Cranford Canoe Club — Local services in Cranford

I am disappointed with the service. Very rude the moment we arrived. The older man working behind the counter first of all was not wearing a mask. As soon as we asked him for a rental he snapped at us with an attitude. He did not want to give us a 2 person kayak because they were closing soon but we could rent a Canoe or 1 person kayak. He seemed annoyed by our service and it didn't feel pleasant. That interaction was unsettling but we tried to brush it off. We signed the waiver, paid, and were ready to go with our vests and paddles, we were just waiting for mom and dad to park the car. The man was getting agitated because we were waiting by the dock, threatening to refuse service to us because my parents were a little behind. He was rushing us even though there was no one waiting behind us nor were we holding up any other customers as that was it for the day. Our parents were walking in as this larger man was coming OUT from BEHIND the counter to resume complaining and yelling at us, that we're supposed to be ready (even though we were) and we told him when we paid that we were 6 people. We were getting in the canoes with the help of the young boys who were working, yet the man was still yelling at us over the dock, whining about his long day (even though they don't take any customers after 5, so their job after 5 is just to sit and wait for those returning, so it's not like they were in a rush to leave or close). We got there half an hour before they closed (we arrived at 4:30 pm, they take their last rental at 5 pm) and the old man was claiming they were already closed. I felt bad for the young men who working there who seemed embarrassed that the old fat man was still yelling at us in the canoes. They were not rushing us or whining, they didn't say anything to us but guides us to get the vests and paddles. It was just the older man behind the counter who came out and gave attitude.

Additionally, they did not seem to sanitize the boats or paddles after someone returns them. The previous person who used the paddle puts it in the bin and the next person grabs it. Especially for something we touch a lot, it's a bit concerning. We basically grabbed the paddles after someone returned it. The boats they rinsed.

Overall it could’ve been a nice experience but the man ruined it from the start. I've been here before and there was a younger man behind the counter and I had no problem. I am disappointed that the experience was ruined by the moment my family got there by the grumpy old man who was either having a bad day or does not know how to provide pleasant service. A shame.

UPDATE: Owner responded to review with lies and sarcasm. This is an example of the poor service and treatment of their own customers. Always attacking the customers which reflects poorly on the grumpy old man and his business....

Great place to relax! The club has various canoes and kayaks available, including tandems, for 2 hour rentals. Not sure if they accept reservations, I would recommend going earlier or later in the day to minimize waiting. Surprisingly the river is decently shaded and soundproofed by all the trees and other greenery surrounding it. Even though it is located in central New Jersey, you can still run into some wildlife. The river itself is quite narrow, at least compared to the Delaware. There is barely a current so constant paddling is required. Unfortunately there is a dam less than half a mile to the south, so it is not possible to paddle out of Cranford. The other available direction is to the north, through Nomahegan Park. At a certain point the river becomes too shallow and overgrown by trees to paddle farther. Regarding duration, assuming a fast paddling speed, in a kayak, and without any breaks, it would be possible to explore the whole river within one hour. With kids or inexperienced paddlers it will probably take...

Very rude the moment we arrived. The older man working behind the counter said he did not want to give us a 2 person kayak because they were almost closed but we could use a Canoe or 1 person kayak. It made no sense. It seemed like he was trying to get more money from us by making us rent single person kayaks instead of the double. We paid at we’re ready to go, we were just waiting for mom and dad to park the car. The man was getting even more rude, threatening to refuse service to us because my parents were not with us yet. Also they don’t sanitize the life jackets, paddles, or boats. The owner claims we came after they closed which is not true, and that we didn’t respect their mask policy which is also false. Overall it could’ve been a nice experience but the man ruined it from the start. The path is boring anyway there are better places to go that have a better...