Sailing Clubs with rowing sections

duncan99210 said:
There's something of a difference between sailing clubs and gig racing: as I understand it, most sailing clubs tend to run a racing calendar where crews compete against one another within the club. Gig racing, with the need for seven person crews and comparatively expensive boats, focuses on racing against other clubs.
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Well I suppose what you mean by comparatively expensive. Even a cornish gig is cheap to buy compared to an average yacht, and as you point out is used by say 35 people, rather than a skipper and whatever crew he can put together. Other rowing boats will be a bit cheaper (eg Celtic Long Boats, St Ayles skiffs). The gigs are not just wheeled out once a week for racing. They will be used for a few hours every day by those in training for events, or out for a social. So it is different, but run appropriately it really can compliment the other activities of a sailing (watersports?) club.
 
Old Rhodie said:
We are a small sailing club on the Bristol channel and I am anxious to get in touch with sailing clubs who have built up "rowing sections" or have affiliated Rowing Clubs. Do you know of such a club ?
We have an opportunity to expand and some members are interested in following this path.
I have researched ( and visited ) "rowing clubs" on the Welsh and English West coasts and am not looking for advice on this topic.
Thanks,
Ken
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Stone Sailing club on the Blackwater in Essex
Last year we held an open meeting for rowers that was well attended with boats traveling well over 100 miles to a number of different events & all saying they want to come again
Place that seems really active is in St Peter Port guernsey
 
There is a fundamental difference between rowing & yacht clubs. In sailing personal ownership is virtually universal with members often making considerable investments in their boats. Rowing clubs are the other way round with club owned boats the norm. Rowing clubs also tend to attract strong willed people often with little knowlege of the water who wont or refuse to learn. Club politics can be a real issue & all seem to go through it sooner or later.
 
Keith 66,

that seems a bit harsh, at Langstone our local gig rowing club bods seem to ' know the water ' and have helped our sailing club boats out of bother in the past, there are moves to form closer links between clubs, last I heard.

One gets politics with any group of humans, but I've found common sense usually wins in the end.

While I agree generally re ownership, we and I'm sure other clubs have things like a good junior section with a fleet of boats the young 'uns can just sign out, when suitable and safe.

I wouldn't want anyone to think one has to be an owner to be in a club, the advice on here is often for newcomers to go to a club and ask around which I think spot on, there are usually owners looking for a crew, more for company than any skills, and it won't cost a penny or any membership for the newcomer to go along and get experience of different boats.

There are also ' try a boat ' and open introductory ' chat & barbecue ' days at various clubs in Chichester Harbour and I expect elsewhere.
 
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It might sound harsh but having been involved with rowing for many years the differences are there & need to be considered. My personal view now is that rowing can be a great asset to a yacht club that may have an ageing & falling membership, whether the older members see it that way is a different matter! In our club it isnt really a problem as the rowers own their own boats anyway. But of neccessity this limits its growth. Perhaps the RYA should take a good look at how British rowing organise & support grass roots sport!
 
LOL Keith, are you suggesting for a moment that sailing clubs do not attract strong willed people???? Have you spent more than 30 seconds on this forum, or ever been to the Lounge?
 
Keith 66 said:
There is a fundamental difference between rowing & yacht clubs. In sailing personal ownership is virtually universal with members often making considerable investments in their boats. Rowing clubs are the other way round with club owned boats the norm. Rowing clubs also tend to attract strong willed people often with little knowlege of the water who wont or refuse to learn. Club politics can be a real issue & all seem to go through it sooner or later.
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Perhaps you are only thinking of shell 8's and similar skulling boats?

The Royal Welsh Yacht Club has been completely rejuvenated by the setting up of a rowing section.

The rowers are enthusiastic and local so have done much work on our 700 year old clubhouse as well as almost taking over the day to day running of it. They are a great group of people that appreciate us encouraging & supporting them and have more than repaid us twice over with their efforts.

Funny how different people have different experiences isn't it? Just goes to show how prejudice can be derived from a single bad experience.
 
The Chanonry Sailing Club http://www.chanonry.org.uk/ of which I am a member has recently built a St Ayles Skiff http://www.chanonry.org.uk/st-ayles-rowing-skiff.html

Several club members including me are getting used to rowing her. There are 3 or 4 clubs in the area with similar boats and this summer there should be inter club events.

In fact this coming sunday 3 of the clubs are meeting up for some fun racing, and I hope to be out on the water taking part.

A bit more about the St Ayles Skiff here http://scottishcoastalrowing.org/about/
 
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Western Isles Yacht Club, Isle of Mull are about to finish their second St. Ayles skiff.
There seems to be more enthusiasm for rowing than sailing!
 
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