Issue #9 (Autumn 2021); The WAVE - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine by thewaverowing

ISSUE #9 | AUTUMN 2021

Your free rowing e-magazine

By Coastal Rowers, For Coastal Rowers

www.thewaverowing.com

The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine

Countdown begins for

New Race Launched

TWAC 2021 & PACIFIC OCEAN

FIXED-SEAT SLIDING SEAT

Features, and more…

WELCOME

Clevedon PGC joining Exmouth Gig Club for a social row. © The Wave Rowing

Welcome to Issue #9 of The Wave – the Coastal and Offshore Magazine. The summer has gone, the leaves have fallen, and the rowing machines are calling! It’s that time of year again. It was great to see that towards the end of Summer, and in the Autumn that clubs starting hosting their own events and mini regattas. On an international level there was the World Rowing Coastal Championships & Beach Sprints in Portugal, the European Rowing Coastal Challenge in Italy, and Challenge Prince Albert II, Monaco.

Contents

Behind the scenes, the day after Issue #8 was published and whilst on an Ocean Rowing boat with Jack Jarvis (see page 23), my fiancé Ania called to inform me that her water had broken! Our beautiful baby Adam was then born on the 4 th September, and is keeping us on our toes! Though the sleepless night are as a result of producing The Wave Rowing!

In this issue, you have sliding-seat, fixed-seat and ocean rowing with a sprinkle of bits in-between with a slightly different feel and style to the magazine. Thank you to all those who have contributed to this issue, Atlantic Campaigns, and to the advertisers who help keep this running. If there’s anything you would like The Wave Rowing to feature or to provide feedback, suggestions, please email rowing@thewaverowing.com I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to share The Wave Rowing to help raise awareness and promote your sport. I hope you enjoy this issue!

Craig Chaulk Founder & Editor The Wave – The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine

Your free rowing e-magazine - run by coastal rowers, for coastal rowers. All money raised goes towards the running cost of the website and e-magazine production including materials to help in the production of providing content and promotion of The Wave – The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine (The Wave Rowing); money beyond the running cost will then go back to the sport through sponsorship and/or grants. Covid-19

Coastal Sculling – Boat News

Rowing Ireland - Offshore

RowAround Scotland 2021

TWAC 2021: Meet The Teams

The New Pacific Challenge

TWAC 2021 – During The Race

Noman Campaign

@thewaverowing

United We Conquer

Somerset 525

Irish Coastal Rowing Federation

Featured Boat: The ‘Celtic Yawl’

Beaumaris RC Pandemic Events

Swanage Supervets

Featured Club: Brightlingsea Coastal RC

Send us your news & stories:  rowing@thewaverowing.com

8 reasons why Rannoch Adventure is THE Go-To Ocean Rowing Company 1.

Experience: Charlie Pitcher is the man at the helm of Rannoch Adventure – he has rowed solo across the Atlantic twice, winning the Trans-Atlantic Race in 2009 and setting the solo world record in 2013. He has rowed around Great Britain as part of a team and has rowed the North Sea solo from Dover to John o’Groats. Building is his trade, boats are his passion, and adventure is in his DNA.

“Our world is everything to do with ocean rowing” 2.

Adventure: We run an extensive programme of professionally organised and professionally skippered expeditions in our 12 person ocean rowing boat, Roxy. This is your chance to participate in this growing adventure sport without the hassle of securing your own funding or pulling together a full team.

Expertise: We have built more than 100 ocean rowing boats over the past 11 years - more than any other boat builder globally. This year, Rannoch has been involved in the building and shipping of over 90% of the entire TWAC 2021 fleet. Our production manager, Mike, and electrician, Gary, have over 80 years of professional experience between them. We know every facet of this business inside out!

Customer service: Our professional, skilled, knowledgeable team prides itself on its friendly and individual approach to every customer requirement.

Focus: We pride ourselves on being the only rowing business out there that is run by rowers and short-handed sailors and put our entire focus on rowing.

