Scottish Coastal Rowing

Following the success of last year’s regatta at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival Portsoy, the organisers feel that the St Ayles Skiffs made such a positive contribution to the event that they want us back again – more of us!

This year, the accomodation will be expanded so that 18 skiffs are invited. We are looking at options for a few more should there be the demand for places.

As clubs are starting planning for which regattas they are attending during the coming season, the draw for Portsoy is being made much earlier.

The Regatta will be organised by Jordan Boats in conjunction with the STBF under the Rules of the SCRA.

The race program will be for a similar course to last year, with the actual classes to be raced similar to 2011 but to be confirmed at a later date.

Priority of berths for Portsoy will be allocated as follows:

1. Clubs north of a line drawn from Helensburgh to Perth.
2. All other Clubs
3. Second skiffs from any Club

In the event of more entries being received than there are places,  a random draw will be made  at whichever level of priority we are going to run out of spaces.

Applications from Club Secretaries should be made to Portsoy2012@jordanboats.co.uk by 6pm on Wednesday 22nd February 2012.  Successful clubs will be notified by Friday 24 Feb.  A reserve list will be maintained in the case that succesful applicants have to withdraw.  At this stage we are looking for entries from skiffs.  Successful applicants will be asked to list their crews and categories in which they would like to race nearer the time.

It is intended that new clubs will race in a separate “1st Year” category.   New clubs may race in the “Senior” events if they so desire, but this will commit them to racing all their crews as “Seniors”.  The Organisers may use their discretion to allow clubs who have rowed in a St Ayles Skiff prior to 2012 to row as 1st Years, and may also require clubs new to the St Ayles but with extensive previous rowing experience to row as Seniors.

Subject to consultation with the attending clubs, a shorter course will be marked for 1st Year Clubs and the older age classes.

Applications will only be accepted from Clubs with fully paid SCRA subscriptions for 2012.  Subscription status will be checked with the SCRA Treasurer immediately following application closure. Applications are also welcomed from clubs outside the UK, for whom special arrangements will apply.

Clubs in the process of building their first skiffs may apply for places at Portsoy, and indeed are welcomed.  However, the builders must have a realistic expectation that their skiff will be launched by 12 May to allow for sufficient practice time.   If an accepted skiff has not been launched by 12 May, its place may be offered to clubs on the reserve list.

All senior clubs will be expected to supply at least one race Umpire.  1st year clubs will be expected to supply an assistant umpire to start learning the “trade”.

That is the formal stuff – now some detail about what will be happening…

There will be improvements in the race facilities, particularly the start.

Camping for all Skiffies will once again be at the Soy Loch site.  The shower and toilet blocks are to be improved.  The STBF are coming forward with other improvements relating to entertainment on the Saturday evening. We have been promised a definite time slot for the prizegiving on the Sunday afternoon.

More information on the Portsoy Regatta will be posted on a sub-tab of Events 2012.

http://www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.org.uk/

Alec Jordan

Seamanship and Navigation are important skills for Coastal Rowers to develop.  Although inland rowers can get by with an understanding of good rowing technique, for safe and fulfilling enjoyment of our sport skiffies will do well to develop an understanding of the sea.  This is particularly so as we start to range further in training, racing and recreation.

With this in mind, Scottish Coastal Rowing Association is pleased to be able to announce that the SportScotland National Centre, Cumbrae is offering a special deal on the RYA online Essential Navigation and Seamanship Course.  Members of SCRA clubs can enrol on the course at the discounted rate of £55 per head.

Essential Navigation and Seamanship is an RYA certificated course.  The Centre will provide course materials by post for members to work on, as well as the online materials, tutorials and test and the service of a tutor at the centre who can be contacted to assist the candidate with any aspect of the course.  An explanation of the course can be found on the RYA site: http://www.ryainteractive.org/course/view.php?id=491  . A certificate is issued on successful completion of the course.

The course content includes charts and publications,  safety,  buoyage, tidal awareness, visual and electronic navigation, pilotage, rules of the road,   anchoring,  weather forecasts and passage planning.

A code is required for the discounted price, and will be circulated to secretaries of SCRA member clubs.  Once they have the code, candidates should contact  the National Centre Cumbrae at cumbraecentre@sportscotland.org.uk or 01475530757.

They will be given a ‘key’ to access the on line RYA programme and a centre contact who will act as their tutor when required.

SCRA would welcome feedback from members and hope that rowers benefit from this opportunity.

