What a wonderful community resource. As stated by S A, there are lots of options for hourly rentals. We had rented paddle boards for a few hours. They asked if we had any questions or needed help. Since we did not, they just let us do our thing. I liked that. It gets intimidating having people always watching you or floating around if you do not want it. We did see them answering questions and helping people who requested it, so if you are nervous or in need of assistance they will happily help you out. There were also life jackets, wet suits, and even dry bags available for rental in addition to the equipment (canoes, paddle boards, sail boats). You reserve a slot and off you go to launch from their nice ramp, which is also open to the public. I definitely recommend wearing flip flops or water shoes. I am not from the area, so did not know what to expect. It was a bit rocky in some areas so I was glad to not be launching barefoot. The staff we had that day were fantastic. They were very nice and many of them very experienced and helpful. My friend told me they were also all volunteers. They do have a tip jar for their assistance though, so be sure to bring some cash to support them! All around great experience and I highly recommend if you are in the area looking for something fun to do! read more

Community Boating Center - Rentals and lessons! - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

We took the bioluminescence tour with Carley and Takoda. It was amazing! We had a perfect night. Watching the fish and jellies dart around us was so cool! I didn't even know this existed in Bellingham. read more

Community Boating Center - leaving for the bioluminescence tour in Bellingham - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I went sea kayaking during the Relaxation Float with instructors Anna and Leah. They were very welcoming and knowledgeable, and I had a great time kayaking around Bellingham Bay! I'll definitely be returning to try sailing or paddle boarding this Summer. Thank you Anna and Leah for helping me explore the coasts around Bellingham-and helping me get in and out of the kayak :) The CBC has a very friendly atmosphere and I'd recommend this to anyone that wants to get out on the water and enjoy the bay! read more

Community Boating Center - Anna and I making a quick pit stop around Boulevard - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

What a great community resource! I highly recommend taking lessons or a tour with them. Tacoda was a great instructor. Bonus is that you can also rent equipment instead of buying your own and then figuring out storage solutions. read more

My bestie and I have nothing but good things to say about our experience. The online booking was super easy, the staff were helpful and kind, and we had a blast! We rented a tandem kayak and went out on the bay for an hour. By the time we walked the boat down and back it does eat away at your time, but it's still a fun experience. This is something you can easily do with friends, family, or for a date! I would highly recommend. read more

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I love this place! Leah is amazing, knowledgeable and super helpful. The CBC is incredible with a variety of options for renting hourly or buying a season pass. Thanks again Leah and Declan for being awesome and answering all my questions! Very welcoming atmosphere :) read more

We came here for a nighttime bioluminescence kayak outing and it was fantastic!! Our two guides (one was in training) were really friendly and knowledgeable. You could tell that they are passionate about their work. The safety training was super thorough, and put me at ease about kayaking in the dark. Seeing the bioluminescence was truly special - it was our first time and it was fascinating! I would highly recommend! read more

I have to thank my wife for introducing me to the Community Boating Center. She arranged for a bioluminescence paddle with them, and it was fantastic. We had a great introduction to kayaking, and then went out to look at bioluminescence. What made it so great was the leaders from CBC. They really made sure that we felt as comfortable as you can, and then out on the water they supported us and made sure that everybody felt comfortable. They also showed great judgement by changing the plans based on the weather conditions. I want to go back and rent some more water crafts from these people. They do a great job giving Bellingham access to the water. read more

Durango was the instructor for my basic sea kayak course and did a great job. I'd go back there again for more courses.

This is a wonderful organization that gives everyone access to Bellingham bay! I took the Essentials of Sea Kayaking class with Durango as the instructor. It was great learning experience, doing my first water self rescue and practicing in the bay. read more

What an amazing organization and huge value to Bellingham! I've been lucky enough to join in on some free demo days and gotten introduced to many new sports - sea kayaking, outrigger canoeing.... You name it and it's something you can do! They've got great classes too - and super summer camps for kids. All are much more reasonable versus for-profit options. Do check the wind forecast or call before you head there as they have to close rentals if there's a small craft warning. read more

We rented a few kayaks for our party of 7, and Anna and Krista were the best! We had a few younger kids in our group and they were glad to help us walk the kayaks down to the launch area. They were both so friendly and accommodating, we will definitely be back. read more

Well located with very friendly staff. You can rent a variety of different boats and explore the coast around Bellingham. They also offer some great classes to improve your skills or go out for your first time in a sea kayak. HIHGLY recommend the bioluminescence nighttime paddle - it's best in late summer with no moon. read more

I'm a novice sailor in the Seattle area and was looking for affordable lessons to get back on the water after a long hiatus. The lesson options near city limits were either too expensive or booked months in advance, so I decided to try CBC and couldn't be happier! I was nervous going into it but Emily (my instructor at CBC) was calm, patient, and very capable so at no point did I feel overwhelmed or unsafe. She also perfectly tailored the lesson to suit my ability. CBC isn't too bad of a drive from Seattle so I highly recommend other Seattle sailors make the trip to check it out! Bellingham Bay is a beautiful place to sail and the people at CBC are super kind and chill. read more