Safety: We have an envious 100% record for safety and reliability for all boats we have been involved with on the oceans.

Support from beginning to end: From the moment you enquire about wanting to row an ocean, you will receive Rannoch’s full support. From your initial discussion with Charlie about what it takes to be an ocean rower right through to advising on your boat specification, providing training (physical, sea survival, navigation, first aid), supplying parts and equipment for your trip, shipping your boat to the start of your adventure, and selling your boat at the end – we can do it all.

World records: We have been involved in a world record in every ocean and every race. Check out the Guinness World Records Book!

At Rannoch Adventure, we live, breathe and row the oceans. We have passion for detail, excellence, vision & determination. We’ll help you realise your goal!

www.rannochadventure.com Want to know more or to book a place? Contact us… Tel: +44 (0)1621 782 127 Email: info@rannochadventure.com Rannoch Adventure Ltd, Unit 8, Dammerwick Business Farm, Marsh Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8NB, United Kingdom © ALL IMAGES & LOGOS COPYRIGHT OF RANNOCH ADVENTURE LTD 2021

COVID-19 GUIDANCE Click the relevant rowing governing body logo below Please follow their latest advice and guidance.

Stay Safe ~ Stay Alert ~ Enjoy Rowing

Email us your news, stories, event, achievement; Or to advertise in The Wave Rowing

rowing@thewaverowing.com The Wave Rowing is a not-for-profit magazine - run by coastal rowers for coastal rowers. All money goes towards the running cost of the website and e-magazine production including materials to help in the production of providing content and promotion of The Wave – The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine (The Wave Rowing); money beyond the running cost will then go back to the sport through sponsorship and/or grants.

Official Partners

RowingCentre UK

TheWaveRowing.com

Issue 9

COASTAL SCULLING BOAT NEWS NEW Coastal Coxed Quad Coming Soon

Kanghua Coastal will soon be introducing their first Coastal coxed quad (C4x+) to their portfolio… The WAVE Rowing brings you a first look at their new baby! ‘Its outstanding stability and rigidity ensure safety and performance in the full range of conditions experienced by coastal rowers, while the adjustability of the seat, footplate and riggers provides comfort and maximum efficiency’ – Kanghua Demo boats will be soon be available in the UK and Ireland. For more information, please email: info@kanghuacoastal.com or visit www.kanghuacoastal.com

AVE ROWING BOATS APPOINTS THE ROW BOAT AS UK DISTRIBUTOR

The Row Boat have been appointed as the UK distributor for AVE Rowing Boats. The WAVE Rowing showcased TheRowboat.co.uk in Issue #7 with their recreational range of Row eXplorer, Row Scull, and Row Vagabond range. As the appointed UK distributor for AVE Rowing Boats, they will now bring you FISA compliant coastal competitive boats including the C1X KAITO – also featured in Issue #7 of The WAVE Rowing. A demo boat will soon be available in the UK for perspective buyers to trial. For more information, please email dan@wastnage.co.uk or visit/contact via their website www.therowboat.co.uk

TheWaveRowing.com

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ROWING IRELAND OFFSHORE

The mixed double crew of Aoife Lynch and David Hussey both from Portmagee RC faced the might of the Polish Olympic crew fresh from winning a silver medal in Tokyo. The race was neck and neck all the way with the Irish losing out by 0.2 of a second at the final sprint.

The

World Rowing Beach Sprints Championships were held in Oeiras, Portugal in September. Trials to select the Irish team took place in July on Ballinskelligs beach. The selection process was merciless. Held over 58 races, it was athlete versus athlete in a straight knockout format to whittle the numbers down to a team of 8 from a starting group of over 100 athletes. Upon arrival in Portugal, it quickly became evident that most countries had sent their full time, high performance athletes to the championships with professional coaches, funding and training camps backing them up.

