Paddle Pub

What Paddle Pub does

Paddle Pub operates pedal-powered cycle boat party tours under a franchise model in the United States, with a corporate parent/franchisor (TourScale) based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a network of more than 20 active locations spanning the Southeast, Northeast, West Coast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. The core product is a 2-hour cruise on a 16-26 passenger US Coast Guard-certified vessel with bar-style pedal stations driving a rear paddle wheel, an auxiliary electric motor for assist, Bluetooth sound systems, LED party lighting, and a BYOB policy; each cruise is staffed by a licensed captain and a party host. Revenue is generated through two streams: direct-to-consumer ticket sales at the franchise-operator level (per-seat mixer tickets starting around $39 and full private boat charters ranging $499-$679), and franchise licensing/royalty revenue at the parent level via TourScale, which provides franchisees technology, training, marketing support, and access to boats supplied by Trident Pedal. Customer segments are predominantly social-celebration groups (bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, birthdays, family reunions), with corporate team-building and client entertainment as secondary segments; bookings are made online through Xola and Peek platforms and supported by organic social, TripAdvisor/Yelp reviews, and Google Business presence. Paddle Pub has expanded its product surface with themed extensions (DJ dance parties, glow cruises, sunset cruises, BYO brunch cruises, swim-and-sandbar tours, and affiliated Cruisin' Tikis harbor cruises) and continues to list additional markets (San Francisco, Austin, Baltimore, Miami, La Crosse) as planned or coming-soon geographies.

Name

Paddle Pub

Legal name

Paddle Pub

Website

https://paddlepub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paddle Pub is a US franchise network operating 20+ pedal-powered cycle boat party tours across waterfront markets, serving social-celebration groups (bachelorette parties, birthdays, corporate team-building) via direct online booking and franchise licensing through parent TourScale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Boat Tours / Party Cruise Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Pedal boat tours
• Cycle boat parties
• Waterfront excursions
• Bachelorette cruises
• Franchise boat tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh, North Carolina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tour Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling individual seats on public mixer tours and private boat bookings. Customers can purchase individual tickets (mixer tickets) to join other groups or book the entire boat for private events. Pricing varies by location and ranges from approximately $39-$679 per booking.
2. Franchise Licensing: Paddle Pub operates as a franchise model through TourScale. Franchisees pay for the right to use the Paddle Pub brand, receive technology, training, marketing support, and access to proprietary business systems. Franchise costs depend on various factors discussed during consultation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paddle Pub operates 2-hour pedal-powered cycle boat party tours at 20+ waterfront locations across the United States. Each tour is captained by a US Coast Guard licensed operator and includes bar-style pedal stations, electric motor assist, a Bluetooth sound system, party lighting, and a BYOB policy. The company also sells its brand and operating system through a franchise program administered by TourScale.

Product overview

Paddle Pub is a cycle boat party tour operator offering pedal-powered pontoon boat experiences at over 15 locations across the United States. The core product is the Cycle Boat Party Tour, where passengers pedal at bar-style stations to power a rear paddle wheel while enjoying BYOB drinks, Bluetooth music, and party games under US Coast Guard licensed captain and party host supervision. The company operates a multi-location franchise model with boats varying in capacity (16-26 passengers depending on location) and offers diverse tour types including Mixer Tours (shared public tours with per-person pricing), Private Boat Charters (exclusive full-boat rentals), and specialized experiences such as DJ Dance Party Cruises, Sunset Cruises, GLOW Party Cruises, BYO Brunch Cruises, Swim & Sandbar Tours, and Lagoon Cruises. The company also offers affiliated Tiki Boat Cruises through partner brands and branded merchandise including Puddle Pau canned beverages. A franchise program is available through TourScale for entrepreneurs seeking to launch Paddle Pub operations in new markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TourScale: The franchisor company for Paddle Pub and Trolley Pub brands

Products and services

• Cycle Boat Party Tours Two-hour pedal-powered pontoon boat tours sold as either shared "mixer" tours (individual seats) or private boat charters (full boat for up to 16-26 guests depending on location). Tours include a US Coast Guard licensed captain, party host, Bluetooth sound system, party lighting, BYOB policy, and optional pedaling with electric motor assist. Targeted at groups celebrating birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette parties, family reunions, and corporate outings.
• Private Boat Charters

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TourScalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourScale is the exclusive franchisor of Paddle Pub (and Trolley Pub). They provide franchisees with technology, training, and support systems needed to operate their businesses, with access to the best cycle boat in the industry.
• Trident PedalcoreTechnology or IntegrationBoat supplier mentioned as providing equipment for franchisees. Paddle Pub franchisees can access Trident Pedal for ordering boats and replacement parts.
• XolacoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline booking and payment platform used across most Paddle Pub locations for tour reservations, waiver management, and payment processing.
• PeekcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline booking platform used by several Paddle Pub locations (Coeur d'Alene, Tampa, San Diego, Pensacola, Myrtle Beach) for tour reservations and gift certificates.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bay Cycle: Cycle boat tour operator in Florida offering pedal-powered group cruises with similar capacity, BYOB model, and celebration focus.
• Cycleboats.com: Cycle boat tour operator in Tampa and other Florida markets; sells pedal-powered pontoon tours with captain, BYOB, and party features in direct competition with Paddle Pub's Tampa and Pensacola locations.
• Pedal Tavern: Long-running pedal-powered party bar operating in Nashville, Austin, and other cities; one of the original cycle-boat/pedal-pub style competitors and the closest direct peer by concept, customer, and use case.
• Cruisin' Tikis: Tiki-themed party boat tour franchise operating in similar waterfront markets (e.g., Huntington, Long Island, with Paddle Pub already affiliating with them); competes directly for the same BYOB group celebration bookings.
• Trolley Pub: Pedal-powered pedal pub concept operated by the same franchisor (TourScale) as Paddle Pub; offers the same BYOB group celebration format on multi-pedal wheeled vehicles in multiple US cities. Directly comparable brand, model, and customer.
• Cycle Saloon: Pedal-powered party vehicle operator active in Fort Worth and Las Vegas; very similar BYOB group celebration format targeting tourists and bachelor/bachelorette parties.

Broad incumbents

• Spirit Cruises: Established dinner and event cruise operator in coastal US cities; competes for corporate events, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and group celebrations that Paddle Pub also targets, with a more traditional hospitality format.
• City Experiences: Large sightseeing and dining cruise operator (formerly Hornblower) running harbor, river, and dinner cruises across major US cities; broader incumbent in passenger water sightseeing with overlap on sunset, harbor, and event-cruise demand.

Others

• Trident Pedal: Supplier of pedal-powered cycle boats and replacement parts to Paddle Pub franchisees and other cycle boat operators; adjacent ecosystem participant whose supply decisions affect cycle boat economics industry-wide.

Emerging players

• Tiki Boat Tampa: Smaller-scale tiki-style party boat operator in Tampa; competes for the same bachelor/bachelorette and birthday booking occasions in a market where Paddle Pub also operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/paddlepub_sandiego
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@paddlepub
• Facebookfacebook.com/paddlepubpensacola
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paddle-pub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Paddle Pub