 

John Irvine of North Berwick Rowing Club gave the slide seat rowers a bit of a fright at the Scottish Indoor Rowing Champs held at Heriot-Watt University.  Despite the lack of waves Big John managed a magnificent second place in the over 50 heavyweight category.  The racing is held on concept 2 rowing machines over distance of 1000m.  With 200m, to go John was down on leader Milos Hunek of Czech Republic.  However the live feed from the event showed him coming back strongly from then to the finish, where Hunek just managed to hold on by one tenth of a second.  Hunek posted a time of 3:08.1, with Big John registering 3:08.2, and the third placed competitor coming in 2 seconds further back.  A magnificent effort from the big man, as anyone who has ever checked their time on one of these machines will know!

Full results here:  http://www.scottish-rowing.org.uk/applets/11SIRC_Results.pdf

Slightly less than a year ago, I posted that an order for St Ayles skiff kits had been placed with our agents in Australia.  Unfortunately, it transpired that this was alcohol fuelled enthusiasm on the part of the prospective customer.

I have now had confirmation from our Australian agent that he finally has a cheque for a St Ayles skiff kit.  This is being purchased by a group in Franklin Tasmania called Women on the Water.  Having seen some of the emails regarding the purchase, it is very evident that there is a high level of enthusiasm about their project.

With one group having made the commitment to build, we are expecting two or three more kits to be ordered very soon from other groups who have expressed strong interest.

Alec J

 

Rowing is not just about racing.  Plenty of skiffies enjoy getting out in the boat just for the sake of it, and at the end of last year many of us enjoyed the social cruise in company up the Tweed organised by members of Dunbar Rowing Club.

This year we suspect that some groups will be using their skiffs or other rowing boats for exploring the Scottish coastline beyond their home waters.  To encourage groups to share their experiences of this and to allow us all to learn from each other SCRA is pleased to announce the SCRA Cruising Log competition.

We would like members of SCRA clubs who go on expeditions and adventures to record them in a cruising log and forward that on to us. Ideally we would like to log to be uploaded so that we can post a link to it from our website.  Logs should have some pictures or video as well as a written description of the voyage, giving details of launch and recovery sites, stop overs, and descriptions of the tidal streams and conditions.  We hope that others coming after can learn constructively so please do admit to your mistakes as well as saying what went well, and please also include an appendix with some thoughts on safety issues that you feel others would benefit from.

Closing date for entries will be 31 October 2012, but we would be delighted if you could send entries sooner than that to inspire others.  All expeditions must have taken place in the 12 months preceding the closing date.

We would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to sponsor the competition or donate a trophy.  The competition will be judged on how entertaining and informative the log is, rather than just how long or arduous the cruise is, so don’t be shy about recording your thoughts on a weekend jaunt.

All entries and enquiries to secretary@scottishcoastalrowing.org please.

Several rowing groups in Scotland have been invited to take part in the Queens Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London on 3 June.  For those who do not know of the Pageant, Her Majesty is going to travel down London’s River on a royal barge, accompanied by a flotilla of 1000 small craft from all over the commonwealth.  The accompanying boats will travel 10 miles downriver from Putney to Docklands.

From Scotland, the Monarch’s Lord Lieutenants have been asked to identify craft to represent their counties and some of those Lord Lieutenants have looked to members of Scottish Coastal Rowing Association to do the honours.

Berwickshire will be represented by one of the County’s St Ayles skiffs, with a crew hopefully made up of members from both Eyemouth and St Abbs.  Ross is to be represented by a crew from Ullapool rowing club in Ulla.  Stornoway Rowing Club are going to be representing the Western Isles, with their crew to include local youngsters being recognised for their sporting success.  All three of these SCRA member clubs have a fair amount of training, fundraising and organising to do, and we wish them luck with that.

The Moray Gig leaving Portsoy Old Harbour

In addition Aberdeen Boat Club have had their application to take part in the Pageant accepted.  The Club intend to use a St Ayles skiff for the event.   The Moray Gig is also going to be taking part, representing the County of Moray.  http://www.moraygig.com/  At 38′ this sailing and rowing gig, rowed by 10 rowers with a total crew of 13,  will dwarf the St Ayles skiffs.  She was built in Findhorn where she was launched in 2001, and where she is still based.

The Glasgow Humane Society will also have a rowing boat, “George” taking part in the event and the Sheltand Isles will be sending down Dim Riv, a half size replica of a viking long boat.

More information on the pageant on their website:   http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/

 

 

This is a preliminary notice to gauge interest and assess the most suitable dates.