The Irish team were completely self-funded and all either work full time or are in college, but what they did have was the experience of coastal rowing, an incredible togetherness as a team and an intense pride in wearing the green Ireland jersey. All teams cleared the first hurdles of qualifying to reach the knockout stages.

The mixed quad crew faced the Swedish high performance crew in the quarter finals. More heartbreak for the Irish as a tumble at the boat exit cost them a place in the semi-final. Last up was the men's solo of Keelan Mannix from Rosscarbery. Drawing the short straw against the fastest man in the qualifiers, Keelan did very well and is definitely a man for the future of this sport. Also the athletes had the help of team manager Margaurite Deasy and a trusty helping hand from the experienced Tony Mannix who both travelled at their own expense to help the team. It was a few days that none of them will ever forget many years from now. While competitive mode pulsed through the team’s veins during the races, once the buzzer went it was straight over to your opponent to pay respect with a fist pump and an exchange of words of encouragement. This sportsmanship echoed throughout the whole event. It was definitely an outstanding experience for the team. The messages from home were phenomenal over the weekend and the excitement that has been built from this event will reflect in the next one. The Team would like to thank and praise the organizing committee for their efforts.

Cmix4x+ from Left to Right: Cormac Kelly, Síonna Healy, David Hussey cox, Rosy Temple, Luke Keaney.

Next up was the women's solo, Miriam Sheehan from Castletownbere. Another dead level race between an Olympic silver medallists ensued with Miriam losing out on a photo finish of 0.3 of a second!

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Main photo: Shandon/Portmagee CM4X+ (8th in the A Final) Stephen O'Sullivan, Alex Byrne, Ronan Byrne, Ciaran Brady, Cox David Hussey

TheWaveRowing.com

ROWING IRELAND OFFSHORE With a few days’ rest, the beach sprint team swapped their Irish jerseys for their club jerseys and were joined by 33 Irish crews for the World Rowing Coastal Championships. While it was a first race for some on the World Rowing Coastal stage, there were some regular faces back for more excitement on the waves. With so many crews, it was all hands on deck with any free rowers rolling up their sleeves to help other teams with the Beach starts, especially new crews who showed promise on the water this year. CM1X Kealan Mannix, Rosscarbery (10th in the A Final) After the heats, there were 14 Crews in the A Finals, and 10 crews in the B Finals.

An incredible Killorglin (CW4X+) crew rowed a strong race achieving 4th in the A Final. A great performance by this very young crew.

CW1X Miriam Sheehan

Killorglin CW4X+ crew (L-R): Nathalie Long, Zoe Hyde, Deirdre Leahy Cox, Rhiannon O'Donoghue, Molly Sullivan.

Sionna Healy from Arklow climbed to an impressive 5th in the A Final in the Women's single (CW1x.) Crews from Clubs all over Ireland took part and Ireland had the most entries of any nation.

Cmix2x David Hussey, Aoife Lynch

The participating clubs were: Arklow Cairndhu Castletownbere Castletownshend Donegal Galley Flash Killorglin Kilmacsimon Kincasslagh Portmagee Passage West Rosscarbery Shandon Boat Club St.Patricks Muckross St Michaels DL Wicklow Next year sees the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and World Rowing Coastal Championships take place across the water at Saundersfoot in Wales. This will see an even bigger Irish entry crossing the Irish Sea to compete in Saundersfoot.

Rowing Ireland Offshore Rowing

TheWaveRowing.com

4 CW1X crews in the A final (L-R): Niamh Hayes (18th), Sionna Healy (5th), Miriam Sheehan (7th), Xena Jordan (11th). All photos © Rowing Ireland Offshore Rowing

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64 CLUBS 1,278 ROWERS 54 TRAWLS

750 MILES ROWAROUND SCOTLAND

2021

There are more FIXED-SEAT COASTAL ROWING features in this Issue from page 24

ROWAROUND SCOTLAND

ROWAROUND SCOTLAND 2020/21 Celebrating 10 years of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association

R owAround

Plans for RowAround Scotland were rolled over to 2021. Pandemic planning protocols had then to be included in passage planning. Once again we were thwarted; rowing was permitted again only on 17 May. The coast had been divided into sections, and ‘pilots’ appointed to liaise with local clubs in each. The first four sections out of 13 were effectively wiped out, and plans to start section 5, from Ardnamurchan, were delayed by the late opening-up of campsites and the need to get some sea-time for the crews beforehand.

