional participant, max 35). Adaptive athlete memberships are free, and corporate event proceeds underwrite adaptive and youth outreach. Customer acquisition is community-driven via word-of-mouth, regatta visibility, and direct corporate email inquiries — no paid marketing channels or sales infrastructure are evident. Governance is provided by a five-to-seven member Board of Directors serving two-year terms; the organization has no parent company and no venture capital or private equity backing.

Name

Bair Island Aquatic Center, Inc.

Legal name

Bair Island Aquatic Center, Inc.

Website

https://gobair.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bair Island Aquatic Center (BIAC) is a 501c3 non-profit rowing and paddling club in Redwood City, California, offering year-round access to Bay Area wetlands for adult masters rowers, adaptive/para athletes, paddlers, and corporate team-building groups, with USRowing-certified coaching across beginner-to-competitive skill levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rowing and Paddling Club Services

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Coastal Tours (THAAAIAF), Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales) (CRAMAIAM)

Keywords

• Rowing club membership
• Sculling instruction
• Paddling programs
• Adaptive rowing
• Corporate team building

Headquarters

HQ city

Redwood City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Club Memberships: Annual club membership providing access to facilities, equipment, and team participation. Requires equipment fees for boat access.
2. Instructional Classes: Learn to Scull courses offering 5 sessions (12 hours) of beginner rowing instruction with trial membership included. Also includes eRows sculling technique classes and Daylight Crew sessions.
3. Corporate Team Building Events: Corporate team building experiences for up to 35 participants at $1,500 for up to 12 people, $50 per additional participant. Three-hour events with watercraft activities.
4. Guest Day Fees: Single-day guest fee of $20 for non-members, limited to 3 visits per year. Guests must row with a BIAC member or team.
5. Masters Team Fees: Monthly team fees for Novice, Intermediate, and Competitive Masters Teams at $88 per month, with Daylight Crew offering per-session pricing at $20.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bair Island Aquatic Center operates as a 501c3 non-profit community rowing and paddling club providing year-round access to protected marine waters in Redwood City, California. The club delivers human-powered watercraft programs including sweep rowing, sculling (Learn to Scull, Masters Teams, eRows, adaptive rowing, coastal rowing), and paddling (kayak, SUP, surfski). It also offers corporate team building events on the water for groups of up to 35 participants.

Product overview

Bair Island Aquatic Center operates as a 501c3 non-profit rowing and paddling club offering human-powered watercraft programs. The core offerings include the Learn to Scull introductory program, Masters Teams at multiple skill levels (Novice, Intermediate/Open, Competitive, Daylight Crew), eRows technical sculling classes, Adaptive Rowing programs for para and visually impaired athletes, Coastal Rowing for open water enthusiasts, and Corporate Team Building events. All programs provide access to protected wetland waterways around Bair Island in Redwood City, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Learn to Scull Program Introductory sculling instruction program offering five sessions totaling 12 hours of instruction, equipment use, and a two-week trial membership, designed for beginner adult rowers seeking foundational sculling skills with single-shell certification opportunities.
• Masters Teams Structured adult rowing team programs separated by skill level (Novice, Intermediate/Open, Competitive) with monthly participation fees, plus the Daylight Crew per-session option, providing coached team-boat practice in 2-/x, 4x, 4+, and 8+ configurations.
• eRows (Everybody Rows) Technical Sculling Classes Technical sculling classes with a cardio focus held twice weekly, including adaptive rower participation with sighted volunteer guides; open to BIAC members certified in singles and available to non-adaptive participants at $25 per session.
• Adaptive Rowing/Sculling Program Programs for adaptive and para athletes including visually impaired rowing, adaptive erg classes, and participation in the Freedom Rows disabled-veteran program; free membership is offered to adaptive athletes, with local outreach via the Palo Alto VA and The Riekes Center.
• Coastal Rowing Open-water and coastal rowing programs for experienced rowers using FISA-certified coastal boats, including technique training and racing in San Francisco Bay conditions; requires at least one year of sculling experience.
• Paddling Programs (Kayak, SUP, Surfski) Paddling activities including kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and surfski on the protected Bay Area waters, with paddlers using designated traffic patterns to prevent collisions with rowers on shared channels.
• Corporate Team Building Events Three-hour team-building events for corporate groups of 8-35 participants using rowing singles, SUP, kayaks, and surfskis, priced at $1,500 for up to 12 people plus $50 per additional participant, with proceeds underwriting BIAC's adaptive and youth outreach programs.
• Guest Day Passes Single-day guest access to BIAC facilities and equipment at $20 per visit, limited to three visits per year, available to non-members who row with a BIAC member or team.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USRowingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIAC follows USRowing safety guidelines and utilizes USRowing resources for coaching standards. The organization's coaches hold USRowing certifications (e.g., Level 2 certified). USRowing provides safety guidelines, adaptive rowing information, and competitive event frameworks that BIAC implements.
• World RowingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Rowing (FISA) sets international standards for coastal rowing including boat specifications, racing rules, and event formats. BIAC's coastal rowing program follows World Rowing guidelines for boat types and safety standards.
• Freedom RowscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIAC participates in Freedom Rows, a USRowing program providing grant funding to increase adaptive sport activities for disabled veterans and armed forces members. Local outreach includes working with the Palo Alto VA and The Riekes Center.
• Port of Redwood CitycoreOthersBIAC shares the main shipping channel with the Port of Redwood City. Rowers follow designated traffic patterns with green odd-numbered markers going out and red even-numbered markers returning, staying within the commercial channel.
• City of Redwood CityminorOthersBIAC maintains relationship with the City of Redwood City for permits, land use, and community integration. Listed as a quick link on BIAC's resources page.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lake Merritt Rowing Club: Bay Area non-profit community rowing club offering Learn to Row, Masters teams, and sweep/sculling programs. Highly comparable to BIAC in geography, mission, and membership-driven operating model.
• Marin Rowing Association: North Bay community rowing club with Masters, novice, and youth programs on protected water. Comparable to BIAC in membership structure, coaching certifications, and regatta participation.
• Oakland Strokes: Bay Area rowing club offering Masters, novice, and youth programs out of Lake Merritt. Comparable to BIAC in target market, community-led acquisition, and structured team progression.
• Community Rowing Inc. Boston-area non-profit rowing club known for adaptive rowing, Learn to Row, Masters, and corporate programs. Highly comparable to BIAC's adaptive, instructional, and community-driven model.
• Riverside Boat Club: Historic Cambridge, MA-based rowing club with Masters, novice, and competitive programs. Comparable to BIAC in tiered membership structure and masters team organization.
• Potomac Boat Club: Washington DC-area non-profit rowing club offering Masters, novice, and learn-to-row programs. Comparable to BIAC in club-based recurring membership model and competitive masters participation.
• Saugatuck Rowing Club: Connecticut-based community rowing club with Masters, novice, and youth programs. Comparable to BIAC in instructional pathway, club membership structure, and regatta-driven engagement.
• Lake Washington Rowing Club: Seattle-area Masters and novice rowing club. Comparable to BIAC in adult-focused community programming and structured skill-level teams.

Broad incumbents

• Texas Rowing Center: Larger Austin-based rowing center offering lessons, Masters, camps, and retail. Comparable to BIAC's Learn to Scull and Masters offerings, but operates at greater scale and broader commercial scope.

Regional players

• Embarcadero YMCA (Aquatics): Regional aquatic and recreation non-profit in San Francisco offering paddling and aquatic programs. Comparable to BIAC as a Bay Area non-profit aquatic program, though broader in scope than rowing/paddling focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Bair Island Aquatic Center, Inc.