We have just had confirmation that a tutor from Welsh Rowing is willing to run the course. It could be run over two of the first three weekends of April, dates as follows:
31st March/1st April & 7th/8th April ALTERNATIVELY 7th/8th April & 14th/15th April

A very rough estimate of the cost is £ 300.00/person. This is for the course only and does not include accommodation (if required) or the pre-requisite qualifications such as personal affiliation to British Rowing, First Aid or Safegaurding & Protecting Children courses.

There will probably be only 10 places available. The venue will be at Royal West in Greenock to minimise any costs for use of facilities or launching.

Anyone interested should get in touch with myself asap, either via adam_graham@hotmail.com or rowing@rwsabc.com

We have received the following reminder from Scottish Rowing about events held in Scotland on “Concept 2″ rowing machines:

Scottish Indoor Rowing Championships: Reminder to all clubs that the deadline for entries for the 2012 Scottish Indoor Rowing Championships is midnight on Saturday 21st January. Entries can be made online at www.SIRC2012.notlong.com.

No need for a Scottish Rowing Racing Licence to compete at this event. Events available for all ages.

Scottish Rowing is now also running a Schools Indoor Rowing Programme. If anyone has any interest, please contact Ian White via email chalkmeister@hotmail.com

Hello Everyone and a Happy New Year to you all.

It is that time of year to start planning for attendance at regattas in the coming year. I hope after the success we had with the Dalriada Regatta you will all be interested in attending this year to try and win the Dalriada Challenge Cup. (in better weather)

The dates for Dalriada Festival 2012 is the 13th -21st July, the rowing regatta will be held on Saturday 21st July. This year we will have hopefully more races for juniors and we will be starting at 12.00 midday. All along the marina will be a funfair and attractions for all the family. After the awards there will be a Fancy Dress Parade for everyone to take part in, with a free Barbeque and live music. This will be set along the beach front, followed by a fireworks display ending the regatta and the Dalriada Festival. There will be a Disco for all the Rowers and friends and family in the Bridge End Tavern Pub in the centre of Glenarm.

There is a free camp site and caravan park in Glenarm castle for all competitors and family, so please contact me with your clubs entry and accommodation needed and I will secure these bookings. SCRA clubs have been offered use of the Still Waters Bunkhouse on the hill overlooking Glenarm. It can accommodate a large number, has a kitchen and showers so that little bit more comfortable.

For those travelling from Scotland this year there will be travel discounts. I will confirm in the next 2-3 weeks exactly what P&O is offering, hopefully it will be the same as last year. The bookings for 2012 will be secured through me as I will be the contact for the bookings with P&O. So please remember first come first served.

Please notify any Rowing clubs in your area that you think might be interested in taking part. You can e-mail me or my contact numbers are as follows.

Bookings should be made to Elaine via one of the routes below but as Royal West attended last year you can also contact them on rowing@rwsabc.com with questions.

Tel. no. 02828841184
Mob. no. 07727235047
Address. 9 Channel Vista, Glenarm. Ballymena. BT44 0AG.
Email elainenelson01@hotmail.com

The Dalriada festival website is being updated at present so for any other information for the festival week please log on.

In the next 2 weeks Dalriada Rowing Facebook will set up, again we will keep everyone informed about registration forms etc.

Good Luck Everyone

Elaine Nelson

Since early December, when skiff No 49 was ordered for construction in Newcastle upon Tyne, various candidates have presented themselves for the purchase of the 50th. Almost every time I emailed Robbie Wightman to let him know that I had had another “Note of Interest”, he would reply telling me that he had received some interest from another group.

We also heard through the grapevine that another community had received its lottery funding for a skiff, adding to the list of possibles.

Tonight, after much anticipation, I can reveal that the 50th skiff in the UK and 70th around the world, has been ordered by North Queensferry Boat Club.

I went over to NQ to receive the cheque, and have a look at the progress on their first skiff. Pictures will be posted in the morning, but I would say that the real competition with South Queensferry is starting now, as the quality of their build is of a very high standard. If they can carry on as they are, then SQ are going to have to raise their game in the boatbuilding stakes.

It says a lot for the enthusiasm of NQ that they have found the money for a second skiff already. They are aiming for a launch date of 6 May for the first skiff. Will six weeks practice be sufficient for them to seriously challenge SQ at their regatta? Will the Queensferries become the real “needle match” in Scottish Coastal Rowing?

Alec Jordan

The Rollocking Rowing Club was formed in the second half of 2011 and is based in the Lochgilphead Joint Campus.

The club includes pupils, staff and parents. It has been raising money and working to restore two small skiffs that we were gifted by a local boat builder, Adam Way. In December 2011 the club received word that its application for a grant from Awards For All Scotland had been successful, this money will be used to fund our first St Ayles Skiff build. We are currently in the process of seeking new community members to get involved with the restoration and the new build.

