Vancouver Rowing Club

What Vancouver Rowing Club does

Vancouver Rowing Club is a private non-profit amateur athletic members' club founded in 1886, located at 450 Stanley Park Drive in Vancouver, BC. Originally formed as the Vancouver Boating Club, it amalgamated with the Burrard Inlet Rowing Club in 1899 to take its present name and currently operates across four sport sections: Rowing (approximately 200 members, fleet of 25+ shells), Rugby (founded 1908, home at Brockton Oval in Stanley Park), Field Hockey under the VRC Jokers banner (founded 1964, joined VRC 1974), and Yachting (approximately 500-550 members, with year-round moorage for 230 boats in Coal Harbour, six outstations, and reciprocal privileges at 90+ yacht clubs). The 1911 Tudor-style heritage clubhouse, designated by the City of Vancouver in 1990, anchors operations and houses the Carver Room member bar, Trophy Lounge, Harbour Room event spaces, gym, and shellbay.

The club monetizes through a tiered subscription model combining annual Club Dues (set by the Board of Directors, renewing October 1) with sport-specific Section Dues across Rowing, Rugby, Field Hockey, and Yachting tiers. Ancillary recurring revenue comes from Moorage Fees ($15.26/foot/month plus metered electricity), Food & Beverage operations at the Carver Room (Tuesday-Sunday service), and an annual $35 Non-Moorage Parking Permit. Transactional revenue includes Venue Rentals for weddings, corporate meetings, and filming (capacity up to 300 guests), and fee-based Learn-to-Row programs: Level 1 Sweep and Level 2 Sculling at $416.60 (or $348.85 with Rowing Canada Aviron registration), Junior Camps at $404.49, and Corporate team-building experiences for groups of 8-24 (May through September). Pricing across all tiers is reviewed annually.

Distribution is primarily community-driven and direct: word-of-mouth referrals, league participation (BC Rugby Union, Vancouver Men's and Women's Field Hockey Leagues), social channels (Facebook groups, Instagram, Twitter, the ROAR monthly newsletter), and the website drive acquisition. Operational infrastructure runs on Jonas Club Software for membership management and online payments. The VRC Recreational Centres Society (VRC RCS), a separately incorporated charitable affiliate, handles heritage building preservation, while a sister-club relationship with Sunnybank RFC in Brisbane supports rugby player exchanges. Recent awards include World Master Rowing Championships gold medals in 2013, BC U19 Rugby Championship in 2010, and US Masters golds in 2008.

Name

Vancouver Rowing Club

Legal name

Vancouver Rowing Club

Website

https://vancouverrowingclub.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vancouver Rowing Club is a private non-profit multi-sport members' club founded in 1886, operating from a heritage Stanley Park clubhouse with rowing, rugby, field hockey, and yachting programs plus venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Athletic Club

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Marinas (713930), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Individual-Sport Clubs & Teams (Cycling Teams, Athletics/Track Clubs, Swimming Clubs, etc.) (MPAKABAD)

Keywords

• Amateur rowing programs
• Yacht club moorage
• Private athletic club
• Field hockey leagues
• Event venue rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues with two components: Club Dues (set by Board of Directors, covering gym, showers, member bar access) and Section Dues (set by each sport's executive for Rowing, Rugby, Field Hockey, or Yachting). All memberships renew annually on October 1st.
2. Food & Beverage (Carver Room): Member bar offering made-to-order food menu and full bar service. Carver Room operates Tuesday-Sunday with monthly specials and seasonal items. Members may bring up to 4 guests.
3. Venue Rentals: Rental of Harbour Room, Trophy Lounge, and Carver Room for corporate meetings, weddings, filming, and social events. Heritage clubhouse with waterfront views accommodates up to 300 people.
4. Learn-To-Row Programs: Fee-based instructional rowing programs including Level 1 Sweep ($416.60), Level 2 Sculling ($416.60 or $348.85 with RCA registration), Junior camps ($404.49), and Corporate team building experiences.
5. Moorage Fees: Annual moorage for yachting members at $15.26/foot/month (greater of boat length or berth length). Electricity metered and billed monthly. $1,000 deposit required. April 1 to March 31 year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Vancouver Rowing Club is a member-owned private non-profit multi-sport athletic club operating from a heritage waterfront clubhouse in Stanley Park, Vancouver. It offers membership-based amateur programs in rowing, rugby, field hockey, and yachting, supplemented by learn-to-row instruction, yacht moorage, and private event venue rentals of its clubhouse.

Product overview

Vancouver Rowing Club is a multi-section membership-based social and recreational club founded in 1886, offering programs across four sport sections (Rowing, Rugby, Field Hockey, and Yachting) plus a Social Membership tier. The club's core product portfolio includes sport memberships (with Section-specific dues for Rowing, Rugby, Field Hockey under the Jokers brand, and Yachting), a comprehensive Learn-to-Row instructional program (spanning sweep rowing, sculling, para/adaptive, junior, and corporate formats), and ancillary services including venue rentals (three licensed event spaces with waterfront views), moorage facilities for approximately 230 vessels, visitor moorage, and club merchandise. The Heritage Clubhouse (1911) serves as the central facility for all sections and event operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Social Membership Entry-level non-rowing club membership granting access to the clubhouse, social events, dining/bar facilities, and reciprocal yacht-club privileges for individuals and families who do not participate in a sport section.
• Rowing Section Membership Competitive and recreational rowing program membership providing access to club shells, coached training, and regatta participation for adult and junior rowers.
• Learn-to-Row Programs Multi-week adult and youth introductory rowing courses led by certified coaches, designed for beginners seeking sweep and sculling skills on Vancouver's waterways.
• Corporate Learn-to-Row Team Building Customized half-day or full-day on-water rowing sessions delivered to corporate groups as a team-building and wellness experience.
• Jokers Field Hockey Membership Membership in the club's amateur field hockey section offering men's, women's, and goalie category league play, practices, and tournament participation.
• Rugby Section Membership Membership in the club's amateur rugby program providing access to senior and junior men's and women's teams, training, and match play.
• Yachting Membership Full yachting membership granting assigned moorage, access to reciprocal yacht clubs internationally, and participation in cruising and racing activities.
• Yacht Moorage Monthly rental moorage slips at the club's Stanley Park marina for non-member yacht owners with power, water, and dock service access.
• Visitor Moorage Short-term transient moorage for visiting yachts transiting the Vancouver harbour, available on a per-night basis.
• Clubhouse Venue Rentals Heritage clubhouse rental for weddings, corporate functions, private celebrations, and meetings, including use of dining facilities, deck, and waterfront views.

