Our Mission
The mission of the Lincoln Park Boat Club is to make boating accessible, affordable, safe and fun for club members and members of the Chicago metropolitan community.
Location
The boathouse is located on the Lincoln Park Lagoon. In addition to offering calm, protected waters for rowers, scullers, and paddlers, the lagoon also has access to Lake Michigan for sea kayaking.
General Rules
The LPBC has some basic rules in place to ensure the safety of everyone who uses the Club. The rules for the Lincoln Park Boat Club are posted on the Boathouse doors. Each member is responsible for knowing and following these rules. High school and college coaches are responsible for ensuring that each member of their crew understands and adheres to the rules.
- Your membership card key must ALWAYS be used when entering and exiting the lagoon facility.
- Card keys must be carried at all times when using facilities and equipment. Members who do not have a card key will be asked to leave the premises. Members who admit other members, or non-members, may have their own key cards terminated.
- Always close the gate to the Boathouse after entering or exiting. Do not prop the gate open for any reason. Doing so will sound an alarm.
- ALWAYS lock the Boathouse door and the outside gate if you are the last to leave the dock area, whether you are going out on the water or leaving the club (even if there are people on the water.)
- Always carry your key card with you on the water.
- Every time you use LPBC equipment, make an entry in the appropriate logbook. If a repair is needed, or any unusual condition exists, notify the House Director by dropping a note in the Repair Request box posted at the base of the bulletin board, adjacent to the logbook table.
- We strongly urge all members to view the safety video that is available in the boat house with a VCR (or through a team coach). And review the safety guidelines document posted in the workout room.
- It is essential to maintain access to the equipment and dock area. Do not block the doorways with equipment, or hinder access to equipment with clothing, bicycles, etc. in the aisles or on the racks. Keep personal items off the logbook table. And remember to remove equipment from the water as quickly as possible after landing at the dock.
- Each member must act to ensure the safety of all members, guests, and people or watercraft encountered while on the water or using club facilities.
- Rowing equipment goes CLOCKWISE on the water, south on the lake side, north on the Zoo side. Paddling equipment goes COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. Always obey the direction of travel, even if you are the only craft on the water. A traffic pattern map is posted at the lagoon.
- Use of the motorized launch has to be authorized by the House Director, or the Commodore, who will certify and instruct the user of such craft before permission is granted.
- Keep the facilities clean by exercising common sense. Each member is responsible for picking up after his/her self. There is no staff to do this.
- Do not leave valuables in the Boathouse shelves. The area is not secured, and items have been known to disappear.
- If your membership level is "Team Member", use of facilities and equipment is limited to those times when your coach is present, using authorized equipment and specified water times. You will be given a card key that will be programmed accordingly.
Locker Rooms
The Chicago Park District controls access to the locker rooms, toilet facilities and meeting room. The times for access to the locker room facilities are posted outside the locker rooms and vary accordingly throughout the year. During the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), the locker and meeting rooms are generally open from:
6:00 am to 9:00pm, Monday through Friday
8:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday
Please check the posted hours before you put your belongings in the locker rooms. If the locker rooms are locked when you return for your belongings, you will not be able to retrieve them until the following day. The LPBC does not have keys to these areas!
Procedures
For Using EquipmentAll equipment must be signed out in the proper log book, located in the bin in the front of the Boathouse.
Suggested time use is one hour for sculls, and two hours for 4- and 8-oared shells. There is no time limit for kayaks.
LPBC members may not use equipment owned by individuals or school programs, unless they have made previous arrangements with the owners. Equipment available to club members is clearly marked "LPBC".
After use, all equipment must be wiped down and signed back in. Kayaks and canoes must be dried inside and out before being returned to the racks. Please remember to put oars and slings away as well.
Do not paddle kayaks without seat, foot brace, or pins.
Most equipment parts are not interchangeable; don't remove or replace parts without explicit instruction or permission of the Rowing or Paddling Directors.
Paddling equipment may be checked out for off site use with prior approval from the Paddling Director. Any use of Club equipment for away regattas must be cleared in advance with the Rowing Director, and a notice must be posted in the Boathouse.
Equipment Damage
Note any equipment problems by dropping a note in the repair request box located just below the bulletin board opposite the sign-out desk. Should equipment need repair after usage, it is your responsibility to notify the House Director, Paddling Director or Rowing Director directly, and to follow-up to make sure the problem has been resolved.
Equipment damage due to negligence is the responsibility (financial and other) of the person or party causing the damage.
All accidents and major problems must be reported to the Rowing or Paddling Director immediately.
Dock Regulations
All sweep boats must launch with the bow pointing north. Kayaks and canoes launch with bow pointing south. Kayaks and canoes may cross over if clear after launch to go north. A map with traffic patterns is posted in the Boathouse, and must be obeyed at all times.
All shells should turn around only at the far ends of the lagoon to avoid interference with other shells and paddlers. At the north end of the lagoon, boats may only turn around north of the Fullerton Avenue Bridge.
All equipment adjustments should be done on land on slings prior to launching, to avoid congestion on the dock.
Shells, sculls, kayaks, and canoes are permitted on the water after dark only if appropriately lit. See club safety rules for the required bow, stern, and personal lights.