If you are in the Mid Argyll area and wish to get involved in the project please contact Alec Ohnstad at the Joint Campus on 01546 602598 or email to Alec.Ohnstad@lochgilpheadhigh.argyll-bute.sch.uk

Happy New Year to all in the  Scottish Coastal Rowing community.  Good luck with all the boat building and rowing in the year ahead.  There are currently 25 St Ayles skiffs launched in Scotland and Northumberland, and there are 24 kits in the process of being built, the most recent being despatched to Byker in Newcastle and the Isle of Islay.  Hopefully we will welcome many more of those boats onto the water in time for the main regatta season, which is currently due to start on 5 and 6 May 2012 at Port Seton.  We eagerly await finding out which community will order the 50th kit!

Rowing a St Ayles…… the icing on the cake

 

Wednesday 21st December 2011 :  The time came to turn the St Ayles skiff being built at Carrick Academy,  South Ayrshire, with  appropriate ceremony to mark the occasion.

upturnkeep turning

 

lower gentlyclap

   

Project leader Niall McGinnis tells us  “It all went well with nobody being squashed! We used the opportunity to invite a whole host of local people and to promote the newly formed club, “Carrick Coastal Rowing Project”.

“Getting the boat ready for the day was touch and go, with extra hours needed to reach the deadline, but it was worthwhile with the ceremony receiving a great turnout with lots of positive remarks.”

Pictured are the 6th years, Hollie Lucas, Connor Riggans, Robbie McCreath, Dale Hamilton, Daniel Roulston and Blair Jardine ,project leader Niall McGinnis, technician Brian Auld, and  two senior volunteers that help out for two hours a week John McGinnis and Alec Kelly.

Might be a bit early but thought we should publicise this at every opportunity as they were a founding member of the SCRA.

The Scottish Fisheries Museum Open Day has FREE admission for all on Bank Holiday Monday 4th June, 2012. It is a chance to see the Museum and the work it does with the local community. There will be a chance to see the Fisher Lass & Lad come into the harbour onboard the historic herring drifter ‘Reaper’ and see the work of our volunteers and clubs. Winning entries from the children’s art competition will be on display and there will be a range of activities for all the family (N.B. most activities still be arranged at this stage)

This is the weekend the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and the Tuesday has also been designated a Public Holiday (for those that qualify).

Coastal Rowing Groups are looking at a variety of ways to bring in the New Year or see out the old.

Boatie Blest will be holding their new year family races on January 3rd 2012, with the start of racing expected at around 9am.  As last year the races will probably held within Port Seton Harbour, giving excellent spectator views. 

Last year Boatie Blest’s  families races attraced 8 teams:   ”archies offspring”, “murphys”, “bergs” “Aitkens/Atkins” “Brashes” “Doney Family Fearons” “souness and Friends” and “mariettas Misfits”  racing round the circuit track in the harbour in a head to head knockout.   Archies Offsprings were victorious on the day and have since been awarded the “Jackie Robertson Quaich” . It will be raced for again this year.

There will also be the usual high quality tea and coffee cakes for which  Boatie Blest is famous.

Ardersier Boat Club are still looking for a shed in which to buld their boat.  If you can possibly help them in their search, please get in touch.  Until they get a shed, they won’t have a boat.

The lack of a boat however is not going to put this intrepid new community club off from being on the water on New Year’s day…..  or rather in the water.  Club members and supporters are called upon to don their cossies, trunks, swimmers or mankinis and go for a Loony Dook   at 3.30 on New Years Day.  Actually fancy dress is also the order of the day, so we can look forward to seeing the photos after the new year. 

Meet at the Slipway Car Park, the Beach, Ardersier.  The dookers will be raising funds to try to ensure that next year they can be kept away from the cold water by the hull of  a St Ayles skiff.

Follow Ardersier Boat Club on Facebook for any updates.  Good luck intrepid swimmers.  Sponsorship forms, which include safety information (eg wear sensible shoes with your fancy dress) from ardersierboatclub@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Ardersier-Boat-Club/110027325770684

After the New Year the next meeting of the Ardersier Boat Club will be January 19th, 2012.

 

Where is the mystery, luxury shed that has kept you guessing?  Port Glasgow?  Nooo, Cockenzie?  Noooo. 

Ta dahhhh.  It’s Queensferry Rowing Club’s swish building emporium beside Scotmid supermarket on the Loan in South Queensferry.  Here are members of the building team under Mike McDowall (third from left) working on the sister ship to “Ferry Lass”. Visitors welcome.

