This is a review just for kayaking:…read more On a beautiful Sunday, we wanted to kayak. We first went to another sailing pavilion that was unfortunately closed and then tried Community Boating. The office / guest services area inside is pretty well staffed and they have bathrooms and lockers so seemed promising. Unfortunately after you pay it becomes clear the main intent of this place is sailing. If you want to do anything else, do not come here. I had to chase multiple people down for us to get assistance with getting paddles and we had to go out into the water on our own with little to no direction. In the end, we didn't even get to spend the full 2 hours you pay for out on the water because it took so long to get setup on our own. Don't come here for anything but sailing!

Love this place, and love that Boston supports it. Great time getting out on the water with my wife…read morein a 2-man kayak. It'd be nice to be able to go further than between the bridges, but for a quick spin it was perfect.

My wife and I were married on the Henry Longfellow. It was an incredible evening. The family and…read morefriends that joined us, the amazing staff, and our first mate/onboard manager Allison made it a night we will truly never forget. Thank you again to everyone that made that night so perfect! We want to give a special shout out to our event coordinator, Kaitlin. We initially had two separate venues for our wedding. We planned to have just the reception on the Henry Longfellow, while the ceremony takes place in Boston. It was only a month out from our wedding day, when our ceremony venue fell through and we had to scramble to find an alternative solution. During that stressful time, Kaitlin did an amazing job working with us to combine our ceremony and reception on the Henry Longfellow. She was comforting, accommodating, and a joy to work with. We couldn't have planned our wedding without her! The absolute best!!! Sincerely, Brian & Katy

We had a good experience with charles river cruise in our recent trip to Boston. The boat dock was…read morenext to a shopping mall with access to restroom, dining options and various shops. The receptionist was friendly. The tour guide was phenomenal. Bearing a great, easygoing and a bit sarcastic personality, she was engaging, knowledgeable, funny and honest about her delivery. I learned a few things about the city and the famous schools from her personal opinion. Very steady and peaceful ride. Clean and well-maintained boat with a bar. Be mindful it's hot inside the boat with the scorching sun in PM so bring water, sun screen and hat, dress lightly. It was our second day in town our bodies still adjusted humidity and heat, I felt I was about to get a heat stroke. It'd be nice if they consider AC operated boat in the future.

I selected this company based on good reviews, but wonder if things have changed during the…read morepandemic and encourage you to proceed booking with caution as my experience trying to get on the boat was terrible and they held 50% of my total payment illegally. We originally planned to set sail, however, due to inclement weather reports on the day of the charter, we jointly decided to reschedule for another time and did not set the reschedule date at that moment because my party size was large, 15, and I needed to repoll the group on another feasible date. My group worked together to select a reschedule date, which the company made for a Saturday. The Tuesday before, we found out that one of our co-workers has COVID. As a result, all of us were potentially exposed. Out of concern for the safety of the crew and captain, I reached out by text message on Wednesday to inform them of the situation and figure out how to proceed. My coworker who had COVID also tried to contact you to find a resolution but could not reach them by phone. We received an email stating they unable to reschedule on this charter, and could do a cancellation that would result in a partial refund. They did not offer the option to reschedule to a fee, and said short of canceling, the charter would be scheduled to take place on Saturday with full awareness of the situation I expressed. I responded saying that we would like to proceed with Saturday in this case. I again emphasized that we had been exposed, and they cancelled without calling or communicating. After repeated calls and emails from Saturday to Wednesday, and finally a warning to report to the FTC for poor business practice, only half of my payment was returned. Nothing in the contract allowed them to retain it. So- beware. If you book, make sure you are going and don't expect your money back if you need to make a change for anything reasonable like being honest about a COVID exposure

