The SCRA launched a new tab on thier website today, “Learning”.
On behalf of British Rowing and The Scottish Coastal Rowing Association we will be hosting a UKCC Level 2 Fixed Seat Rowing Coaches Course on the following two weekends in April:
7th/8th April & 14th/15th April
Please note that the first weekend is the Easter Weekend.
The cost will be £ 335.00/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 Safeguarding & Protecting Children courses.
There will probably be only 12 places available. Anyone interested should get in touch with myself asap, either via adam_graham@hotmail.com or rowing@rwsabc.com
Chris Nichol of SportScotland National Centre (Cumbrae) has kindly agreed to give SCRA affiliated clubs a substantial discount on the online RYA Seamanship course. The content of the course (with the possible exception of “engine maintainance”) is very relevant to what we do, and can only help the skills of our rowers and coxswains. See the post on the SCRA website
http://scottishcoastalrowing.org/2012/02/01/essential-navigation-and-seamanship/
If you wish to to take up the course please contact myself via rowing@rwsabc.com for the discount code.
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. Royal West and SCRA clubs have been offered use of the Still Waters Bunkhouse, so no need to camp if you don’t want to. The bunkhouse can accommodate a lot of people.
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.
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
Nov 022011
Royal West played host this weekend to two days of Fixed Seat Rowing activity. Eleven clubs were represented by 32 people attending a coach’s day on Saturday and on Sunday twelve clubs attended a seminar in the morning, then the AGM of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association in the afternoon. Clubs attending over the weekend were Newhaven, North Berwick, Royal West, RowPorty, Boatie Blest, Troon, Queensferry, Gal Gael, St Ayles, Dunbar, Lochgilphead, Ullapool, Gosforth and Cumbrae.
Saturday saw coaches from 11 clubs attend a day long workshop on what they should be considering as coaches. There was a small group from Troon CRC who attended as guinea pigs as well as 4 pupils and 3 teachers from Lochgilphead Joint Campus School.
Novices being shown round Chippy McNish
Before going afloat on Saturday the coaches had to demonstrate not only key elements of boat and equipment knowledge , but also rowing technique. Following on from this they had to work with the novices to develop skills on the water in conditions that were less than ideal.
Pictured above is a crew containing David Pestell of Newhaven at Cox, Trisha Bone of St. Ayles RC at stroke, two of the pupils from Lochgilphead and Frazer McDonald Hay of North Berwick RC, the photo was taken by Alec Ohnstad of Lochgilphead.
The water based session in the morning involved 4 of the new St Ayles Skiffs and two of the Club’s Heavy Fours, Whiteforeland and Zebra. The Club’s rescue boat was also launched to provide safety cover and a platform from which to supervise the coaching from.
Lunch was provided by members’ wives and family, much to the delight of the visiting participants. Having an hour out of the wind and drizzle with hot soup and rolls was very much appreciated.
In the afternoon crews participated in Immersion Recovery Drills (man overboard to the uninitiated). Two dummies were used to simulate casualties in the water and the crews had to take it in turn to manoeuvre and rescue them. Different people in the boats took it in turn to control the exercise each time allowing the experience to be more fully understood by a larger group.
Ferry Lass going through her paces helmed by a pupil from Lochgilphead
Before the crews returned to shore it was decided to take a short trip from the Club into Cardwell Bay. Within a few minutes of starting this trip a weather front approached from the West bringing with it waves, high winds and torrential rain. The organising group was very impressed with the decision making skills of the participating coaches in individual boats who quickly understood the change in weather and also the capabilities of their crews and turned back for the relative safety of the bay in front of the Club.
The welcoming sight of Royal West's clubhouse
Once the boats were all put away, showers taken and refreshments found there was a debrief on the day’s activities. There was no shortage of feedback on how the visiting clubs had found the day and also on what they would like to happen next. There was a strong feeling from the participants that more formal qualifications are needed at club level and the SCRA have started the process of organising a UKCC Level 2 Fixed Seat Rowing Coaches Course in the spring. Details will be published on the SCRA website as the course if formalised.
