Boat reservations
See which shells are available. Reserve from your phone. The system prevents double-reservations. A proper system instead of shared spreadsheets.
How does Row HQ boat reservations work?
Athletes open Row HQ on their phone, see which shells are free across the next few days, and tap to reserve. The system blocks double-reservations, shows whether a shell is in maintenance, and records who had it when - useful for tracking damage. Admins set per-squad access rules so novice athletes are not reserving the varsity 8+ before HOCR.
No More Reservation Battles
Traditional boat reservation 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-reservations causing arguments at the dock
- No visibility of shell status until you arrive at the boathouse
- Athletes hoarding fast shells across squads
- No record of who had the shell when damage occurred
With Row HQ
- Digital reservations from any device, anywhere
- Real-time availability prevents conflicts
- See shell status before you leave home
- Per-squad access rules for varsity, JV, and novice enforced automatically
- Complete usage history for every shell
Complete Fleet Management
Everything you need to manage shells, oars, and equipment efficiently for varsity, JV, and novice squads through the HOCR and spring racing seasons. See how our flagship UK club manages their fleet.
Real-Time Availability
Live view of which shells are free, reserved, or being repaired right now. Athletes check from the athlete portal.
No Double-Reservations
The system won't let two athletes reserve the same shell at the same time.
Mobile Reservations
Reserve a shell from your phone on the way to the boathouse - takes seconds.
Maintenance Status
Shells 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 shell and when - useful when damage gets reported. Your data stays safe and CCPA-compliant.
Squad and Equipment Categories
Organize by squad (varsity, JV, novice) and shell 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 shell classes? See the glossary entry for all rowing shell types and what a rowing shell is. Coaches assign lineups to shells using the visual lineup builder.
Singles
Individual sculling
Doubles
Sculling pairs
Fours
Sweep with coxswain
Eights
Full sweep crew
Which shell fits which reservation?
A quick guide to common rowing shell types and the reservation rules US programs typically apply.
| Shell | Crew size | Typical use | Common reservation constraint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (1x) | 1 | Sculling, individual practice, novice athletes | Most heavily reserved - athletes capped at 3 slots/week |
| Double (2x) | 2 | Pair training, mixed-experience outings | Both athletes must be on the reservation - one cancels, slot frees |
| Coxless four (4-) | 4 | Varsity sweep practice | Coach approval required, minimum experience level |
| Coxed four (4+) | 4 + cox | JV lineups, masters racing | Cox must be confirmed before reservation is valid |
| Quad (4x) | 4 | Sculling squad practice, HOCR training | Locked to varsity rota slots only |
| Eight (8+) | 8 + cox | V8+ practice, IRA regattas | Coach reserves on behalf of lineup, individuals cannot book |
Example shell types and typical reservation constraints. Your fleet rules are fully configurable.
Related reading
- Keeping your fleet in top condition
- Getting practices sorted
- Lineup selection tips for coaches
- What is a rowing shell?
- Every rowing shell type explained
- What is a scull? Sculling vs sweep
Have questions? Check the FAQ, read what other programs say, or view pricing.
Boat reservation system FAQs
Common questions from programs moving off paper sign-out sheets.
Athletes open the app, see a live calendar of every shell in the fleet, and tap to reserve the slot they want. The system blocks any conflicting reservation before it happens, and the shell's status (available, reserved, in maintenance) updates for everyone instantly. Coaches set up the fleet once with photos, classes, and access rules; from then on the only manual job is marking a shell into or out of maintenance when something needs fixing. Reservations show in each athlete's personal calendar so they get a reminder before heading to the boathouse.
Yes. Every shell can have its own access rules: which roster level (varsity, JV, novice) can reserve it, whether a coach has to approve, and how far in advance reservations open. Most programs lock racing shells to varsity, restrict the novice fleet to first-years, and put a coach-approval gate on the new lightweight pair. The rules apply automatically - novices do not even see the racing eight in their available list. If an athlete tries to reserve a shell they are not allowed on, the system explains why and points them to who can grant access.
Yes - this is the core promise. Once a shell is reserved for a slot, no other athlete can book the same slot. The reservation rules can also enforce minimum gaps between reservations (so the same shell is not used for back-to-back outings without a break), maximum daily reservations per athlete (so one rower does not hog the racing single), and overlap with practices (so the shell is held for the lineup). Athletes get a clear conflict message if they try to book over an existing slot, with the option to join the waitlist if the original reservation is cancelled.
Every reservation creates an audit record - which athlete, which shell, what time, what duration. The full history stays on file even after the reservation is over, which is invaluable when damage gets reported and you need to know who was last out in that hull. Coaches can pull a usage report per shell (how many hours, who used it most, how many maintenance flags) or per athlete (which shells they tend to reserve, whether they no-show often). The data exports cleanly to CSV for end-of-season fleet reviews and AD reporting.
Yes. Coaches flick a shell into maintenance from the admin dashboard, add a note about what is wrong and an expected return date, and the shell immediately drops out of the available list. Athletes trying to reserve see a clear "in maintenance until {date}" message rather than getting confused about why the shell does not appear. When the repair is done, the coach clears the flag and the shell is back in circulation. Maintenance history is logged per shell so you can spot the hulls that are eating most of your repair budget.
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