Concept2 Forum

I'd love to take up rowing on the water, but I was just doing some research online on rowing sculls. Wow! They cost an arm and a leg! And that's just the boat. Oars? Transport. Adds up.

Anyway, you guys who row OTW, do most of you have your own boats? If not, what are other options?

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bobkwan2007 wrote:
Anyway, you guys who row OTW, do most of you have your own boats? If not, what are other options?

Most clubs have boats available for use by the members. As far as membership costs are concerned, you would have to check with the clubs, if any, that are available in your area.

Bob S.

I agree with Bob S; find a club or a facility that rents boats. I've done both as well as owned my own. Either way rowing is time consuming, but the club arrangement is better in that they'll have docks and facilities, whereas I had to water launch my boat. Plus, seeing my poor boat just hang there for most of the time because I didn't have all morning to row one hour finally forced me to sell it. The main advantage of a club/facility, however, is seeing if rowing really suits you before you make the big investment in equipment. If there was a club near where I live, I'd join it today.

Bob K - I agree with the comments above & would add that if you have not rowed on the water before, you would be best to try a Learn-to-Row class first. They are usually done in eights (8+), so unlikely you would go swimming while you get used to the whole setup.
Many clubs also offer Learn-to-Scull, and as long as you are in a wide/hard-to-tip trainer, that is a good starting point.
Jumping straight into a racing scull (1x) without any other OTW experience is a bit like trying out a unicycle before learning how to ride a bike.

There are a number of Toronto Clubs with LTR programs, including Argonaut, Don and Hanlan. You might want to check their sites.

Not sure what you consider an arm/leg, but if you looked at new racing single sculls, they are definitely pricey. A new Empacher (likely the priciest boat out there) will set you back C$12K+, but you can pick up a basic new racing shell for C$4K (check the Levator site).
Best bet is used, where you can pick up a decent shell (with all of the extras like blades, boat cover, car-top rack) for significantly less. Check the classifieds in Row2K, Rowing Canada. But, you would definitely want to try things out in club boats before laying out a nickel on your own boat, even used.

Cheers. Patrick.

I agree with some of the previous posters, try it befor you buy it. Learn to scull at a club or go to a camp like Craftsbury Sculling camp. If you like it you can join a rowing club and use club boats. In the past I have done that however I got tired of rowing with restrictions. Today I row a single for myself and by myself, useally in local ponds but if I am travelling I will put the boat on the rack and row where ever.
As to price you can get a used boat for a reasonable cost or if you enjoy boat building build your own which is what I have done with my boats, 3 of the, over the years.
This one which was the 3rd is a Graham King designed hull onto which I mounted a Rowfit wing rigger. It is built with wood (red cedar and mahogony and sika spruce) and carbon fiber, it weighs 38 lbs rigged.

that's a pretty shot... I love Kings!

There's an all comers event at Graeme's home water on the CT river (Green Mountain Head)... Once I looked into the small boathouse there... all Kings....

bobkwan2007 wrote:I'd love to take up rowing on the water, but I was just doing some research online on rowing sculls. Wow! They cost an arm and a leg! And that's just the boat. Oars? Transport. Adds up.

Anyway, you guys who row OTW, do most of you have your own boats? If not, what are other options?

Bob,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but I have only just joined the forums....

If you are in the Toronto area, you can try OTW rowing at any number of local clubs: Hanlan BC (Portlands), Don RC (Mississauga), Argonaut RC (near the CNE), Durham RC (Port Perry), Leander (Hamilton), Island Lake (Orangeville), etc. Check out the Ontario Rowing website for links or for names of clubs further afield.

All of the clubs offer learn-to-row classes, however I should add that each has historically had issues integrating newbies. You do a learn-to-row course, and then you are basically left to fend for yourself. And (in my experience), S. Ontario clubs do not keep a lot of club singles, if any. Most of the single you will see would be private. If you want to row regularly you have to become part of a crew; and if you want to become part of a crew you have to moon around for months, sometimes years. A lot of people become discouraged before they get too far. Even if you buy a boat, you will find that many of the clubs are stuck for rack space.

My club, Hanlan, is making a concerted effort to integrate new rowers, particularly at a rec level, due almost exclusively to the efforts of one committed guy. They row on weekday evenings and weekends, May-Oct. Contact him through the website at www.hanlanboatclub.ca.

However before I come across as a partisan, I should mention that to some degree all of the clubs recognize the issue of orphaned LTR rowers getting integrated into the life and routines of the club. My suggestion is that, whatever club you do approach, you should ask pointed questions as to what they will do for you after you complete your LTR: boat access, training times, joining a crew, renting racking space if you purchase, attending regattas w. rec divisions, social events, etc.

And there is an increasing cadre of "touring" rowers -- people doing one day, two day, one week trips throughout Ontario in "fat" touring boats. See the website of Ontario Adventure Rowing. All club members in Ontario are automatically enrolled through their home clubs. Enquire if the club has touring rowers and when they meet.

Finally if you want to be totally business-like about it, make inquiries about the club's most recent annual financial statements and Annual General Meeting. Once you become a member, you have a right to know. There are clubs --- not among those listed above -- that cannot satisfy those fundamental underpinnings of a reliably run NPO.
The financial affairs of the club are completely opaque. Caveat emptor.

Good luck, and I will look forward to seeing you on the water.

-Uncle Bobby