Saturday was rounded off with a Halloween Party in the clubhouse attended by approx 50 members and guests.
We were short of dwarves, Topher knelt into the breach
Sunday was a mostly land based day. There was a seminar in the morning covering;
• Regatta organisation
• Umpiring
• PVG issues
There was lively constructive debate on all these topics and a good sharing of knowledge. Watch out for information on the website as a result of these discussions.
Over lunch, again catered for by the Royal West members’ wives and family, there was an opportunity for some water based activity. The St. Ayles RC crew took Chris o’ Kinnaird out for a wander and various people tried out Alec Jordan’s new Wemyss Skiff.
The afternoon was dominated by the SCRA AGM. A report on this will be posted separately.
There have been a number of very kind messages emailed or posted on websites regarding the weekend, we at Royal West would thank you all for attending and lending a hand whenever needed.
The comments are listed below:
“felt it was a very good introductory course. It was pitched just at the right level and covered the essential basics. It also whetted my appetite to learn more.”
David Pestell, Newhaven Coastal Rowing
“enjoyed the day – it was professional, considered and friendly – a perfect combination”
Frazer MacDonald Hay, North Berwick RC
“Thanks to you and the club for such an instructive and entertaining weekend”
Topher Dawson, Ullapool Coastal RC
“We wished we could have joined for the sessions, but we enjoyed what we did partake off”
Phil Walton, Gosforth Community Rowing
“Thanks again for this weekend to all at Royal West. I look forward to where we go from here.”
Ben Duffin, Gal Gael
“…thank you for the brilliantly organised, comfortably accommodated and magnificently catered day at Royal West yesterday. There was lots of evidence of excellent planning and preparation, thoughtful and considerate chairing, and the very genuine and positive collaborative spirit that has characterised my experience of coastal rowing so far. If you can pass on these thanks from RowPorty to your Royal West and SCRA colleagues, I’d be grateful.”
Emily Griffiths, RowPorty
“Thanks very much for letting us join your coaching day… the kids have been raving about it all the way home and ever since they got home, the best advert possible!
The staff also loved it and it was great to see the skiffs first hand.”
Alec Ohnstad, Lochgilphead Joint Campus School
“worth the trek and the total soaking I got from playing in the rain all day. It was also good to be in a different boat with a different mix of people.”
Alison Grant, RowPorty
“On behalf of Scottish Coastal Rowing Association I would like to express sincere thanks to Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club for the hospitality that they extended to our member clubs over the weekend. The facilities you have were fantastic for holding our event, and as ever Royal West you made our visitors feel very welcome and safe. It is very kind of your members to share their experience with the relative newcomers to the sport from other clubs. The catering that your members provided was also very much appreciated. Best of luck to Royal West of Scotland ABC in all its endeavours.”
Robbie Wightman, Convenor, Scottish Coastal Rowing Association
I would like to say a huge thank you to all those in the Club that help organise and run this event. It has really put us on the map as regards member clubs in the SCRA and help promote rowing to other new clubs on the West Coast.
Adam Graham, Royal West
Ladies 35+ crew returning to the relative calm of the harbour after coming second to Anstruther
Sunday afternoon from 2pm is the AGM of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association. This should be attended by members from the 18-20 clubs in the Association. Any Royal West member is welcome to attend.
Saturday morning will see novice rowers from Lochgilphead Joint Campus School being instructed in how to row by coaches from all over Scotland, thier methods and technique in doing this being reviewed and assessed by instructors from Royal West. In the afternoon everyone will experience Immersion Recovery Drills so that by the time they leave they have a solid understand of the actions needed to recovery casualties from the water. Late afternoon on Saturday will be a debrief and Q&A session on coaching.
Saturday evening the coaches will be attending the Club’s Halloween Party. They have to attend as one of the founding principles of the SCRA is to encourage members to meet socially.
Sunday morning is a series of discussion forums on regattas organising, umpiring and PVG. This will be rounded off with lunch in the Clubhouse.
