Located on the far end of Lady Bird Lake is paddlecraft rental company Rowing Dock Austin. The only rental operation west of MoPac, the company offers water rentals near the outskirts of the city while being a short distance from downtown.
Founded in 1999, the woman-owned company has spent more than two decades evolving to meet the needs of the community. According to its website, it has one of the most diverse paddlecraft fleets on the lake and offers guided tours, group reservations and team-building activities. Outside of rentals, Rowing Dock’s team initiates community volunteer opportunities, outreach programs and discounted education initiatives.
In a recent interview with the Austin Journal, Rowing Dock Austin's Director of Operations Lindsay Rohler explains the services the company provides and its mission to become more than a rental service.
AJ: How did Rowing Dock Austin come to be?
It was founded by the original owner, Rachel Thomas. She worked with the city of Austin to get a concession for our location.
AJ: How has the company evolved over the years to meet the needs of rental services on Lady Bird Lake?
Dramatically. We have been able to grow along with the community. What's wonderful about Rowing Dock is that we have a really good pulse on what the community needs, not just the paying customers, but the customers and individuals who may not be able to afford services like this.
We have programs to provide outreach and offer discounted free educational programs for kids, underserved youth, all sorts of programming. Additionally, we've got lots of fundraisers and events that happen that offer volunteer opportunities.
We are not only providing a business opportunity that makes money for the city of Austin, but that we truly are a resource for all community members in Austin.
AJ: As a woman-owned business, how has that perspective influenced the operations and offerings of Rowing Dock?
In general I feel that women are, a lot of times, the decision-makers in families and those who are dedicated to paying attention to making sure that everyone has a voice and listening to the needs of not only our community but our employees. I feel like we bring a specific empathy to the table that is unique, I think, in our industry in general.
And so all those different factors genuinely caring about what we put out as a service and the type of business that we run and making sure that our employees are happy and excited and well taken care of.
I feel like a lot of those things we focus on as a top priority. I personally as a woman feel like that is something that we excel in.
AJ: Lady Bird Lake is a stunning backdrop for water activities. What are some of the features that make your location an ideal setting?
Oh, that is kind of easy for us. One, we are west of MoPac. We are the only rental operation west of MoPac. And so we have the quieter, nestled-in-the hills view. But what's wonderful is that we're just a short jaunt away from the downtown skyline. And so you could easily paddle either direction and have a little bit more of a serene, peaceful tour around Redbud Island. Paddle and enjoy what the west side of Lady Bird Lake looks like. But you can also really quickly and easily access that downtown skyline, Barton Springs Spillway, all of those things as well.
AJ: How does Rowing Dock’s fleet cater to various preferences? What should people know about group rentals? How about individual rental options?
We are one of the only operations that actually has a variety of different shapes, sizes, and types of kayaks and canoes. And so instead of having a uniform offering, we are able to provide comfort to all ages, all sizes, all abilities. And yet we really are welcoming to the novice paddler. So we have boats that someone who is more experienced like a touring kayak, you know, wanting to go a longer distance can use.
But everything that we offer is also very beginner-friendly. We offer the only operation that has pedal kayaks. So people who maybe have upper body mobility challenges still have an option. They can use the pedal kayaks.
Additionally, we have our staff trained specifically to make sure that everybody who gets on the water at our location is given all the tools they need to be super successful. So we cater to every experience to make sure that people know how to paddle and are able to do so safely and comfortably.
AJ: How is Rowing Dock different from other rental businesses on the lake?
A couple of ways. We really focus on two key things. And that is how we treat people and what the atmosphere and the presence is. It's really important to us that things are very well maintained, that are very aesthetically pleasing. Things need to be clean and fresh. And that's really hard to do when you're running a business that is 100% outdoors.
Additionally, that experience is not only what is visually appealing. We are really focused on being extremely welcoming and inclusive and making sure that everyone, regardless of their ability, is excited to show up at Rowing Dock and feels really comfortable. We work really hard to make sure everyone has a really good time.
AJ: Beyond rentals, does Rowing Dock offer any other special programs?
We do. And you asked about group rentals. We do group reservations. We also have team-building games, so corporate groups who want to have a different kind of team-building experience can come out. We can do different activities with guides on the water.
We offer guided tours. So people who want to learn a little bit about the history, the ecology, the wildlife, things along those lines — we offer those tours as well.
We offer a lot of programs. We have one that supports underserved youths and teaches them how to paddle. We underwrite and provide all the equipment for that program. And then we have numerous fundraisers each year that support different local nonprofits. We raise lots of money and awareness, and they are really fun opportunities.
Lastly, we have regular, free community volunteer opportunities. We have a Cleanup Lady Bird Lake. We have a meetup group where we offer free rentals for our people, and we provide all the supplies for them to clean up Lady Bird Lake.
And we have an annual day where we work with the Trail Conservancy and provide volunteer opportunities for up to 1,500 to 2,000 people.
So lots of opportunities for the community to give back, do good, and take care of the river that we all love so much.
AJ: Looking ahead, are there any plans for expansion, new offerings, or new initiatives?
We have lots of ideas of things we would like to do. We've got to work with the city of Austin and the Parks and Rec Department in order to make any of those decisions. We will always partner with them and make sure we are aligning with all the things that the city has in place.
AJ: Anything else you would like to add?
Just on a personal note, it's one of the best companies I've ever worked for. And I have the pleasure of having so many employees share that feedback. So it's not only a great place to be as a patron, but it's a great place to be to provide service to the community as well.
So all in all, I'm really, really proud I can be a part of this team.