Open Water Rowing Center

OWRC is THE portal to a great time on the Bay. They teach you how to safely use the equipment and navigate the waters of Richardson Bay, they maintain a great supportive community of rowers and professionals, and they have topnotch equipment, facilities, staff and coaches. OWRC has renewed my workouts and opened a whole new world to me. Thanks!

I haven’t rowed in a few years but my welcome back to the sport could not have been any warmer, more friendly, or more genuinely pleased to have me there. Everybody I met today is a grand ambassador of rowing and I’m looking forward to going back again.

Just finished day 1 of 2 of the novice program. I’ve always wanted to try sculling, but have been intimidated by rowers and co-​ops on Lake Merced or in SF’s Marina. Referred by a professor to OWRC, I looked on their website and saw they had a beginner program which is a nice hand-​holding way to start learning how to scull/​row.
Relatively easy to find, walked into their office and basically paid for my two days, hung my keys on their key rack, and coach Rachel started me off with an intro to the different shells and terminology (which escapes me at the moment). Got in and practiced maneuvering and rowing around their little row area. I went on a thursday morning, which was nice because there was almost no one else around. Going back for day 2 tomorrow, excited!