VASHON ISLAND ROWING CLUB

What VASHON ISLAND ROWING CLUB does

Vashon Island Rowing Club (DBA: Vashon Crew, VIRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community rowing club founded in 1990 in Vashon, Washington. The organization provides year-round competitive and recreational rowing programs serving two primary segments: youth athletes aged 13-19 (Grades 8-12) and adults aged 18+. Youth offerings are structured into seasonal programs (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer camps), plus specialty camps for women/nonbinary rowers and intensive sessions for experienced athletes, with seasonal fees ranging from approximately $300 (2-week summer camp) to $1,300 (spring competitive season) and an additional $10-$45 USRowing membership. Adult programs include Learn-To-Row classes and masters team membership for novice through competitive rowers.

The core technical assets are two facilities: the 2,500-square-foot Jensen Point Boathouse on the Burton Peninsula in Quartermaster Harbor (built in two phases, 2000 and 2015-2016, in partnership with Vashon Park District and King County Parks & Recreation) and the 600-square-foot Indoor Training Center at Sunrise Ridge. Operations rely on rowing shells, ergs, a buoyed 2,000-meter course, and a boat trailer for regatta travel; the iCrew platform handles registration and USRowing compliance, while GiveButter and Red Podium process donations and Passport2Pain sponsor payments. There is no proprietary software, app, or AI/ML capability.

Revenue mechanics blend program fees (subscription/seasonal recurring), tax-deductible donations, USRowing membership pass-through processing, and event-driven fundraising through the annual Passport2Pain cycling event in August/September, which draws 300+ cyclists and distributes proceeds to four local non-profits. The club has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Sean Waldron, with coaching led by Head Coach Ben Steele. Historical growth signals include youth athlete headcount rising from 14 in 2018 to 45 in 2024, a 13-year streak of USRowing Youth Nationals qualification (excluding 2020), and an alumni base that has produced dozens of college rowing recruits on scholarship.

Name

VASHON ISLAND ROWING CLUB

Legal name

Vashon Island Rowing Club

Website

https://vashoncrew.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vashon Island Rowing Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community rowing club on Vashon Island, Washington, providing year-round youth and adult competitive and recreational rowing programs out of the Jensen Point Boathouse on Quartermaster Harbor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreational Sports / Rowing Club Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Community rowing programs
• Youth rowing training
• Adult learn-to-row
• Competitive rowing club
• Rowing event fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Vashon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Youth Program Fees: Seasonal youth rowing programs including Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer camps. Fees range from $300 for 2-week summer camps to $1,300 for spring season programs.
2. Adult Program Fees: Learn-to-row classes and adult team membership fees for recreational and competitive adult rowers.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 91-1486197). Fundraising includes Passport2Pain cycling event and youth nationals fundraiser.
4. Passport2Pain Event: Annual cycling fundraiser held every August/September that draws over 300 cyclists. Supports youth rowing, Vashon Youth & Family Services, Vashon Maury Island Community Food Bank, and Journeymen.
5. USRowing Membership Processing: Club collects USRowing membership fees from members and remits to USRowing. Annual Individual Championship membership $45, Basic + Competition Package $35, Basic membership $20, Learn-to-Row membership $10.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vashon Island Rowing Club (VIRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community rowing organization that delivers year-round coached youth rowing programs (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer camps), adult and novice rowing classes, and signature fundraising/regatta events. The club operates from the Jensen Point Boathouse on Quartermaster Harbor with an indoor training facility at Sunrise Ridge, providing equipment, coaching, and competitive regatta opportunities affiliated with USRowing.

