Humboldt Bay Rowing Association

What Humboldt Bay Rowing Association does

Humboldt Bay Rowing Association (HBRA) is a California-incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit founded on October 10, 1989, that provides community rowing instruction and programs for adults and youth on Humboldt Bay in Eureka, California. The organization operates three core programs: a Masters (Adult) Sweep and Team Rowing program for ages 19+ practicing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; a Junior Rowing program for ages 12-18 with varsity and novice boys' and girls' teams that compete at regional and national regattas including Youth National Championships; and an Individual Sculling program for adults who use single sculls on flexible, independent schedules after certification.

The technical footprint is intentionally low-tech: HBRA delivers its services through traditional rowing equipment (sweep shells, single sculls, oars, and safety gear) and supports operations with off-the-shelf SaaS tools, including PayPal for donations, Eventbrite for event ticketing, Google Forms for camp and clinic registration, and YouTube for safety demonstration videos. There is no proprietary software platform, no mobile app, and no API; technology serves back-office efficiency rather than product differentiation.

HBRA's revenue model is a mix of subscription membership dues (masters memberships from $50/month to $600/year; independent sculling at $40/month), per-session program fees (junior camps at $100, adult clinics and sculling certification at $225, private lessons at $50/hour), tax-deductible donations from members and alumni, and corporate sponsorships for boat naming and event exposure. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on an annual Learn to Row Day aligned with US Rowing's National Learn to Row Day, word-of-mouth, partnerships with local schools and Cal Poly Humboldt, and the organization's 35-year history as one of the biggest sporting clubs in the Humboldt Bay area. The organization operates from two Eureka waterfront sites, the boathouse at 1063 Waterfront Drive under the Samoa Bridge and the sculling program at the City of Eureka's Adorni Recreation Center.

Name

Humboldt Bay Rowing Association

Legal name

Humboldt Bay Rowing Association

Website

https://hbra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Humboldt Bay Rowing Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1989 in Eureka, California, that provides community rowing instruction, junior and adult competitive teams, and independent sculling programs on Humboldt Bay. It serves youth ages 12-18, adult masters rowers, and certified independent scullers in the Humboldt Bay region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Rowing Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Community rowing club
• Youth rowing programs
• Adult sweep rowing
• Recreational sculling
• Rowing instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Eureka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and monthly membership fees for masters/adult rowers. Fees range from $50/month to $600/year for sweep team rowing.
2. Sculling Membership Dues: Monthly dues for independent scullers at $40/month, paid monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Includes access to scheduling system and boat usage after certification.
3. Program Fees (Camps and Clinics): Revenue from junior rowing camps ($100 per 2-week session), adult rowing clinics ($225 for 6-week clinic), and beginning sculling lessons ($225 for new rowers). These are one-time or per-session fees.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship opportunities including boat naming rights, website advertising, and event sponsorship at California rowing events and national competitions. Sponsorship details are negotiable.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from members, alumni, and community supporters. HBRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations can be sent via PayPal or by mail.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Humboldt Bay Rowing Association is a community-based non-profit rowing club providing recreational and competitive rowing instruction and programs on Humboldt Bay in Eureka, California. It operates Masters (adult) sweep rowing, Junior (ages 12-18) team rowing, and Individual Sculling programs, supplemented by introductory clinics, summer camps, private lessons, and a Learn to Row Day event. The organization also raises funds through memberships, sponsorships, and tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3).

Product overview

Humboldt Bay Rowing Association offers a portfolio of rowing programs centered on three core offerings: the Masters Sweep and Team Rowing Program for adults (ages 19+), the Junior Rowing Program for youth (ages 12-18), and the Individual Sculling Program for adults. These are supported by introductory sub-products including Learn to Row Day events, summer rowing camps, and private sculling lessons at various skill levels. The organization operates from boathouses in Eureka, CA on Humboldt Bay, providing equipment, instruction, and membership access to the local community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Masters (Adult) Sweep and Team Rowing Program Adult rowing program for ages 19+ offering sweep rowing (one oar per rower) in team boats with practice times on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Includes both recreational and competitive options.
• Junior Rowing Program Competitive and recreational rowing team for youth ages 12-18. Offers boys and girls teams with varsity and beginner (novice) levels, weekday practices from 4-6 p.m., no experience necessary.
• Individual Sculling Program Single-person sculling program where each rower uses two oars. Includes beginning sculling private lessons, intermediate/advanced lessons, and membership for certified independent scullers with access to boats on their own schedule.
• Learn to Row Day Free annual introductory event held in June offering participants the chance to experience an 8-person crew boat on Humboldt Bay.
• Junior Rowing Summer Camps 2-week summer sessions for junior rowers ages 12-18 meeting weekdays 4-6 p.m. Three sessions offered annually with $100 per session and financial assistance available through Humboldt Sponsors.
• Adult Rowing Clinic 6-week clinic for adults meeting Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m., designed for new rowers to learn sweep rowing basics. Cost is $225.
• Beginning Sculling Private Lessons Two 2-hour private lessons teaching boat handling skills, safety, and sculling basics. Successful completion certifies the participant as an independent rower. Cost: $225 for new rowers.
• Intermediate/Advanced Private Lessons Individualized private instruction for those seeking further sculling technique improvement or personalized training plans at $50/hour.

