Watuppa Rowing Center

What Watuppa Rowing Center does

Open Water Rowing Center (OWRC), branded as Watuppa Rowing Center in firmographic records, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit members benefit corporation headquartered at Schoonmaker Marina, 85 Liberty Ship Way #102, Sausalito, California. Founded in 1985 by Shirwin Smith with four open water rowing shells, OWRC operates as a community-driven rowing center providing open water and coastal rowing programs, boat rentals, equipment storage, expert coaching, and competitive regattas on San Francisco Bay. Its operations serve beginner, intermediate, and advanced rowers as well as paddlesport enthusiasts (SUP, surfski, outrigger canoe) across the San Francisco Bay Area.

The core technical and product assets consist of a specialized fleet of Maas open water rowing shells (Aeros, 24s, Flyweights, Doubles), coastal rowing boats (NEXT Remedy FG C1X, LITE Sport Coastal, Nelo C1X Coastal), a Whitehall Traditional boat, and indoor rowing ergometers. OWRC has been an authorized Maas Boat Company dealer since 1985. Instructional products include the Bay Rower Program (a 3-session semi-private learn-to-row course), Fundamentals Clinic, and the Rough Water Clinic taught by Stefan Benton since the 1990s. Signature events include the Open Ocean Regatta (four race courses from 9km to 23km) and the Angel Island Fall Classic.

Revenue is generated through six streams: recurring annual memberships, pay-per-session coaching and clinics, usage-based boat rentals, event registration fees ($50–$300 per entry), recurring long-term boat storage, and one-time Maas boat sales. Marketing is community-led via the owrc.com website, the Sausalito Scuttlebutt blog, Instagram, email newsletter, RegattaCentral, and an annual Open House. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors and currently operates with 1-10 employees, with Wayne Aleshire serving as President.

Name

Watuppa Rowing Center

Legal name

Open Water Rowing Center

Website

https://owrc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Rowing Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKABAH

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Professional Sports Teams & Clubs

SECONDARYTHAAALAB

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

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Adventure & Ecotourism Equipment Rental & Guiding Services

Keywords

• Open water rowing
• Rowing instruction
• Boat rentals
• Rowing coaching
• Rowing regattas

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership providing access to boathouse facilities, boat storage, and ERGs
2. Instruction and Coaching: Bay Rower Program (3-session semi-private course), Fundamentals Clinic, Rough Water Clinic taught by Stefan Benton, advanced clinics
3. Boat Rentals: Prepaid, first-come-first-served boat rentals for members and visitors. Rental boats include Maas Aeros, Maas 24s, Maas Flyweights, Maas Double, NEXT Remedy FG, LITE Sport Coastal, Nelo C1X Coastal, Whitehall Traditional
4. Event Registration: Open Ocean Regatta fees ($75 single, $150 double, $300 quad+/OC-6), Angel Island Fall Classic ($50 participant including luncheon)
5. Boat Storage: Long-term storage solutions for rowing and paddle sport craft at the Schoonmaker Marina boathouse
6. Maas Boat Sales: Authorized Maas Boat Company dealer - sells and supports Maas open water shells

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Watuppa Rowing Center (operating as Open Water Rowing Center, OWRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership-based rowing center in Sausalito, California that provides open water and coastal rowing programs on San Francisco Bay. Its core offerings include learn-to-row instruction (Bay Rower Program), skills clinics (Fundamentals, Rough Water), boat rentals (Maas and coastal shells), ergometer fitness access, boat storage, and competitive events such as the Open Ocean Regatta and Angel Island Fall Classic.

