About Us

The Setting

Welcome to Petaluma’s Longest Park, The Petaluma River.
The Petaluma River gave our city life as a commercial waterway is now is one of our most important open spaces: a linear park that begins in the heart of our community.

After more than a decade of community fundraising, The Floathouse Boat Rental Center has opened and is beginning to come into its own in line with the vision of a “community center on the water”. From our central location in the turning basin, we launch classes, camps, guided paddle tours, and adventures for the whole community, following the waterway from the urban waterfront to the tidal marshes.

The Floathouse fleet includes the largest variety of people-powered small craft available anywhere, nearly 60 craft of various types, from stand up pedalboards to premium water bikes, paddle and pedal kayaks to a fleet of small sailboats. Our 160 feet of low docks are anchored to seven fiberglass pilings, holding three boat racks and a rental kiosk.

We are grateful to be part of this generous community, which has funded this facility to support Petaluma River access for all.

The Floathouse as part of a longer, vibrant river path

The Floathouse is a project of Petaluma Small Craft Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. PSCC has been instrumental in drawing attention to the river and its possibilities. Since PSCC’s founding in 2007, momentum has been building for greater public access to the Petaluma River, as people turn their attention to this extraordinary natural resource and call for better opportunities to enjoy our local waters. As other local river-focused nonprofits grow closer to fulfilling their dreams of building docks and access, filling our riverbanks with art and activity, the concept of a community river path also grows more popular among locals and visitors alike.

If we can dream it, we can do it.

MILESTONES

  • PSCC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, began offering programming like Day on The River and boating summer camps.

  • Hundreds of people attended a community meeting to discuss a set of 34 potential river access-related projects, collectively known as Petaluma Water Ways. PSCC’s proposal for The Floathouse was among them. 

  • PSCC receives grant of $130,000 from San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail to purchase 160 feet of low, human-powered-craft-friendly Connect-A-Dock. 

  • We installed 160 feet of low-profile docks, perfect for people-powered boats, hydro bikes and stand up paddle boards.

  • After a 17-year wait, the Petaluma River was dredged, deepening the channel, allowing safe access for boats large and small.

  • We installed three boat racks, with a total length of 60' and enough room for more than 60 small craft.

  • We were able to use our own docks for all programming, including not only an increased number of boating summer camps, but also new programs like Saturday Morning SUP Yoga (a collaboration with The Yoga Post Petaluma) and a brand new, much-desired Adult Sailing class.

  • The Floathouse Petaluma is finally floating and operational. The very first day is a celebration of community spirit, as Witches & Wizards on The Water, a fun paddle that began with just eight witches on paddle boards, launches from our brand new low docks and invites the entire region to enjoy “Petaluma’s Longest Park”, from the basin to the bay.

“A small craft rental center in downtown Petaluma could serve as a hub for rentals, lessons and the dissemination of educational materials on boating safety, ethical paddling, and the many interesting locations to visit along the River. As importantly, the rental center would serve those who don’t own their own boat or paddle board, or who don’t have the means to store or transport a boat or board to a launch site.”

— Ann Buell, Coastal Conservancy

More Boats - More Fun for More People

With 160 feet of easily accessible dock, The Floathouse offers the Bay Area’s most diverse collection of people-powered watercraft, to meet different needs and different conditions. Here is a list of the watercraft available and those on our wish list:

  • Kayaks: pedal and paddle

  • SUPs: paddle, pedal and a Megalodon (holds 1,000 lbs of fun!)

  • Three kinds of rowboats: Adirondack Guide Boat, Whitehalls and Captain’s Gig

  • Hydro Bikes and high-end Schiller Water Bikes

  • Canoes

  • Sailboats

  • Radio-controlled sailboats

BONUS: If you own your own people-powered craft, you may use The Floathouse docks to launch and land, and tie-up to explore Petaluma’s historic waterfront shops and restaurants. (Subject to space and staff availability.)

COMMUNITY BOATHOUSE IN PLANNING STAGES

The Floathouse is the first step in realizing Petaluma Small Craft Center’s broader vision, one including a separate Community Boathouse that would serve as the home for Petaluma’s boating clubs, holding smaller rowing shells, racing kayaks, and outdoors, outrigger canoes, perhaps leaving room for private boat storage, too. The Community Boathouse and Floathouse will support river access for everyone, year round.

FUNDED AND BUILT BY THE COMMUNITY

While we have received a few key grants, it is our community that has and will continue to build this facility and its fleet.

Local marine contractor Lind Marine has been a key commercial donor, and gifts large and small have come from neighbors, friends and families who have held onto our communal dream of spending pleasant hours on what we call Petaluma's longest park: The Petaluma River.

Many have taken advantage of our naming opportunities, purchasing sections of dock, life vests and people-powered small craft of all kinds.

So the short answer is: The Floathouse is funded by YOU!

We and your community thank you!