I just joined for a sculling class -- a total beginner. I'm so glad I did! Wonderful coach that gave each one of us his full attention and was great at demos and instruction. Beautiful, clean, well maintained boathouse, equipment and grounds. Great team members. Wide range of age groups. Small class (only 4 or 5 of us). Overall great energy and team spirit. I'm so happy to be here! read more

Went here today for a private event organized by the hubs work. The event included lunch plus opportunity for rowing. They had a nice white outdoor tent setup with food and drinks and seating and also some games like cornhole and jenga. Food was being grilled fresh burgers and sausage, plus lots of salad, roasted veggies and then dessert (strawberry shortcake and marshmallow rice krispies treats). There was also rowing that a few people participated in and looked nice and fun. It's a nice facility - upstairs there were some lessons going on. Huge space for storing the row boats. Nice time here! read more

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Unprofessional workplace behavior. I was shocked to hear 5 team members conversation while waiting in the lobby for my kids and their friend to return from a class. The very laud and opinionated staff in the information desk (3 girls and 2 boys in their late teens and early 20s) were as nasty as can be. I do not wish to write what i have heard during my 15 minutes wait (it was bad) BUT the "highlight" was when one of the team members comment on a handicap driver who just pooled over and parked, not exactly on the parking spot's line. That guy concluded yelling: "He is not only a handicap, he is also a mental handicap". All the staff started to laugh !!!... I think this is enough for a parent to understand what is the culture of this place (and yes, all the 5 must go home, they all enjoyed that very low moment). Shame on you and we do not wish our kids to be exposed to such an environment. read more

Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream ... Well, it's obviously much easier sung than done. So, we decided to try a 90-minute rowing class through CRI's Living Social voucher. And we rowed. The rowing class was a great introduction to the sport. We started off with 10 minutes of basic instruction on the rowing machines indoors, with Dorian guiding us through the rowing procedure. Then, it was off to the barge. The first time I came here I had Megan as the group instructor; the second time I had Sandy. Both were great at teaching beginners the timing, positioning, and terminology associated with your typical 8-man rowing. Feathering and squaring my oar became second nature, while catching the water and finishing the stroke was dependent on my timing with the person in front of me. By the 15-minute mark, my group of beginners were on our way to rowing for 5 strokes, then 10, then a minute, and then for 2 minutes straight. Now only if we had a big, burly drum master to improve our efficiency with a steady beat! My only feedback for improvement? Speedier communication. I registered for my second visit a few weeks prior to the class and wanted to confirm my attendance. Almost two weeks later I received multiple responses from different CRI customer service folks confirming my registration, but only after I'd reached out to the main regatta site and left multiple messages on their landline. Perhaps I'll try sculling next ... read more

Community Rowing - The boats by the dock house - Boating Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Want to row or Scull? This is the place. Community Rowing will teach you if you want to learn, or, it's also for you if already have rowed or sculled and are looking for a reasonably priced place, with great facilities and equipment, a variety of people to row with, plus some pretty famous coaches -- (and free parking, plus access by MBTA, bicycle, running, etc.) Rowing, Sculling, team & small boats, singles, adaptive equipment, Concept2 ergometers, wts, Wheelchair accessible, Starts age 12 to whenever. Must be able to swim. Check it out -- it's beautiful, a gem on the Charles River, one of the best things about living within reach of the river. (And, if you don't already live near enough, it just might motivate you to move closer!) read more

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Disclaimer: I used to teach/coach at CRI so take my opinion for what its worth. This is a fabulous community program where you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to learn how to row (or just to get back into rowing if you're out of practice). Summer camps are offered so you can get a more condensed learning experience, or you can just sign up to row a few times a week anytime between spring and October. This is the best option if you don't want to pay to join a boathouse (like you might have to with many other places on the Charles) and you can get back to rowing, or get into rowing in a very non-pretentious and fun way. Its laid-back and since equipment is expensive and the programs are not, so some of the oars/boats are not brand new. Its a great place and I loved being part of the boathouse community. read more