Product overview

Vashon Island Rowing Club (VIRC) is a private non-profit community rowing organization offering competitive and recreational rowing programs. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs including: Youth Rowing Programs (seasonal offerings spanning Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer with specialty camps for various skill levels and demographics); Adult Rowing Programs (Learn-To-Row and Intro to Rowing classes for adults 18+); Discover Rowing (introductory experiences including National Learn-To-Row Day); and Passport2Pain (signature annual cycling fundraiser). The organization maintains two facilities—the Boathouse at Jensen Point and Indoor Training Center at Sunrise Ridge—and hosts the Swiftwater Sprints Regatta. All rowing programs are affiliated with USRowing and include SafeSport training compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Rowing Programs Year-round competitive rowing programs for teenagers ages 13-19 in grades 8-12, offered across four seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) emphasizing individual and team development, conditioning, and rowing skills with competitive regatta participation.
• Adult Rowing Programs Programs for adults 18+ welcoming novice through competitive rowers, including Learn-To-Row classes and Intro to Rowing sessions for new or returning rowers, plus recreational and competitive masters rowing.
• Youth Winter Program Winter conditioning program focusing on indoor and dry land training including weights, erging, running, and biking for ages 13-19, running November through January.
• Youth Spring Program Spring competitive rowing season focused on 1,500 and 2,000 meter racing experience with local racing opportunities culminating in USRowing Northwest Youth Championship qualification; includes coached practices, equipment, regatta entry fees, meals, and hotel costs for Northwest Youth Championships.
• Youth Summer Camps Two-week summer camp sessions for new and experienced youth rowers ages 13-18 ($300 per session), plus specialty women/nonbinary camp ($150 per session) and Summer Intensive for experienced rowers ($125 per week). Includes friend referral discount (25% off joint registrations).
• Discover Rowing Introductory program allowing people to learn about rowing through observing practices, experiencing rowing in a shell, and taking classes. Includes the free National Learn-To-Row Day event held the first Saturday in June at the Boathouse.
• Passport2Pain Cycling Fundraiser Annual August/September cycling fundraiser drawing over 300 cyclists to complete challenging routes with themed checkpoints. Proceeds support youth rowing, Vashon Youth & Family Services, Vashon Maury Island Community Food Bank, and Journeymen.
• Swiftwater Sprints Regatta Annual regatta hosted by VIRC at Quartermaster Harbor where youth rowers compete while spectators view from Jensen Point Park.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vashon Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Partnership established in 2000 to build the initial phase of the Boathouse at Jensen Point. Awarded a grant by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in partnership with Vashon Park District.
• King County Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Partnered with King County Parks & Recreation to build the initial phase of the Boathouse at Jensen Point in 2000. Second grant secured in 2016 to complete the boathouse.
• USRowingcoreOthers · 1 January 1990Official member organization providing competitive pathway, regatta sanctioning, insurance coverage, and SafeSport training administration. VIRC club code is 9S7ZB. All rowers require USRowing membership for regatta participation.
• George Pocock Rowing Foundation (GPRF)coreOthersConfidential scholarship applications are evaluated by GPRF for families demonstrating financial need. No one at VIRC sees the applications. Scholarships available for youth rowing programs.
• Vashon AdventuresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKayak and paddle-board rental operations that share the 2,500-square foot Boathouse facility at Jensen Point with VIRC. Space sharing arrangement since 2015 boathouse expansion.
• Vashon Youth & Family ServicesminorOthersOne of four community organizations that receive proceeds from the Passport2Pain cycling fundraiser, along with VIRC youth rowing, Vashon Maury Island Community Food Bank, and Journeymen.
• Vashon Maury Island Community Food BankminorOthersOne of four community organizations that receive proceeds from the Passport2Pain cycling fundraiser.
• JourneymenminorOthersOne of four community organizations that receive proceeds from the Passport2Pain cycling fundraiser.
• The BeachcomberminorOthersLocal Vashon Island newspaper. The club originated from a classified ad placed in The Beachcomber in 1990 by Celia Congdon. Newspaper continues to cover club news including youth achievements and alumni stories.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Station L Rowing Club: Portland, OR-based rowing club serving youth and adult rowers in the greater Portland metro area. Comparable community rowing model with USRowing-affiliated competitive pathway.

Direct peers

• Mt. Baker Rowing & Sailing Center: Community rowing and sailing center in Seattle serving youth and adult rowers. Overlapping Northwest junior rowing market and shared USRowing regatta circuit.
• Green Lake Crew: Seattle-based competitive rowing club offering youth, masters, and learn-to-row programs on Green Lake. Largest direct competitor for elite PNW junior talent and alma mater of VIRC Head Coach Ben Steele.
• Ancient Mariners Rowing Club: Seattle-based masters rowing club where VIRC Interim Youth Head Coach Jeny Potter most recently coached. Comparable adult recreational and competitive programming for the masters segment.
• Pocock Rowing Center: Seattle-based rowing club named after the legendary shell builder George Pocock. Offers youth and adult programs and is organizationally linked to the George Pocock Rowing Foundation that administers VIRC's financial aid.
• Bainbridge Island Rowing Club: Community youth and adult rowing club on Bainbridge Island, WA, competing in the same USRowing Northwest regional regattas as VIRC. Direct comparable in scale, island geography, and competitive footprint.
• Lake Union Crew: Seattle community rowing club providing youth and adult programs on Lake Union. Comparable offerings (novice-to-competitive) and overlapping market for Seattle-area junior recruits.
• Commencement Bay Rowing Club: Tacoma, WA-based rowing club offering youth and adult programs. VIRC Youth Novice Coach Delany Steele began her coaching career here in 2014, providing a direct coaching lineage link.

Others

• USRowing: National governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. VIRC is an affiliated member organization, collects USRowing membership fees on its behalf, and competes under USRowing sanctioning for regional and national championships.
• George Pocock Rowing Foundation: Non-profit foundation that administers confidential financial aid applications for VIRC youth rowers and supports broader rowing access. Direct operational partnership for VIRC's scholarship program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VIRC1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vashon-island-rowing-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 VASHON ISLAND ROWING CLUB