What TEXAS ROWING CENTER, INC. does

Texas Rowing Center, Inc. is a privately held, owner-operated water sports business founded in 1987 and headquartered at a single dock location on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas (1541 West Cesar Chavez). The company operates the largest stand-up paddleboard fleet in the world by its own count — over 500 boards — alongside kayaks, canoes, and sweep and sculling rowing shells, offering walk-up hourly and daily rentals to tourists and locals with no reservation required for standard activities.

The company runs a layered revenue model spanning six distinct streams: pay-as-you-go equipment rentals ($15–$25/hour); subscription memberships including 6-month All-Sport ($699), 12-month All-Sport ($999), and 15-Row Card ($599) products; an Introduction-to-Rowing course ($299 for six lessons); semester-based youth rowing programs for grades 6–12 at $800–$1,150 per semester; weekly summer camps for grades 2–12 at $325–$475 per week; and special events such as Latino Moonlight Serenades and the July 4th fireworks viewing. Its youth programs are approved for off-campus PE credit by multiple Austin-area school districts.

Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through a single physical dock, online registration via the Wix-hosted company website, and event-driven community marketing. The business carries no external venture or private equity capital, has no parent company, and has not disclosed financial figures. Its competitive programs have produced sustained national results — including USRowing Masters National Championships Club Points Trophy wins in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 — and a TRC alumnus competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing intangible brand equity that supports both adult membership and youth program demand.

Name

TEXAS ROWING CENTER, INC.

Legal name

Texas Rowing Center, Inc.

Website

https://texasrowingcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Texas Rowing Center is a privately held Austin water sports operator on Lady Bird Lake offering SUP, kayak, and canoe rentals, adult and youth rowing programs, summer camps, and special events to tourists, families, and competitive rowers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water sports recreation and rowing services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales) (CRAMAIAM), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB), Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB)

Keywords

• Water sports rentals
• Rowing instruction
• Paddleboard operations
• Youth rowing programs
• Summer water camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rentals: Hourly and daily rentals of stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes for recreational paddling on Lady Bird Lake. First-come, first-served basis with no reservations required for standard rentals.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Six-month ($699) and twelve-month ($999) All-Sport Memberships providing unlimited rowing, kayaking, canoeing, SUP, and coaching access. Also includes 15-Row Card ($599) for infrequent rowers.
3. Introduction-to-Rowing Course: Six-lesson group course ($299) teaching single scull and team-based rowing fundamentals. Includes indoor rowing machine instruction. Alternative three individual one-on-one lessons available.
4. Youth Rowing Programs: Semester-based competitive and recreational youth rowing programs for grades 6-12. Competitive Crew at $1,050/semester (AISD) or $1,150/semester (non-AISD). Summer Training Program at $500.
5. Summer Camps: Weekly water sports camps for elementary (grades 2-5, $350/week), middle school (grades 6-8, $475/week), and high school (grades 9-12, $325/week) students. Camps include kayaking, canoeing, SUP, rowing, swimming, and arts & crafts.
6. Special Events: Latino Moonlight Serenades (full moon evening paddling with live music, from $10) and July 4th Fireworks viewing event (from $90) on Lady Bird Lake.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Texas Rowing Center operates a single-location water sports recreation business on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, offering hourly and daily rentals of stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and rowing shells. Beyond casual recreation, the company provides structured instructional programs including adult and youth rowing crews, an Introduction-to-Rowing course, multi-tier memberships, and summer water sports camps for grades 2-12, along with special events on the lake.