The baton relay format was immediately converted to a remote one, and Virtual RowAround (VRAS) took place, keeping as far as possible to the original timetable. This provides a valuable snapshot of all 70+ clubs and is a fitting celebration of the ten years of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association. A legacy project in itself, it has introduced new clubs, at all stages of development, to the wider world of coastal rowing. VRAS enabled clubs to add video, poems, stories, drawings, songs, charts and images of the stunning seascapes in which they usually row. VRAS gave us all the opportunity to remotely recce more far-flung parts of the country and get to know their navigational hazards and highlights.

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Scotland 2020/21 was due to begin with a grand launch at Gretna on 25 March 2020, so was a very early victim of lockdown. It was hoped that it might be possible to slot into the circumnavigation later in the year, when restrictions had eased, but it soon became apparent that this would not happen; in the event, skiff rowing with different households was allowed to recommence only on 24 August in Scotland.

RowAround started concurrently in Argyll and in the southwest. Luckily we had two batons, Community and Spirit (pictured above), and also two microplastics trawls; The trawls, towed behind the skiffs for a set distance, were made for us at Field Studies Millport in Cumbrae, and enabled citizen scientists to obtain water samples from their local waters which are now being analysed at the Scottish Association for Marine Science near Oban.

TheWaveRowing.com

ROWAROUND SCOTLAND The official finale of RowAround was on Halloween at Loch Tummel, the venue for the SCRA Freshwater Sprints and AGM. A few highlights from the summer:  A composite crew rounded Ardnamurchan Lighthouse in rather lumpy seas - more people have been in space this year than have rowed in open boats around this notorious point.  The Eskmuthe crews not only rowed the whole of their section from the Forth bridges to North Berwick, they also rowed most of the next section too, down to the English border  The pilot of section 4 rowed every one of the 120 miles in her own section  Many clubs took to their bikes, rowing machines, SUPs and kayaks for a dry run if they were not able to row.

Many regattas and events built round RAS were cancelled, but six associated try-a-rows were able to take place, involving over 70 potential new rowers. 54 microplastics trawls have been completed so far. A bespoke logbook, containing the names of all the crews, and a baton, will be displayed at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, Fife - the spiritual home of the St Ayles skiff. All these achievements are detailed on the website,

www.rowaround.scot

Overall, 1,272 rowers from 64 Scottish clubs (and some English ones) have rowed as part of RowAround, and about 750 miles have been covered - rather less than had been anticipated, but adverse weather and Covid both played their part.

Skiff off Castle Stalker, Argyll. © Picture Karen Wesley

The Scottish Coastal Rowing Association would like to express its grateful thanks to myriads of harbour masters, lock keepers, shore crews and shore worriers, for helping us to celebrate our tenth/eleventh anniversary in style.

www.scottishcoastalrowing.org Scottish Charity SCIO SC050345

A map of the 54 Microplastic Trawls completed so far. © Map provided by RowAround Scotland 2020/21.

TheWaveRowing.com

►Contribution by Sue Fenton, coordinator RowAround Scotland 2020/21

Issue 9

OCEAN ROWING Featuring…

Presents

DURING THE RACE

A world first, rowing 4500 Nautical Miles solo, unsupported across the Atlantic ocean, December 2021

As Reviewed in Issue #8 5 BLADES OUT OF 5!

Whether you want to cross an ocean or spend a week island hopping, we have something for everyone.