If you want to keep track of the SCRA thier website is http://scottishcoastalrowing.org
Also on in Greenock next weekend is the Annual Dinner of the North British Rowing Club. This is being organised by Robert Robertson of Royal West, and takes place in the Tontine Hotel on Saturday night. We may see some of them about the Club over the weekend.
Oct 102011
As you may have seen there is a line of Polo Shirts and Red Hoodies available with the Club’s name on it. We are about to place an order for some more and would ask that anyone interested sends me an email asap.
The kit is illustrated in the photos below
Cold, wet but satisfied with a medal and the prospect of a warm cocoa
It is available in almost any size. The smallest Polo is an adult Small and the smallest Hoody is a childrens 7/8 years. Any smaller and the design won’t fit on it.
Prices are as follows:
Adult Polo £ 17.00
Adult Hoody £ 16.00
Child’s size hoody £ 14.00
Cheques made payable to RWSABC. Above prices include VAT.
Anyone interested please email adam_graham@hotmail.com
Oct 012011
The weather might not have been great but spirits were high for the Club’s Closing Cruise this morning. An intrepid squad of 14 gathered at the Club from 09:30, readying boats and discussing the optins for the day.
As the two St Ayles Skiffs and Campbell McCall’s Dignity left the bay there was a heavy mist over most of the river, Kilcreggan was only just visible and a decision had been made to head there for a coffee. As there was heavy rain predicted for early afternoon it was decided that the cruise would be relatively short and we would lunch back at the Club, prior to tidying the boats and sheds. Each of the boats had a very mixed crew. The youngest in Birdie Bowers was 6, the oldest 68. Chippy McNish had 3 women and 3 men, age range from 10 late 60′s. As we rowed over Alex Paterson unsuccessfully attemped to rescue a jellybaby that had fallen overboard during a crew change. This was surprising as he has undergone immersion recovery training in these boats, he probably did not want the jellybaby enough.
In arrival at Kilcreggan it was felt a photo should be taken to record the trip and to add to the Club’s collection of photos of this event. It might not have the same degree of style that can be seen in the old black and white photos from the early 1900′s but it shows that there is still a Club spirit in 2011.
A selection of coffees, teas and hot chocolates were ordered at the cafe in Kilcreggan, as well as a few cakes and black pudding rolls. We made contact with a former Associate Member, who asked the question of her companions “why don’t we get some rowing going over here”. We plant the seed wherever we can, lets see if it grows. After an all too brief stop we had to head back. The heavy mist had turned to rain and the packed lunches were in the clubhouse.
As we crossed back the river conditions were very calm, visibility was not great but we could see four MOD tugs and a RIB approaching from Loch Long. Hidden amongst the group of tugs was a submarine. The RIB came up to check us out but probably saw the Club flags and thought we were a special escort for the sub. They past to our stern without incident.
On arriving back at the club Chippy McNish was loaded onto the road trailer in readiness for attending the launch of Troon’s new skiff tomorrow at 1pm. The racing shed was swept out and tidied. We also brought all the pairs and sixteens up off the beach. Tall people should be aware that there are now two pairs hanging from the roof of the Heavy Fours shed. We have padded the keel immediately outside the gents changing room and will be posting signage to warn everyone walking through there.
We also found time to do some gardening, a weed was removed from the bottom of the flagpole (not sure how Alex got up there but Matt sorted it)
After all the work was done there was time to relax, family and friends joined us for take away and a beer.
Everyone enjoyed the day, regardless of the weather. The sheds and boats are tidier after all the effort. A big thank you to all who helped.
Sep 252011
Maritime conections of Troon will be providing a RYA VHF opperators course at the Club
This is a one day vhf radio course and simply tends to be known as the VHF Course. The course/exam leads to the new Short Range Certificate (SRC) and covers the new Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS course).
Course Dates 12 of November 2011
9.00 am – 5.00
Cost £80 (this includes the RYA exam fee) Payable on booking your place on the course)
12 places available
To book your place on the course please contact Dave Marquis dmarquis1@aol.com 01475522053
Place may be available for non club members
Sep 212011
The weather on Saturday was variable, if you were in Greenock, however a small band of members from the Club took a wander to Carrick Castle on Loch Goil and managed to stay in the sunny & dry weather zone for almost the entire day. As rain spread from the Argyll Hills East over Inverclyde and North over Dunoon & up towards Loch Goil the crew in Chippy McNish avoided all the showers other than 10 minutes as they rowed out of Loch Goil and back into Loch Long at 16:00.