Product overview

Open Water Rowing Center offers a comprehensive open water rowing experience centered around San Francisco Bay in Sausalito, California. The core offerings include instructional programs (Learn to Row/Bay Rower Program, Fundamentals Clinic, Rough Water Clinic), equipment access (boat rentals featuring Maas and NEXT boats, ERGS for fitness), and recreational/competitive rowing experiences (Coastal Rowing, Open Ocean Regatta, Angel Island Fall Classic). The center operates from Schoonmaker Marina and provides membership options with boat storage capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Learn to Row / Bay Rower Program A semi-private 3-session course training beginners in the basics of sculling and water safety. Each 2-hour session is led by an expert coach and takes novices from no experience to a proper rowing stroke.
• Fundamentals Clinic Tuesday morning clinic for rowers who have completed the Bay Rower program, focusing on continued improvement of basic skills and techniques. Class size is limited to 5 participants.
• Rough Water Clinic Instructor-led clinic teaching skills necessary for rowing in challenging conditions, including navigation around the Golden Gate Bridge. Taught by Coach Stefan Benton at $150 per session and includes boat rental if needed.
• Boat Rentals Prepaid, first-come-first-served rental of open water and coastal rowing shells including Maas Aeros, Maas 24s, Maas Flyweights, Maas Double, NEXT Remedy FG C1X, LITE Sport Coastal, Nelo C1X Coastal, and Whitehall Traditional. Club members receive booking priority.
• Membership Annual membership providing access to OWRC facilities at Schoonmaker Marina, boat storage options, priority booking for rentals, and other member benefits.
• Open Ocean Regatta Annual rowing and paddlesport competition held in Sausalito featuring four race courses (Strawberry 9km, Pt. Diablo 15km, Angel Island 15km, Endurance 23km). Open to rowing, outrigger canoe, SUP, and surfski categories with entry fees of $75 single, $150 double, $300 quad+/OC-6.
• Angel Island Fall Classic Annual event starting at Sausalito Yacht Club circumnavigating Angel Island through Raccoon Strait. Open to open water rowing shells, coastal boats, and stand-up paddleboards. Includes buffet luncheon at Sausalito Yacht Club with $50 participant fee.
• Coastal Rowing Experiences Open water rowing experiences outside Richardson Bay using heavier, more stable coastal boats, including routes past the Golden Gate Bridge and around Angel Island. Requires Rough Water Clinic certification for routes beyond Richardson Bay.
• Rowing the Bay Open water rowing experiences on San Francisco Bay for experienced rowers, including various routes and distances around the Bay Area.
• Boat Storage Long-term storage solutions for rowing and paddle sport craft at the Schoonmaker Marina boathouse in Sausalito.
• Maas Boat Sales Authorized Maas Boat Company dealer service - sells and supports Maas open water shells (Aeros, 24s, Flyweights, Doubles) to customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 shells stored at peak operations during 1980s-1990s expansion
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maas Boat CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSince 1985, OWRC became a Maas Boat Company dealer. Uses Maas shells exclusively (Aeros, 24s, Flyweights, Doubles) for their superior open water performance - lighter, more responsive than other recreational shells. Chris Maas regularly updated designs pushing rowers' skills further.
• Sausalito Yacht ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSausalito Yacht Club is sponsor of Open Ocean Regatta. OWRC members have reciprocal membership for meals and facilities. Events like Angel Island Fall Classic start/finish at SYC with luncheon hosted there.
• PocockminorOthersPocock is listed as sponsor of Open Ocean Regatta alongside Maas Boat Company, Next Boatworks, and Sausalito Yacht Club.
• Next BoatworksminorOthersNext Boatworks is listed as sponsor and their NEXT Remedy FG C1X coastal boat is available for rental at OWRC.
• World's Toughest RowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWRC members including Hunter Deuel (Horizon Racing USA) and Thiago Silva/Connor Jones are preparing for 2024 World's Toughest Row Pacific Challenge - Monterey to Kauai. OWRC President Wayne Aleshire observed launch preparations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Rowing, Inc. Boston-based nonprofit membership rowing organization offering instruction, equipment access, and adaptive/community programs. Closely mirrors OWRC's nonprofit, community-led, learn-to-row-through-competitive progression model.
• Texas Rowing Center: Austin-based rowing center providing lessons, rentals, and youth/adult programs on Lady Bird Lake. Comparable multi-tier instructional and rental operation with a community-focused identity.
• Lake Union Crew: Seattle-based community rowing club offering learn-to-row programs, sweep and sculling instruction, and competitive crews. Comparable membership-driven rowing center model on an urban waterway.
• Dolphin Club: Historic San Francisco waterfront athletic club offering open water swimming, rowing, and paddling with membership structure. Directly comparable as a Bay-based open water recreation club with instructional programming.
• South End Rowing Club: San Francisco-based open water rowing club operating on the Bay with a similar membership, boat storage, and instructional model. Most directly comparable U.S. peer in terms of open water focus, Bay conditions, and community club structure.
• Pacific Rowing Club: Marina del Rey-based open water and coastal rowing club offering lessons, rentals, and ocean rowing experiences. Directly comparable business model on Southern California's coast.

Regional players

• Marin Rowing Association: San Rafael-based rowing club serving Marin County rowers with scholastic and masters programs. Regional competitor for the same Bay Area rowing enthusiast pool, though focused on flat water rather than open water.
• Sausalito Yacht Club: Adjacent sailing and waterfront club sharing Schoonmaker Marina with reciprocal membership and co-hosted events (Angel Island Fall Classic). Same geographic base, overlapping event ecosystem, but sailing-focused rather than rowing.

Emerging players

• Mission Bay Aquatic Center: San Diego-based aquatic center providing rowing, paddling, and water sports instruction on Mission Bay. Comparable multi-discipfloat instructional and rental model in a coastal Southern California setting.
• Bainbridge Island Rowing Club: Puget Sound community rowing club offering open water experiences around Bainbridge Island. Comparable as a smaller open water rowing club in a Pacific Northwest coastal setting, though with a smaller fleet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OpenWaterRowingCenter/photos
• Instagraminstagram.com/openwaterrowingcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-water-rowing-center

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 Watuppa Rowing Center