NEW Rowing Expeditions in Scotland added for 2022 starting from only £900! For more information, simply visit

www.rannochadventure.com OCEAN ROWING Coming January 2022 www.thewaverowing.com

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TheWaveRowing.com

MEET THE TEAMS

2021

Starts… 12th December 2021

2021

Track their progress at www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com 16

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TheWaveRowing.com

2021

Track their progress at www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com TheWaveRowing.com

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PACIFIC OCEAN

THE NEW PACIFIC CHALLENGE The newest edition to the Atlantic Campaigns portfolio introduces the inaugural Pacific Challenge starting in June 2023 with up to 20 teams participating from around the World.

The annual edition of this race will see teams starting from the historic harbour of Monterey, California, following the path of many adventurers and explorers of yester year. An incredible atmosphere of apprehension and excitement is guaranteed during the pre-race period as teams complete their final preparations to set off to row across the Pacific Ocean.

A finish line as unique as Nawiliwili Bay on the stunning Hawaiian island of Kauai is hard to beat as the backdrop to what will be the most incredible, once in a lifetime adventure. For more information please email or visit

info@atlanticcampaigns.com www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com

Issue 9

TheWaveRowing.com

TWAC 2021

DURING THE RACE Bought to you by

s the crews undergo their final checks before the arduous 3000mile journey of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC), setting off from the Canary Island of La Gomera for Antigua on 12 December, they will arrive sharing stories of their life at sea and not all of it will be pretty! Living this surreal life for weeks and months, being tested mentally, physically and emotionally hour after hour is why TWAC is often called the world’s toughest row. We have prepared more crews for the challenge than any other water sports training centre in the world, helping 60% of all participants since 2013 achieve a lifetime goal.

NAKED AMBITION Of course, water, food and clothes are the essentials. But it needs to be effective and efficient. Each rower should aim to consume 10 litres of water per day. They do this not by carrying masses of bottle water, but by using solar-powered water makers which desalinate sea water. This essential device includes a hand pump for back up in case of power failure. Power is a valuable commodity- it is produced on board via solar panels so in cloudy conditions it can be in short supply. Ocean rowers burn more than 5,000 calories per day, so this means four meals per day for up to 90 days – depending upon the team size and projected finish. The bulk of this will be nutrient-rich, lightweight, freeze-dried meals (pictured below) with a minimum of 20% shall be emergency wet rations, (e.g., tinned food) which are ready to eat meals. It is essential to take high calorie snacks and chocolate. Ordinary treats from normal life are worth looking forward to in an arduous day.

To follow up our last feature in Issue #7 on what is required BEFORE rowing the Atlantic, here we give you an insight into what happens DURING an attempt to row the Atlantic. Warning – it is not for the faint hearted!

Freeze-dried food. © Photo provided by The Wave Rowing

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In terms of clothing, foul weather gear is essential. Other than that, it is all about minimalism, pack very light. Fashion is soooo dry land! Many rowers choose to row naked a lot of the time. In one instance, four mums in a boat only took one pair of knickers each!

TheWaveRowing.com

DURING THE RACE POO AND POLLUTION

FORTY WINKS ON THE WAVES

There is no toilet on board each boat. The mantra is “bucket and chuck it!” Of course, keeping clean is extremely important; a swim in the sea is refreshing, but the salt can cause sores when in the wrong places. So, washing is done with wet wipes which can then be reused for bottom wiping. Care must be taken with reusing wet wipes to avoid any cross-contamination issues. Each rower is expected to use 800 sheets of toilet paper during their crossing. All rubbish must be stowed on board, including wet wipes and loo roll, all will be inspected by the scrutineers on arrival in Antigua. Polluting the ocean is not accepted by TWAC race organisers.