The day had started badly with blustery weather in Greenock at about 07:30-08:00, some of the younger members of the crew apparently questioned if the trip would be on as they got out of bed at an unearthly time on a Saturday morning. By the time the crew met at the Club the weather was fine. Chippy McNish was launched and packed ready for a day trip to assess the suitability of the skiffs for long distance cruising.
In the crew were Heather Scott, Skye, Calum Ford, Alec Stewart, Alex Paterson & Adam Graham. They are pictured above enjoying a break at the Knockderry Hotel.
We left the Club at 10:05 and were off Knockderry Hotel by 11:15. We were all so engrossed in the discussions in the boat and the views that we nearly rowed right past the hotel. It was a comment from Heather that brought us to our senses and led to a brief stop to assess the suitability of the hotel for the forthcoming Closing Cruise. It definitely sells beer and looks comfortable. The staff were also very helpful and welcoming, even with us in wet shoes and trackies.
The next objective was Ardentinny, this took us about 30 minutes. It only took this long as we had to give a wide berth to a freighter and its accompanying tug as they came down the loch. we rekindle old relationships with the beach and sailing club shed at the activity centre. All is still there but there are curiously two dragon boats at the top of the beach now. A check was made on the hotel, it is closed at the moment but looks as though someone is doing some work on it and the external appearance is not shabby.
We lunched on the beach before heading off for Carrick Castle, our ultimate goal. As we continued up Loch Long we were being constantly observed by MOD Police launch at Coulport and the watch towers. Stories abounded about who might be watching and listening to every word we were saying. There was even speculation about the true identities of some slow moving sea birds floating nearby.
As we rounded the corner into Loch Goil there were very light rain showers near the opposite shore and these generated some fantastic rainbows, see below. This phenomenon continued for the next 2 hours. This was also where we saw the first of the seal that were to follow us all the way back to Knockderry.
We landed at Carrick Castle about 15:00. As a lot of you may know the hotel has been demolished and is now a site awaiting development. There are no shops left open in the village and the castle itself is signposted as Private Property. It is still a lovely spot, as can be seen in the photos below.
Leaving Carrick Castle at 15:45 we rowed out of Loch Goil past numerous rainbows and finally got caught in a rain shower. This shower lasted about 10-15 minutes and stopped just after the cables cross Loch Long. Following a route intended to keep us well away from Coulport we headed South, once Alex took the helm we cut the corner slightly and ended up about 20 yards off the pier as we pasted the gatehouse. Our spirits were kept high by thoughts of a stop at Knockderry but as the return trip was without the benefit of the tide and wind it was much slower. The stop at Knockderry was not going to be feasible and we pressed on for the Club.
In the second hour heading South, as we crossed the bay towards Cove Sailing Club, idle banter in the boat ceased. Hands and butts were sore. Muscles stiff when crew changes happened. All were looking forward to a shower, hot food and a beer. As we moved from Loch Long to the Clyde the waves were from the South West, forcing us onto the shore. We quartered the waves, making for Gourock rather than the Club. When we got to about mid-channel we turned for the Club and could use the waves to partially surf back.
Arriving at the Club just after 19:00 we had completed the trip down from Carrick Castle in a little over 3 hours and the whole 24mile trip in 9 hours. Approximately 6 hours of that time spent on the water. We were welcomed back by family, Chippy went away quickly and everyone went home happy and tired.
The skiff is light and easy to handle in comparison to a Heavy Four. It moves quickly and has plenty of space for spare oars, all the equipment you might require for a long trip and a dog. However the five man crew means that you typically row for 60 minutes and have 15 minutes coxing. That 15 minutes is spent steering, trying to do anything else, like eating or pouring a cup of tea, can be awkward. Think the skiffs are ideal for 2-3 day trip but would have to think hard about anything longer.