Bellingham is lucky to have this nonprofit boating center. It's clear their mission is to make water sports accessible to all income and experience brackets. You can rent a kayak for as little as $15 per hour! They have a full compliment of gear you need to get on the water as well as the NICEST staff to help beginners thru experts. Brandi, the paddle board instructor gave me super practical tips results that got this paddle board newbie finding my new favorite hobby. They are situated next to the train station with a great launch spot to enjoy the gorgeous bay. I just love it here! read more

Community Boating Center - Blue waters and friendly faces await you. - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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We live near Bellingham Bay. The Community Boating Center offers us many opportunities to learn and try different water paddle sports. My grandkids (ages 7-12) are taking a sailing class. At the end of the FIRST day, they were so eager to tell us what they had learned. The instructors have already instilled a love of sailing and they are eager to learn more. read more

Drove in from Seattle to do the bioluminescence night tour and was not disappointed. Staff was great at giving us instruction and very attentive in helping us get in the kayaks and showing us the rope. Would definitely come back and do some day kayaking or paddleboarding next time I'm around the area. read more

Had a great time with my family kayaking on Bellingham Bay. The Community Boating Center provided everything needed to have a safe adventure on the water. The staff were friendly, helpful and followed the CoVid safety rules. This is a great little gem to provide affordable water recreation to those of us who don't own our own boats. Bellingham is fortunate to have this service. I am looking forward to going back again. read more

My partner and I discovered the community boating center when we were invited to a Yelp event, where we learned kayaking and paddle boarding. We loved it so much that we came back a second time the same week. The rates are reasonable, the access to Bellingham Bay is unparalleled, and the friendliness of the staff is mind blowing. We will be back again and again I'm sure... this place is a gem that's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. read more

Community Boating Center - A beautiful way to experience Bellingham Bay... - Boating Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

My family took out 5 kayaks and had a great time in Bellingham Bay. Everyone at the rental office was friendly and helpful. The rental prices were on par with other places we've rented kayaks and SUPs from in WA. We had a great experience. Boats were clean and well-maintained. You can tell they care about their business and their customers. We'll rent again soon! read more

I was introduced to the Community Boating Center during the summer of Covid. My wife and I, still relatively new to Bellingham learned to sail a keel boat on Bellingham Bay. Amber, or instructor, made this a fun and engaging educational experience. Since then we have been back many times; to paddle board, kayak and, yes, to sail. The staff and volunteers at CBC have always worked hard to make our visits a special experince. Whether you are visiting or a long time B'hamster, if you wish to get out on the water, the Community Boating Center is the place to go. read more

I have yet to form a good opinion of the Boating Center based on actual service. I tried to attend Free Paddles this past Tuesday. I arrived by 5, made it through lines, was ignored by a group of employees, added to a wait list, checked back later, and told that I should arrive by 4:30 because the waitlisted people weren't likely to participate. Why make a list? Be honest. I attempted to rent the following day with friends. We waited while an employee talked to someone, didn't acknowledge us. We get to the building and are told that they're not renting due to wind. That's fine. But again, why ignore us and leave us standing there? I'll update should I ever make it to water. For now, one star for service. One star for number of watercrafts available. I finally made it to water on my third attempt this week! I enjoyed my kayaking experience once in the water. However, my opinion if staff hasn't improved. The woman that assisted us was not very helpful. She'd give us an instruction preparing and then leave us standing around. She didn't offer us life vests, I had to request those. Afterwards, it seemed like we were instructed to do "end of workday" tasks. And before checking out, we sat waiting ~15 minutes. The entire out of water experience was pretty irritating. One star added for making it to water. read more

Had a great experience learning to sail with the Bellingham Community Boating Center. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. If you want to get out on the water, definitely check these guys out! read more

I love the Community Boating Center! Such a great space to provide access to Bellingham Bay! The CBC is full of friendly staff and volunteers that love to help get people on the water. The Community Boating Center helped me find a community of wonderful paddlers and sailors that made me feel at home. Such a great place and can't recommend it enough!! read more

We have taken their kayaks out on three occasions now. The staff here is very friendly and very helpful and always have a great attitude. Would definitely recommend A day on the bay with a kayak or paddleboard. It's worth the money read more

If we hadn't taken a detour on one of our evening walks to Marine Park, we probably wouldn't have found The Community Boating Center. We've been twice now to rent kayaks and have had a blast. It is only $15/hour (single or double are the same price). So for $30, my husband and I can go out for 2 hours in a double kayak. You pay upon returning, so you can extend your trip if you want. You're free to go wherever around the bay, just tell them the general direction of where you're headed. Yesterday, we told them we would only be 2 hours but went further then planned and were out for 4 hours. They had no problem with it and to our pleasant surprise, they only charge for 3 hours if you're out for 4.....so it was only $45 for both of us to get out of the scorching heat and cool down in the water. They also have a volunteer deal that you can do a little sweat equity for free rentals. (3 hours of volunteering = 1 hour of rental). They offer several types of boat rentals, dinghy, rowboat, sea kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks, and others. A great place to support in the community- we'll be back! read more