This is a harbor tour on a sailboat. The summer of 2009 was their first year in business and they…read moredon't sail in the wintertime. The sail boat, called the Tupelo Honey, can carry up to 12 people. I'd lived in Boston for several years but had never been on a sail boat there. I had previously been on boat cruises around the harbor. We were back in town for a visit and I saw an advertisement for this harbor tour. I absolutely love sailing and wanted to try it out. I called a day before we hoped to go on a sail and asked if they had any times available. Generally, the cost is about $25/person. But because we didn't have a large group, only two of us wanted to go, there was a minimum price to take the sailboat out. That was $140.00, which was fine with us. We had an absolutely fantastic time! The captain and other crew member were very hospitable, friendly and really easy-going. They asked us if we wanted to stay near the buildings to see the scenery or to go further out into the harbor and let us make the decision. I would definitely do this again and it was well worth the money. It couldn't have been better. Call at least a day in advance to make sure that they have room to take you out for a sail. Their website says that you can take a T-Boat (affiliated with the MBTA subway, the T) to a nearby pier and walk.

Friendly staff, clean facilities , nice park near by. Very close to Boston, convenient location.read more

I kept my boat here one winter and hired them to do some mechanical repairs. Despite repeated…read morepromises, they never started a single repair. They never once tried to contact me, I had to leave multiple voice mails and emails over the course of the winter before they finally admitted they weren't going to do the work. Minus two stars for accepting jobs they knew couldn't complete and minus two stars for being too unprofessional to admit they screwed up.

I love being on the water, so anytime I visit a place that's on the water, I naturally have to take…read morea cruise (or be on the water somehow.) Booking this was super easy through my CityPass. We were already next door at the aquarium so it was very easy to get here. The line was a bit confusing because they said that they would tell us where to go but I had to go to the box office to find out. She was actually quite rude and not helpful, so we ended up just joining the line we saw because we figured it was it. It was, so all was well. The boarding process was easy enough and we boarded the ship pretty quickly, even with the photos being taken at the beginning. The boat itself was a little bit worse for wear and smelled weird but we went up top on the highest deck so we were outside. The chairs up there were also pretty worse for the wear but it was good enough. I loved the guides dad jokes and weird humor. He made it all better and I appreciated that. To be honest, weird jokes make it much easier to remember the historical facts and my husband is still spouting some it it to this day.

I was super excited to visit the East Coast from Maine to Boston with the hopes of taking the old…read moreman to see some whales! Guess what, whale watching season had not started as we came to early. Good news we avoided the crowds, bad news some things were not open. Arrive into Boston and look at taking a tour and lo and behold, that weekend is the first weekend for Boston! So, we book those tickets for that morning and are out on the boat in less than 1 hour from start to finish. Waiting in line, a breeze! Getting tickets, a breeze! The crew was amazing and happy to see all of us (it was the first weekend of whale watching)! Our captain took us out and spent the longest time with us on the water as it was difficult to catch those whales! We were able to see a couple of brief glimpses, which really made the entire trip worth it. As we were going back to shore, we were told that our tickets would be reissued for another tour with them since we had really seen whales on the tour. That was amazing! Best part of the trip, the lovely Linneea who seriously had the best voice and demeanor for talking about the whales. You could really feel her passion and empathy for the creatures through her voice! WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. I was even out on the side and the captain peaked over to say he was hoping that we would find some whales today! They really do care about the experience but also about the sanctity of the whales and their environment. PROS Good sized ship Good areas to whale watch Restroom facilities Food/drink available Depending on the time, take a sweater BEST CREW AROUND CONS Parking to get to the boat!

