Renting a Boat from Riverside Boat Club

Riverside will make boats available to competent rowers for racing. Fees vary, depending on the boat class (1x, 2x, 4x and 8’s) and are listed below. All equipment must be used on site. All boats are in excellent racing condition.

RENTAL FEES FOR HOCR 2026

Fees include oars and practice beginning Wednesday before the regatta.

If you have paid for a boat rental but are unable to use it, Riverside will refund 75% of the rental fee.

Step 1) Boat Rental Application

Step 2) Boat Rental Payment and Liability Waivers

If all the terms for the rental are agreed upon by both parties, Ernest will send you a PayPal link for rental payment and a link to the guest waiver. All athletes and coaches must sign and return the waiver prior to arrival at Riverside Boat Club. Payment must also be received prior to the start of the rental period. Any questions regarding these matters can be addressed to Ernest.

Note: You will receive a receipt for your rental amount from Riverside Boat Club that can be used if you need to be reimbursed by your club, college or school.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOCR - Launching and Landing From Riverside

Please be aware that Riverside Boat Club is on the Cambridge (upstream) side of the river, where boats are racing on the Head of the Charles course. To get to the starting line, you will have to cross the river to the Boston side. This can result in delays. Be sure to get to the boathouse in plenty of time to make your crossing safely and get to the start.

The rule is that you may not cross the river while a race is in progress anywhere near the Riverside boathouse. You must wait until all the boats in an event have passed the Riverside dock. Then you can cross before the next event begins.

Find a break in the HOCR schedule between events starting about 30-60 minutes before your race (depending how much warmup time you like). If an event starts at 10:11, that’s probably about the time the last boat in the previous event will come by Riverside, and it would likely be a good time to cross.

Get your boat in the water, (bow facing upstream towards Harvard) proceed upstream just beyond our dock, turn 90 degrees, and look to the Riverside dockmaster for permission to cross. Once the dockmaster sees the final boat in the event has safely passed, he or she will let you cross.

On the return trip, go past Riverside to the launch sitting across from SADL and wait there for permission from the launch to cross to our side of the river.

Please share these instructions with your coxswains, etc.