Named customers2 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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United States Rowing Association (US Rowing)coreOthers · 1 January 1989HBRA joined US Rowing as a member in 1989 and maintains that membership status. This affiliation provides access to national rowing events, competitive racing circuits, insurance coverage, and the broader US rowing community.
• HSU Men's and Women's Rowing Teams (Cal Poly Humboldt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBRA maintains a close relationship with Humboldt State University's (now Cal Poly Humboldt) rowing programs. Both organizations previously shared facilities and continue to collaborate. HSU alumni often continue rowing with HBRA. In 2002, HBRA, HSU crews, the City of Eureka, and Humboldt Area Foundation jointly constructed a new facility at the Old Mill Site.
• City of EurekacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBRA's Sculling Program operates from the City of Eureka's Adorni Recreation Center at 1011 Waterfront Drive. The city provides facility access for rowing operations. HBRA's main boathouse is also located on Eureka waterfront property.
• Humboldt Area FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with HBRA, HSU rowing teams, and the City of Eureka in 2002 to construct a new rowing facility at the Old Mill Site on the waterfront north of the Adorni Center.
• Humboldt SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsors who provide financial assistance for junior rowers to attend HBRA rowing camps. This enables youth from lower-income families to participate in the rowing programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lake Merritt Rowing Club: A community-based masters rowing club operating out of Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA, offering sweep and sculling programs for adults. Directly comparable to HBRA as a Northern California community rowing club serving recreational and competitive rowers with membership and instructional programs.
• Oakland Strokes: A Northern California youth rowing club focused on competitive junior development. Comparable to HBRA's Junior Program in target demographic (ages 12-18), competitive regatta participation, and pipeline development approach.
• Newport Aquatic Center: A Newport Beach, CA-based aquatic and rowing center offering junior rowing, masters rowing, and sculling programs. Comparable to HBRA in offering multi-tier rowing instruction on protected waters, though at a larger and more commercial scale.
• Community Rowing Inc. A Boston-based non-profit rowing organization offering instruction and programs for adults, youth, and adaptive rowers on the Charles River. Highly comparable to HBRA in non-profit structure, instructional focus, and community-led model serving a regional market.
• Open Water Rowing Center: A Sausalito-based rowing center where HBRA's Head Coach Chris Dadd has taught sculling for 25 years. Comparable as a Northern California sculling instruction provider offering private lessons, certification, and independent boat access to adult rowers.
• Pacific Rowing Club: A San Francisco-based rowing club offering masters sweep and sculling programs. Comparable to HBRA in providing adult rowing programs in a protected Bay Area waterway with both recreational and competitive pathways.
• River City Rowing Club: A Sacramento-based community rowing club offering junior and masters programs. Directly comparable to HBRA in scope, community-led GTM, and mixed youth/adult programming model serving a regional Northern California market.
• Marin Rowing Association: A community rowing club based in Marin County, CA, offering youth and adult programs across sweep and sculling disciplines. Comparable to HBRA in its California geography, mixed junior/masters model, and reliance on community infrastructure.

Others

• US Rowing: The national governing body for rowing in the United States, of which HBRA has been a member since 1989. Relevant as an ecosystem participant providing insurance, sanctioned events, and competitive frameworks that HBRA and its peers depend on.

Regional players

• Cal Poly Humboldt Rowing: The collegiate rowing program at Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly HSU), HBRA's long-standing institutional partner that co-built the Old Mill Site facility in 2002. Comparable as a Humboldt Bay rowing program but operates as a university athletics team rather than a community club.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humboldt-bay-rowing-association

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Humboldt Bay Rowing Association