Guest Rowing

Preparation at the Putney Hard

The idea of rowing when you travel is wonderful – a chance to enjoy our sport when you are on the road for business, temporarily based somewhere, or perhaps on vacation with non-rowers.  As one rower said it “adds a meaningful dimension” to experience rowing somewhere other than your home club.

Part of our business is called The Rowing Concierge^TM, with the aim to facilitate guest rows.  Given the success of the Rowing The World^TM trips side, the concierge service has been somewhat on hold.  We have helped people to row in Florence, London, Dublin, Berlin and elsewhere, but on a very ad hoc and informal basis. So I was particularly pleased to be asked to explore this topic in a session at the Masters track at the USRowing Convention on 03 December 2016, titled Expand Your Oar-izons To A World of Rowing.

The dream of the Arno

In preparation, I did some internet research, and also asked rowers to share their ideas and experiences through The World Rowing Network on LinkedIn. Rowers responded from Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Here are a few key themes that emerged:

• Many clubs are not prepared for guest rowing requests. Those that are most prepared seem to be where there is demand: warm winter destinations like Florida; locations where there are famous regattas such as Henley-on-Thames and San Diego; iconic travel locations with beautiful bodies of water, such as Florence.
• The most common policies and procedures are:
  • Must sign a waiver or Release & Indemnity – this is most prevalent in the USA and Canada.
  • Must be in a boat with an experienced rower from the club and cannot bow. Some waterways, such as the Thames in London, have very strict rules regarding patterns of travel, but most clubs have directions and requirements to avoid collisions and learning and adhering to this is essential.
  • Proof of rowing ability, particularly membership in a club and current national federation number.
• Some clubs are very informal and trusting – “We accept guest’s explanation of qualifications. In 14 years we haven’t had anyone misrepresent and we haven’t had any equipment damages fortunately.”
• Costs or fees vary, but in many cases, there are none, especially for the first few rows. Frequently the arrangements are intended as reciprocal, or perhaps paying it forward.
• Not everyone is confident enough to approach a club for a guest row – it can be intimidating. Researching the club and selecting one that is aligned with your rowing experience (especially recreational vs. racing) makes it easier.
• Most experiences are positive, particularly when the club is organized and the guest is prepared for new experiences.
• The most common negative experience is the absence of any reply to a request.

Flags from clubs that have rowed at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Guest rowing gives you perspective and insights.  You may go to a boathouse much grander than your own.  Or perhaps you will leave with a heightened appreciation for your home facilities. How boats and oars are stored, protected and carried might give you ideas on changes for improvements.

You will be exposed to different ways of rowing.  Calls can vary and be confusing: for example “let it run” in Canada, “weigh enough” in America or “easy oar” in the UK. Then there is starboard/port vs. bowside/strokeside. You may be able to try very different types of rowing. An example is Santander en Boga in northern Spain:  “It’s a great experience for all involved as we row ‘traineras’ which are the old sardine fishing boats.”

Going for a guest row will expand your rowing horizons. Give it a try, the next time you are travelling.

Here are some examples of clear guest rowing policies and procedures:

• Edmonton Rowing Club (Alberta, Canada) http://www.edmontonrowing.ca/?page_id=3319
• Sarasota County Rowing Club (Florida, USA) http://www.sarasotacountyrowingclub.com/page/show/2288539-guests
• Winnipeg Rowing Club (Manitoba, Canada) https://winnipegrowingclub.ca/member-info/policies-and-procedures/guest-rower-policy/
• San Diego Rowing Club (California, USA) http://sandiegorowing.org/guest/
• Henley Rowing Club (England, UK) http://www.henleyrowingclub.co.uk/visiting-crews/