No big surprise...Boston has a HUGE crew community. As I never rowed in high school or college like so many who grew up here, I wanted to try it out after college. I called around to a few places, and found this to be the best for beginner instruction. They have a beautiful boathouse, and a great community, as it's a big club. The coaches are well-seasoned vets in the sport, and very technical, which I appreciate. It's great that they have tons of ergs as well, so you can get your form down when out of the boat as well. Nothing beats a sunset row down the Charles when the boat is gliding! read more

I just started rowing at CRI and I love every minute of it! I am on the Comp Women's Masters Team and the coaching I am receiving from Matt & CT is incredible. I love the group of women that I am with 3x/week. As far as the boathouse goes, it's beautiful. Everything is maintained so well and kept clean. All members have volunteer duties, and there's a weight room. If one can't completely afford a program, CRI offers great financial aid. read more

I'M TOTALLY FROM BOSTON NOW! Yup. I row. I ROW! You know those people out on the Charles River that go to Harvard, or North Eastern or Boston University (because they're from Boston and they're cool) and they walk into those beautiful boat houses (because they're from Boston and they're cool) and they pull those killer boats along the placid water beside the steep banks of the Charles (because they're from Boston and they're cool)? Now I do all of that at Community Rowing. I'm from Boston. I'm cool. I row. Go join. Go learn. read more

I have always wanted to try rowing, and after driving by Community Rowing daily on my way to work, I decided to take the plunge (so to speak) and signed up. Unfortunately, our very first class was rained out so we had to "learn" to row on the machines upstairs, which was extremely disorganized. In the next class, we were able to get on the water, which was great, but there were a lot of things that made me only settle on two stars: 1) While you're able to use the gym upstairs, there are often events in the summer which make it unavailable for use. Which they don't notify you about, so you show up early and just have to sit there. They also have no mechanism to check if someone is actually a "member"- anyone could walk in and use it. 2) The parking situation is rough and I don't even know what kind of public transportation is available. It makes sense as it's on the river, but with so many concurrent classes (and the aforementioned events) going on, parking could be tight. They should plan better for this. 3) Lastly, although it was a beginner rowing class, the instruction I received was better suited for a child. While one of the instructors was laid back and would speak to us as if we were adults, the other (extremely Type A person from Texas), talked to us adults as if we were roughly 5 years old- barking at us on how to hold our oars (which was different from the other instructor, who made more sense in this regard), barking at us on how to stroke perfectly (isn't this supposed to be fun?), and just generally making me feel like a naughty child if I wasn't paying rapt attention at all times. I get it- safety first- but this seemed less about safety and more a need to be right and in charge. I believe she mentioned, on more than one occasion, that she was the boss. That is absolutely unacceptable to a class of adults. I eventually stopped going because I didn't want to be talked to like that by someone who was almost half my age in something I was paying for. Recommendation to CRI- provide a background in adult learning principles before allowing individuals to "teach" others. Have an auditor on occasion. Recommendation to others- do not book in the summer session- you'll get rained out/on a LOT. I'd like to try again, but I'd want to make sure my instructors actually instructed instead of scolded. read more

I rowed and coxed at CRI. When I joined CRI, I very intimidated - a gorgeous boathouse, world class athletes, competitive programs etc. There are some amazing coaches here and the same goes for your teammates. I've done both of their programs - the competitive and non-competitive sweeps programs and both are great. I was in AmeriCorps when I was rowing/coxing for them and I applied for financial aid and got it! It was awesome. Walking through the boathouse, you will find rowers and coxies of all ages and races. This is a great place to learn to row, just row for fun or to compete. Lastly, great community of people here who are very dedicated to the sport of crew. read more