If you are an adult looking to learn to sail you have much better options, Please don't waste your…read moretime or money at Courageous Sailing. If you want to learn the basics of sailing at a fraction of the cost of courageous just check out Community Boating on the Charles River, it is only $275-445 for the entire year. With this you will have access to Mercury, laser, 420 (race boats), ideal 18, sonars & windsurfing. With courageous the learn to sail is scheduled for 2 weekends (4 days) with Community the classes are being held all the time and you can take them whenever you want, so you can avoid cold rainy days, and take the classes with different wind conditions (light, med, high) as many times as you want for no charge, unless its an advanced class which is only $50. When I took my learn to sail at courageous it was cold, rainy with fairly large waves. One of the people I took the class with actually started to cry. This is a non issue with Community because if the conditions are awful just come another day. After 1-2 years at community, if you like sailing you can go to a real adult school if you want to level up your sailing skills. Note the internal ratings at community and courageous have little to no value at other sailing organizations. If you are serious about sailing you need to build up your ASA certifications especially ASA 101,103 and 104, there are many ASA schools and you can take classes at different schools all across the country, Caribbean & world. Once you are ASA certified these credentials will follow you to other ASA schools & organizations. Once you reach ASA 104 you can apply for a type of international license. Also note that community has a much nicer facility and dock with actual restrooms with a shower. At Courageous they have portable toilets, no shower and 2 outdoor sinks which almost never have soap. These are the same sinks the staff preparing the cookout food uses. Also note that the traffic on the Charles is much safer vs the harbor, in the harbor you will run into huge tug boats and huge freight ships. On the Charles the boats need to pass under the bridges, so the biggest boats there are duck boats and some small/medium sized tour boats. Actual ASA alternatives to Courageous are First Reef Sailing in East Boston, one of the owners is Capt Paul Sullivan 5 time outstanding ASA instructor, they have the best learn to sail boat in the Boston Area Colgate 26, unlike Courageous the motors actually work & are reliable. If you are a student you can get a Colgate membership for 2K which I think they allow you to share with other members so better boat & may be less expensive vs Courageous also once you achieve 104 status (can do in one year) there is no range limit you just need to be back by sunset. They also offer memberships on cruisers & catamarans, these cost more like 10 K but you can also share those memberships. These are new boats almost everything works on them unlike courageous, And you can go on multi day to week long trips. Another ASA alternative is Reef Runner in Friendship Maine, one of the instructors there is 4 time outstanding instructor, its pretty close to Arcadia National Park. They are less expensive than Courageous and they quality of the instruction is vastly superior. Once you pass a class in an ASA school your log book will be signed by the captain, you will also receive an official stamp for your log book from ASA and the results will be uploaded to ASA so all other ASA organization globally will see your rating. Another tip is no matter where you sail keep a log book on the miles & a brief description of the trip

Primary fleet is a bunch of old Rhodes 19 boats that are falling apart. It's incredibly…read moredisorganized and understaffed. Focus on the youth program, which is really good, however the adult program suffers by lack of attention Even the larger boats 4 J80s frequently mean maintenance and are under maintained. They wait for people to donate boats to them so the cost is low, but you get what you pay for.

Amazing time, again! Was introduced to Scott last year on a group trip and decided after an amazing…read moreexperience I had to get my father out on the boat. Today was our fathers day outing and WHAT A MORNING! Eric and John are awesome and we had a hell of a morning on stripers even with incoming weather! Another fantastic trip! We will be back, hopefully for a tuna trip! Highly recommend!

Couldn't have gone better. Scott and his mate took my 10 yr old son, 11 and 13 year old nephews,…read moreand my babysitter. They had an amazing time, and did not once complain about getting up and out the door by 5:15 AM during summer vacation! I can vouch for the size of the fish, as tons came back home for grilling. I'm so happy they filleted it for them. Not something in my skill set... The boys all told great stories about their half day adventure. They clearly loved it and were very comfortable aboard the boat. They said they had help when they needed it but learned a lot too about fishing for "big fish" versus the small ones off our cove on the Cape. Scott's responsiveness surpassed my expectations and the booking process was a dream! I highly recommend this option if you wish to fish in Boston Habah...well technically, you go a bit beyond this famous waterway to get to the fishing spots...

I joined the team several years ago knowing nothing about the sport and never having been an…read moreathletic person. In short time I found myself competing in races and accomplishing goals I'd never thought I could. The people on the team are truly fantastic and I have made some of the most meaningful friendships of my life here. I am also in the best shape of my life and have a wall of medals to prove how I've earned that. If you're new in town or looking for something new and challenging, Dragon Boating is the sport for you. If you also want to become a top paddler and have fun while doing it, Living Root is the best team for you!