Yes Queensferry are building their second skiff, thanks to a community grant award from Almond Neighbourhood Partnership of £1000, fundraising and other kind donations. Perhaps some of the clubs in Edinburgh want to try to tap their local neighbourhood partnership for some funds. 

Queensferry Rowing Club secretary Denise Havard tells us  “the second boat build is keeping us busy as well as our winter programme of talks ranging from knots, to rowing technique, safety to tides and charts and of course a few social gatherings in between. 

“Happy Christmas to all of our coastal rowing friends and if your are about in Queensferry on the 1 January for the Loony Dook look out for the “Ferry Lass” and our very own Tony Hamblin who is going to brave the waters to raise funds for the club!

“Nadolig Llawen”   as they say in Wales.”

Crivens the water will be cold as we say in Scotland.  Watch this space for more news of intended new year capers from other skiffies.

1) The Problem . . .

2) The Solution . . .

3) The Satisfaction. . .

We have been looking recently at the venues that communities have been able to secure to build their boats.  The venue that Alex Finnegan, co-founder and director of Puppetship  CIC  takes some beating.   Alex has been building small boats with youth groups in Northumberland for some time. It is no great surprise that he was enthusiastic about the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project, and wanted to become involved. There was however one small problem: he was not sure if a completed St Ayles skiff could be extracted through the 41″  (1035mm) wide doors (three of them in a row) that stood between his boat building space in St Michaels Church, Byker, and the open sea.

The first thoughts were theoretical. Chris O’Kannaird, the first skiff built, had fitted through a similar sized door when she visited the Scottish Parliament in January 2010. However that was a single door, and it was not known if the series of doors, combined with the beautiful rising sheer of the St Ayles would be a problem.

Alec Jordan of Jordan Boats, does of course have a CAD model of the St Ayles on his computer. He did what anyone would expect him to do in the circumstances, and with the measurements given to him of the church, designed a CAD model of the church. Bringing the two models together on the computer, he found he was able to post the boat through the virtual letterbox. He confidently predicted that it would fit.

Just to be sure before building started…… SCRA put Alex in touch with Phil Walton and the Gosforth Community rowers, who were happy to use their skiff Grace for a trial. The pictures above tell the story: it IS possible to fit a St Ayles Skiff through a Church doorway.

So it looks like Gosforth will have company/competition for Grace on Tyneside – and thanks to Alex Finnegan and Puppetship some more young folk in Newcastle will have a fantastic opportunity to share in the boat building experience that has given so many so much.

Anyone who buys the current edition of “Watercraft” Magazine will see some stunning photos of the skiff racing at Portsoy 2011.  The Photos were taken by Kathy Mansfield, a professional marine photographer, who regularly attends Portsoy, as well as many other well posh international marine events.  Photos from Portsoy can be viewed and purchased on Kathy Mansfields website:

http://www.pbase.com/kathymansfield/portsoy

As the year draws to a close, I thought it may be of interest to mark where we are in terms of numbers, and some other achievements.

This week has seen another three orders for St Ayles Skiffs; from Girvan, Islay, and second from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

We have now sold kits for 49 skiffs in the UK, two south of the border.  It is looking very likely that there will be another three or four early in 2012.

I frequently receive enquiries from further south, and sometime, someone from a bit further south of Newcastle is going to bite.  Even if it is not for a St Ayles, the idea of a community built kit boat has taken hold and I have had further enquiries from people looking at building local designs on the Solent and the Thames.

There are still a few holes in the geographic coverage of Scotland, but there has been interest from these areas, apart from the South West from the Solway around to Maybole.

Doing a bit of totting up in starting preparation for the 2012 Portsoy Regatta, it looks like there will be about 33 St Ayles Skiffs on the water by the spring – maybe more if the ones who have just ordered or about to order really pull out the stops to get their skiffs on the water.  Would be a wonderful sight to see them all in one place!

In the USA, there are now 2 skiffs launched, and another 14 building, mainly in New England, but also in Pennsylvania, New York state, and Florida.  The Portland ladies have been in touch and are keen to visit Scotland next year. There is other interest in the USA, and there has also been strong interest from a couple of places in Canada, though these have not yet translated into hard orders as yet.

The “order” that we had from Australia did not actually happen in the end, but, our agents there have told me that there are enthusiastic supporters of the idea, and that Tasmania is the most likely candidate for the first Australian Skiff.

We can be confident that the numbers of St Ayles skiffs will continue to grow both in Scotland and further afield.

Alec Jordan
Jordan Boats