Product overview

Texas Rowing Center operates as a water sports recreation business on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. The company offers a unified set of rental and instructional services centered around four core watercraft: stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), kayaks, canoes, and rowing shells. The portfolio is organized into rental services for casual paddlers and structured programs for serious athletes. Rental offerings include SUPs ($15/hour), kayaks (single at $15/hour, double at $20/hour), and canoes ($25/hour), with daily rates available. Structured programs include adult rowing with Introduction-to-Rowing courses and memberships, youth rowing programs for grades 6-12 (competitive and recreational crews), and summer camps for elementary through high school students. Special events include Latino Moonlight Serenades and July 4th Fireworks viewing. The company claims to operate the largest stand-up paddleboard fleet in the world with over 500 boards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Rentals Walk-up hourly and daily stand-up paddleboard rentals on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, leveraging a fleet of more than 500 SUPs described as the largest SUP operation in the world. Aimed at tourists and locals seeking accessible, beginner-friendly water recreation, with free life vests provided.
• Kayak Rentals Single and double kayak rentals on Lady Bird Lake, available on a walk-up basis with hourly and daily rates. Aimed at individuals, couples, and small groups seeking casual water recreation in Austin.
• Canoe Rentals Walk-up canoe rentals on Lady Bird Lake for groups of up to three adults or two adults and two children. Free life vests are provided for adults, children, infants, and dogs under 50 lbs, supporting a family- and pet-friendly use case.
• Adult Rowing Programs Structured adult rowing instruction and team programs on Lady Bird Lake, including the six-lesson Introduction-to-Rowing course, six-month and twelve-month All-Sport Memberships with unlimited rowing and coaching, 15-Row Card for infrequent rowers, and Crew Programs from New Crew through Advanced Competitive Crew. Aimed at adults (starting age 20) who want to learn to row or compete at the masters level.
• Youth Rowing Programs After-school competitive and recreational rowing programs for grades 6-12, including Competitive Crew (AISD, non-AISD, and St. Stephens pricing tiers), Recreational Crew, and a Summer Training Program. Approved for off-campus PE credit by multiple school districts. Practices run weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, fitting around school schedules.
• Summer Camps
• Latino Moonlight Serenades Ticketed evening event on Lady Bird Lake featuring live Latino serenades under the full moon, with participants paddling out by kayak, canoe, or SUP to a quiet cove against the Austin skyline. Marketed as kid- and dog-friendly, with advance reservations recommended.
• July 4th Fireworks Event Ticketed boat-rental event on Lady Bird Lake that lets customers view Austin's July 4th fireworks display from the water via paddleboard, kayak, or canoe. Reserved boats are collected between 7:00PM and 8:45PM with the show starting at 9:30PM; the event typically sells out by end of June.
• 15-Paddle Card Pre-paid membership card providing 15 two-hour paddle outings on stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, or canoes. A card may be used by more than one person, and free life vests are provided.

Quantifiable outcome

• Club Points Trophy wins at USRowing Masters National Championships (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lake Minnetonka Rowing Club: Regional rowing club offering youth and adult learn-to-row programs and competitive crews. Comparable operating model as a single-site rowing program with multi-tier membership.
• Saugatuck Rowing Club: Connecticut-based rowing club with youth and adult programs plus summer camps. Comparable mix of competitive crews, recreational rowing, and youth development pathway.
• Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association: Philadelphia rowing club with masters, youth, and learn-to-row programs. Comparable adult and youth competitive rowing structure with strong regional pedigree.
• Riverside Boat Club: Cambridge, MA rowing and sculling club offering adult and youth programs, equipment access, and competitive crews. Comparable to TRC's membership-based rowing structure.
• Lake Austin Marina: Marina on Lake Austin offering boat rentals, slips, and on-water recreation in the same Austin metro area. Closest local peer for water recreation rentals and waterfront services.
• Community Rowing Inc. Non-profit rowing center on the Charles River in Boston offering adult learn-to-row, youth programs, memberships, and competitive crews. Closest functional analog to TRC's adult and youth rowing program mix.

Others

• Concept2: Manufacturer of indoor rowing ergometers and shells, plus operator of community rowing programs and indoor rowing challenges. Connected as a key equipment supplier and rowing community ecosystem participant.

Regional players

• Visit Austin Paddling Tours: Tour operator network promoting Austin paddleboard, kayak, and canoe tours on Lady Bird Lake. Competes for tourist and event-driven rental bookings in TRC's core market.
• Lady Bird Lake Wildflower Center Paddling: City of Austin and adjacent paddle sports concessions operating on the same Lady Bird Lake waterfront. Compete for walk-up rental demand on the same lake and benefit from the same Austin weather and tourism cycles.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op Experiences: National outdoor retailer running paddling schools, kayak tours, and SUP rentals across multiple cities. A broad incumbent offering overlapping rental and instruction services at scale.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/texasrowingcenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/trcaustin
• Instagraminstagram.com/texasrowingcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/texas-rowing-center-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 TEXAS ROWING CENTER, INC.