Boathouse Row rowing club membership at Crescent is open to anyone interested in rowing and in upholding the club’s founding ideals of good sportsmanship, civic fellowship, and hospitality. Crescent is member-run, based at #5 Boathouse Row, and welcomes rowers at every level, from novice to masters.
On this page: Where You Fit · Membership Categories · Dues and Fees · What Membership Includes · How to Join · Common Questions · Membership Inquiry
Where You Fit
You have never rowed
The summer novice program is for juniors. Adults arrange their own coaching, and several members coach privately.
Coaching for adults
You rowed before and stopped
School, college, or club experience of any vintage is the usual route in. Members row year-round from the club’s own dock.
How to join
You own a shell
Members store personal boats at the boathouse for a per-seat fee. Rack space is limited by the size of the bays.
Dues and fees
You are asking for your child
Crescent’s summer sculling programs are run by the club, so a school crew team is not a prerequisite for joining one.
Youth Rowing
Membership Categories
The club’s by-laws set four categories. Sponsorship by two current members applies across all of them.
Member of Crescent Boat Club – Must be over 21 years of age, sponsored by two club members, committed to the purposes of the Crescent Boat Club, and current with all dues and fees.
Student Member – Individuals under 21 years of age, or under 23 if still attending school and not employed full-time, sponsored by a Crescent-supported school or by two members of Crescent Boat Club.
Family and Social Members – Non-rowing members sponsored by two club members, or parents of student members.
Emeritus Members – Individuals who have been members of Crescent for two years. Emeritus members are welcome at club parties, may row on occasion as guests with a club member, may compete for the club in the Schuylkill Navy Thanksgiving Run, and are eligible for reinstatement as club members.
Dues and Fees
| Annual dues | $550.00 |
| Boat storage | $150.00 per seat, for personal shells |
| Event space cleaning fee | $150.00 per event, for members using the event space |
Summer program fees are separate from club dues and are listed on the Youth Rowing page.
What Membership Includes
- A place on the Row – Rowing from the club’s own boathouse and dock at #5, on the 2,000-meter Schuylkill racing course that every major Philadelphia regatta uses.
- Boat storage – Rack space for a personal shell at $150.00 per seat, subject to availability.
- Indoor training – Ergs at the boathouse for winter work and for days the river is unrowable.
- Racing under the club’s colors – Entry as Crescent in Schuylkill Navy and regional regattas, including the Schuylkill Navy Thanksgiving Run.
- Use of the event space – Members may hold events at the boathouse, subject to the calendar and a $150.00 cleaning fee.
Coaching is not part of membership. Crescent’s coached programs are the summer sculling programs for juniors.
How to Join
- Send the membership inquiry form at the foot of this page.
- Two current members sponsor you. If you do not know anyone at the club, say so and we will introduce you.
- Apply and pay through RegattaCentral, which carries applications, dues, and annual renewals.
- Read the By-laws, Rules & Safety page before your first row. It covers the Schuylkill Navy Rules of the River and the USRowing SafeSport policies, which apply to every member and athlete at Crescent.
Common Questions
I have never rowed. Can I join as an adult?
Yes, and adults do. The summer novice program is a youth program, so it is not the route in. Adults who want instruction hire their own coach; several Crescent members coach privately and we can put you in touch with them.
Do I have to know two members before I apply?
No. Two sponsors are required to complete a membership, but not to get in touch. Say that you do not know anyone at the club yet and we will introduce you to members who row at a similar level and time of day.
Is a summer program fee the same as club membership?
No. A program fee registers one athlete for one season of a coached program. Club dues are annual and cover membership in Crescent itself.
Can I keep my own boat at the boathouse?
Yes. Members may store a personal shell for $150.00 per seat, so a single is one seat and a double is two. Rack space is limited by the size of the bays.
My child’s school does not have a crew team. Can they still row here?
Yes. Crescent’s summer sculling programs are run by the club, not by a school, and athletes come from schools with and without crew programs. Junior racing is divided into Junior A, under 19, and Junior B, under 17. Details, session times, and fees are on the Youth Rowing page.
Can I visit the boathouse before joining?
Not on a drop-in basis. Crescent is a working boathouse with no public visiting hours, open to members, program participants, event clients, and scheduled productions. The riverfront path in front of all fifteen boathouses is public and free year-round, and Visiting Boathouse Row covers what to see from outside.
Membership Inquiry
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Crescent Boat Club was organized in 1867 and has rowed from #5 Boathouse Row since 1868, the year it joined the Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia, the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. Club history · Programs · Youth Rowing · Event rentals · Information