When I think about what makes me the happiest -- it's spending time outdoors, and getting a good…read moreworkout (with some GREAT folks)! I've officially been on Living Root since the end of last summer and it has been a wonderful experience paddling with a super strong team, and also getting to know the different personalities on the boat.... I've become very close with my teammates and consider a good number of them to be like family. We not only paddle together, but we spend a great deal of our time doing social stuff; going to bars, running races, traveling (not only for our dragon boat races, but for our own personal fun), and just getting to know each other. So, if you're looking to get active, stay active, meet some cool people and build a strong bond with those cool people, come check us out! Our schedule this year is Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6pm to 8pm by the Barking Crab at 88 Sleeper Street, right on the Waterfront! Come paddle till sunset with us! AND, if you are an early bird, we are holding practices on Saturdays at 9am - 11am at 125 Nashua Street, which is right by the Charles River (near the Museum of Science)... which is one of my favorite place to be during the Spring and Summer in Boston. Can't get any more beautiful in that "durdee watahh." And, don't worry if you have not paddled on a dragon boat before! We have a dedicated group of coaches that will guide you and super supportive teammates that will help you along the way!

Booked the night rider for my 31st birthday yesterday and had such a great time. Captain Don and…read moreChris were incredible! The boat was beautiful and Captain Don knew all the best spots to take group photos. We'll definitely be back! Highly recommend!

Wow! It's been almost one month since the best day of my life. I am so happy to say that my husband…read moreand I were joined as one on the Night Rider. Yup... we got married on this beautiful vessel. It was an amazing evening in the Boston Harbor. We were able to have an intimate ceremony on the stern of the boat. Captain Don brought us exactly where we wanted to be right in front of Rowe's Wharf. It all started with my communication with Natalie. She rocks!! She was so prompt with every call and email dealing with booking this vessel. I am super grateful for her and dealing with all of my questions! Captain Don and Cameron were absolutely amazing! They were completely accommodating to all of our wishes and needs. So friendly and welcoming. We were able to bring an array of cocktails and finger foods for the night which was perfect. If you're looking for a nice intimate setting for a wedding or even a nice Sunday at sea... I highly suggest the Night Rider!!! I'm looking forward to booking another charter with them in the future. Cheers! A very satisfied couple, Heather and Artem

a BYOB Brews Cruise around Boston Harbor?! Yes, please!…read more Cycleboat Boston, based in Charlestown, is a family-owned company providing both public tours and private charters for up to 20-26 guests. Each boat has a central table with ice-filled coolers that is surrounded by 12 bike seats for passengers to pedal to power the boat but don't worry! You don't have to pedal, there is an outboard motor. And if pedaling isn't your thing at all or there's more than 12 of passengers, each boat has a comfy lounge area in the back that is set up for conversation, sipping on your drink and drinking in the views! All cruises are BYOB (cans only and no hard alcohol - a craft beer lovers dream) and you can also bring food/snacks on board! For our cruise, we enjoyed charcuterie cones from Kured.co and Scuba & I obviously had to bring along some on-theme beers including Cushnoc Brewing's 'Can't Buy Backbone' IPA, Wormtown Brewing's Summer Ale and a pounder of Montauk Brewing's Summer Ale (all purchased at Dion's in Waltham). As someone who is happiest in/on/near the water with a beer in hand and has so much pride in my city; this was a dream! I am actively looking for any excuse to get back out on a Cycleboat!

What an AWESOME experience we had with Cycleboat Boston!!! We did an afternoon cruise on "Rosie the…read moreRiveter" and it was a blast! Our captain and his daughter were great hosts and tour guides for this group of 10 celebrating a bachelorette. BYOB and of course someone from your group gets to be DJ! Highly recommend for a large group outing on the harbor!