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 90+ Reciprocal Yacht ClubscoreOthersReciprocal privileges with over 90 yachting clubs in British Columbia, Pacific Northwest United States, and internationally. Allows members to visit partner clubs with courtesy moorage. List maintained on Yacht Destinations forum.
• Nanaimo Yacht ClubminorOthersReciprocal slip arrangement where VRC trades their Silva Bay slip for Nanaimo Yacht Club's slip on Victoria Day long weekend.
• Sunnybank RFC (Brisbane, Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister club relationship with Sunnybank RFC in Brisbane, Australia. VRC Rugby Academy exchanges players annually (January-July) with airfare fully covered. Sunnybank has 1000 players and feeds the Queensland Reds Super 14 squad.
• Vancouver Women's Field Hockey Association (VWFHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeague organization governing women's field hockey in Vancouver. Jokers field multiple teams in VWFHA divisions.
• Vancouver Men's Field Hockey League (VMFHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeague organization governing men's field hockey in Vancouver. Jokers field competitive and recreational teams in VMFHL.
• British Columbia Rugby Union (BCRU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial governing body for rugby in BC. VRC Rugby participates in BCRU leagues including Mainland Division 1 and 2.
• Rugby CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body for rugby in Canada. VRC Rugby facilitates member registration with Rugby Canada for insurance coverage.
• Rowing Canada AvironcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body for rowing in Canada. VRC rowers register with RCA which provides liability insurance. Rowing section competes under RCA/World Rowing rules.
• Rowing BCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial governing body for rowing in BC. Learn-to-Row participants register with Rowing BC as part of RCA registration.
• Field Hockey BC (FHBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial governing body for field hockey in BC. Sport dues paid to FHBC include FHC (Field Hockey Canada) dues. Regulates and organizes league play and junior development.
• Field Hockey Canada (FHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body for field hockey. FHC dues included in sport dues, providing insurance coverage for players.

Scale indicators9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal Vancouver Yacht Club: Royal Vancouver Yacht Club is the most direct comparator — a Vancouver-based private yacht club with comparable moorage operations, reciprocal club privileges, and heritage positioning. Both clubs operate in Coal Harbour / Burrard Inlet with overlapping member demographics and similar amenities.
• Hanlan Boat Club: Hanlan Boat Club is a Toronto-based multi-sport members' club with rowing, yachting, and community programming. Comparable structural template to VRC: a heritage clubhouse operating multiple water- and land-based sport sections under one membership umbrella.
• Capilano Rugby Club: Capilano Rugby Club is a North Vancouver rugby club with men's, women's, and mini rugby programs. Comparable to VRC's Rugby section in league participation, age-grade structure, and BC Rugby Union affiliation.
• Jericho Sailing Centre: Jericho Sailing Centre is a Vancouver-based sailing and paddling community centre offering water sports programs and learn-to-sail courses. Comparable to VRC's Learn-to-Row and Learn-to-Yacht programs in terms of delivering instructional entry points into recreational water sports.
• Thunderbird Rowing Club: Thunderbird Rowing Club is a Vancouver-based competitive rowing club operating on the same waters with similar learn-to-row and junior programs. Directly overlaps with VRC's Rowing Section in athlete development, fleet ownership, and regatta participation.
• Argonaut Rowing Club: Argonaut Rowing Club is a Toronto-based competitive rowing club with a Learn-to-Row pipeline and masters programs. Directly comparable to VRC's Rowing Section in instructional offering, coaching structure, and competitive programming.
• False Creek Yacht Club: False Creek Yacht Club is another Vancouver yacht club competing in the same Pacific Northwest moorage and reciprocal-club ecosystem. Overlaps with VRC's Yachting Section in moorage pricing, racing programs, and reciprocal privileges.

Broad incumbents

• Terminal City Club: Terminal City Club is a Vancouver-based private city club focused on business networking, dining, and fitness — not a sport club. Comparable to VRC's venue rental and clubhouse/social membership positioning as a competing private-members club in downtown Vancouver.

Regional players

• Royal Canadian Yacht Club: Royal Canadian Yacht Club is a Toronto-based, established yacht club with extensive reciprocal networks and heritage status. Comparable to VRC's Yachting Section in moorage operations and reciprocal privileges, but serves a different geographic market.

Emerging players

• Jericho Beach Sailing Association: A Vancouver-area sailing association offering learn-to-sail programs from Jericho Beach. Adjacent rather than overlapping with VRC's Yachting section but competes for the same pool of entry-level recreational boaters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/VRCRugby
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@vancouverrowingclub
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/jokersfieldhockey
• Instagraminstagram.com/vancouverrowingclub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vancouver-rowing-1886

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Vancouver Rowing Club