Boat booking
See which boats are available. Book from your phone. The system prevents double-bookings. A proper system instead of shared spreadsheets.
How does Row HQ boat booking work?
Members open Row HQ on their phone, see which boats are available across the next few days, and tap to book. The system blocks double-bookings, shows whether a boat is in maintenance, and records who had it when - useful when something gets damaged. Admins set per-boat access rules so novice rowers are not booking the racing eight before a NZ Championships regatta.
No More Booking Battles
Traditional boat booking methods cause friction and frustration. Here's how Row HQ fixes that.
Without Row HQ
- Paper sign-out sheets and spreadsheets that get lost or damaged
- Double bookings causing arguments at the dock
- No visibility of boat status until arrival
- Members reserving popular boats for themselves
- No record of who had the boat when damage occurred
With Row HQ
- Digital booking from any device, anywhere
- Real-time availability prevents conflicts
- See boat status before you leave home
- Fair access policies enforced automatically
- Complete usage history for every boat
Complete Fleet Management
Everything you need to manage boats, blades, and equipment efficiently.
Real-Time Availability
Live view of which boats are free, booked, or being repaired right now. Members check from the member portal.
No Double-Bookings
The system won't let two people book the same boat at the same time.
Mobile Booking
Book a boat from your phone on the way to the club - takes seconds.
Maintenance Status
Boats in for repair show as unavailable with an expected return date. Admins manage this from the admin dashboard.
Usage History
Full log of who used each boat and when - useful when damage gets reported. Your data stays safe and secure.
Equipment Categories
Organise by boat type: singles, doubles, quads, eights. Filter to find what you need quickly.
Manage Your Entire Fleet
From singles to eights, track every piece of equipment in your boathouse. New to boat classes? See the glossary entry for all rowing boat types and what a rowing shell is. Coaches assign crews to boats using the visual crew builder.
Singles
Individual sculling
Doubles
Sculling pairs
Fours
Sweep with cox
Eights
Full sweep crew
Which boat fits which booking?
A quick guide to common rowing boat types and the booking rules clubs typically apply.
| Hull | Crew size | Typical use | Common booking constraint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (1x) | 1 | Sculling, individual training, juniors learning to row | Most heavily booked - members capped at 3 slots/week |
| Double (2x) | 2 | Pair training, mixed-experience outings | Both rowers must be on the booking - one cancels, slot frees |
| Coxless four (4-) | 4 | Senior squad sweep training | Coach approval required, minimum experience level |
| Coxed four (4+) | 4 + cox | Junior crews, masters racing | Cox must be confirmed before booking is valid |
| Quad (4x) | 4 | Sculling squad sessions, head-race training | Locked to senior squad rota slots only |
| Eight (8+) | 8 + cox | First-eight training, NZ Championships | Coach books on behalf of crew, individuals cannot reserve |
Example boat types and typical booking constraints. Your fleet rules are fully configurable.
Related reading
- Keeping your fleet in top condition
- Getting training sessions sorted
- Crew selection tips for coaches
- What is a rowing shell?
- Every rowing boat type explained
- What is a scull? Sculling vs sweep
Have questions? Check the FAQ, read what other clubs say, or view pricing.
Boat booking system FAQs
Common questions from NZ clubs moving off paper sign-out sheets.
Members open the app, see a live calendar of every boat in the fleet, and tap to book the slot they want. The system blocks any conflicting booking before it happens, and the boat's status (available, booked, in maintenance) updates for everyone instantly. Admins set up the fleet once with photos, classes, and access rules; from then on the only regular job is marking a boat in or out of maintenance when something needs fixing. Bookings appear in each member's personal calendar so they receive a reminder before heading to the boathouse.
Yes. Every boat can have its own access rules: which membership categories can book it, whether a coach has to approve, and how far in advance bookings open. Most NZ clubs lock racing shells to senior squad members, restrict the junior fleet to under-18s, and put a coach-approval gate on high-performance equipment. The rules apply automatically - a novice does not even see the racing eight in their available list.
Yes - this is the core promise. Once a boat is booked for a slot, no other member can book the same slot. The booking rules can also enforce minimum gaps between bookings, maximum daily bookings per member, and overlap with training sessions. Members receive a clear conflict message if they try to book over an existing slot.
Every booking creates an audit record - which member, which boat, what time, what duration. The full history stays on file even after the booking ends, which is invaluable when damage gets reported and you need to know who was last out in that hull. Admins can pull a usage report per boat or per member. The data exports cleanly to CSV for end-of-season fleet reviews.
Yes. Admins put a boat into maintenance from the admin dashboard, add a note about what is wrong and an expected return date, and the boat immediately drops out of the available list. Members see a clear "in maintenance until {date}" message. When the repair is done, the admin clears the flag and the boat is back in circulation. Maintenance history is logged per boat so you can spot the hulls that are eating most of your repair budget.