Not too long ago, I received an email with the subject "What Does CRI mean to You?". I want to share with you what rowing at CRI means to me. CRI means signing up for a class and not being allowed to row. CRI means being made fun of by the instructor, in front of the whole class, because I need accommodation. CRI means being excluded and marginalized, for asking for accommodation for my non-visible disability. CRI means asking to speak to the instructor about my disability and what accommodations I need, and being refused. CRI means showing up to a class I've paid for every week and sitting on the dock while the rest of the crew rows. CRI means asking for accommodation from the instructors and the administrators, and not getting it because, according to them, I don't look disabled enough. CRI is being judged on my medical condition by people who aren't doctors. CRI means trying to make accommodation myself by rowing with another crew, and then having my original instructor send out an email blast to humiliated me in front of every other student. CRI means going to Bruce's office, and having him tell me he will give me a refund, and then finding out later he was just lying to me to get rid of me. CRI means following up with Bruce later with phone calls and letters and emails, and being completely ignored. CRI means trusting people and being lied to. CRI means people like Bruce are allowed to be in charge, even though they have no ethical standards. CRI means trying for a decade to reach out to people at CRi, to write letters and make phone calls, to the administration, and to the board of directors, only to continue to be ignored. CRI means asking for reasonable accommodation and not getting it. CRI means asking for a refund for a class that I paid for but wasn't allowed to participate in, and not getting it. CRI means being lied to. CRI means bad memories when I was trying something fun. CRI means not being abled enough to participate without accommodation and not disabled enough to be given accommodation. CRI means Rowing for All is only for some people. CRI means giving everything I had to be part of a crew, only to be rejected, marginalized, and ignored. read more

I'm very sad that the communication through email was so bad that I never even got to come try out there rowing. I was trying to figure out how to get a lesson for me and my crossfit box (150 people), and if we could use the Living Social offer listed. I talked to one person at first who was helpful, then she transferred me to someone else. I had a lot of questions I had never done this before and felt their website not very helpful. It would take me at least 7 days to respond me to my emails. The third time after 10 days, I wrote back and told him to shove it. Too bad because they could have made a lot of $$ and get a big group of people who would probably go more. Very upsetting. read more

This place is as good as it gets. Has to be the best in the country. Fantastic new facility with striking architecture and exceptionally well equipeed - Must be 50 erg machines, separate workout room, showers, meeting rooms, and the rowing with 4 docks to launch from on probably the best spot on the probably the most gorgeous river in the country - plus superb coaches and staff - all for a bargain price that you could not match in any sport facility with half the resources. You can row singles, pairs, quads, or sweeps (8 to a boat). Get your workout while the ducks, geese, corcorants, herons and turtles give you the once over. How can you beat that? 11/19/2013 - Three years later. The place gets better every year. Clearly the best boat club in Boston. Probably the best on the planet. read more

Want to learn how to row on the scenic Charles River? CRI is the place to do it. You'll have fun and meet lots of great people at the same time. read more

Probably many are nice people however they are very disrespectful to others who are boating or fishing on the river. I actually had a crew team direct their boat between my son and I qwhile we were fishing a spot 15-20 ft from shore and we were there for about 30 min.. they just came at us and right between us and our fishing. some days i take my son along th eriver shoreline and fish and there they are 10 ft from the bank tangling into our lines and they dont care even when they have 150 ft of river to row they dont pay attention. read more

I am reading the post by Katie B, declaring the facilities are clean and well maintained, and I am about to tell you my opposing view on that. Yes, the building is beautifully designed on the OUTSIDE, but it is not well maintained on the INSIDE. Bathrooms are dirty, the weight room Katie referred to, a mess. I bought Intro to Rowing and had to pay a facilities fee on top, and so far, I have only seen the weight room in any condition for me to use it ONCE. They toss all equipment in there to accommodate the space for private functions. Tried to use the practice oar on the dock, every time I've been there its been blocked by other boats. Place is so poorly managed. It is a disgrace to have people who can't get things to function on the same level as the architectural design intent of the building. Wrote to the Director of Operations to raise my concerns, never even answered me. Katie F is right, communication is not the best. That said, forget the facilities and bring anti-bacterial wipes to take care of yourself. The Instructor I had is great, I had Bode. Too bad this outstanding teacher doesn't have the support he needs in the boathouse management to really shine. read more