Ocean rowing boats have cabins to sleep, sealed shut from the elements, usually at the back of the boat. This is where rowers will hide in bad weather and get whatever down time there is to be had. They are not spacious and can be tough to relax in choppy seas. But, when tiredness descends, rowers adapt! Shift patterns are normal for groups at sea. As such, sleep tends to be in short bursts of a few hours at a time. Rowing solo or on a less arduous itinerary, there may be times when rowers follow a more normal sleep and awake routine, rowing during the day and sleeping at night. Other times, this may be far from the case. Rowers may need to row for long, unearthly hours or simply not be able to sleep through the fear and discomfort of an angry sea tossing the boat about.

LOOKING GOOD The exposure to the elements is extreme and the physical impact on the body is unavoidable. Despite the high calorie intake, each rower loses an average of 12kg crossing the Atlantic. But rowers can at least protect their skin and need to pack up to three months’ worth of sun cream for protection. HELL AND HIGH WATER The boats used are unique crafts built specifically for the unique task in hand. Like any sea-worthy vessel, ocean rowing boats are designed to stay upright as much as possible. But also, to quickly self-right should they get flipped. Modern ocean rowing boats therefore include several bespoke features. This includes a low centre of gravity due to a heavy ballast at the bottom of the boat - usually a large volume of fresh water. The deck and cabins are completely sealed to avoid swamping or water getting inside the holds. They maintain buoyancy through the large air-filled cabins on top of the boat. Boats are made from many small compartments, so a single hole will not cause the whole boat to fill with water. In 2013, the winning Team Locura arrived in Antigua with a blue marlin beak pierced through the hull of the boat, and in TWAC 2020 there were two piercings in the space of 48 hours!

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT The Atlantic Ocean is one of the world’s most challenging and vast environments to traversE. Rowers are facing a 3000 mile journey over a body of water reaches up to 8.5k depth. Rowers will experience waves that can measure up to 20ft high. In all, each team will row in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes over a race. Teams will decide on a rowing pattern that suits them. Many teams operate on a strict 24 hour schedule of row for 2 hours and rest for 2 hours - rest time also includes time to eat wash and do any boat maintenance. It’s a gruelling relentless, repetitive routine. The number in the team and their personal goals are also determining factors as are the conditions. Obviously, a solo rower will have a very different routine than a team of four. In the 2016 race, solo rower Daryl Farmer arrived in Antigua after 96 days, rowing without a rudder to steer with for nearly 1200miles/40 days. There are two safety yachts supporting the teams as they cross the ocean. In the 2013 race, one yacht travelled a massive 9000 nautical miles! The teams are also supported 24/7 by two land-based duty officers. SeaSports Southwest are the only training centre to be endorsed by Atlantic Campaigns, race organisers of Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. We can take care of your on-shore training for a safe and successful journey across the ocean.

A Marlin beak stuck in the boat. © Photo provided by SeaSports Southwest

TheWaveRowing.com

Phone: 01626 772555 Email: info@seasports-sw.com Website: www.seasports-sw.com

Issue 9

NOMAN CAMPAIGN

ROW FOR A CAUSE TO ELIMINATE 5% OF ALL CANCERS P

itting crews of amateur rowers against each other in a 200-mile race across the Mediterranean, NOMAN's Barcelona - Ibiza and Ibiza - Barcelona events offer a proven professional and Premium Ocean rowing experience from signup to finish, as participants push themselves to their physical and mental limits against the might of the Med.

But NOMAN is more than just a race. It is a call to action. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the causal agent of 5% of all cancers, and over 80% of us will come into contact with the virus at some point in our lives. The good news is that we can prevent HPV cancers by vaccinating both boys and girls against this devastating virus. It's that simple. Yet in the majority of countries only girls are routinely protected against HPV.

Over 40 countries now undertake gender neutral HPV vaccination. We won't stop rowing, riding or running until every country is protecting all their children against HPV. Training for NOMAN's Mediterranean races is tailored to individual abilities and conducted by ocean rowing experts to prepare you fully for the challenge ahead. What's more, the logistics are all taken care of: ocean rowing boats, equipment, communications & safety devices, food, even crew members, making your experience as smooth and painless as possible, around your professional commitments and personal life. Previous NOMAN participants have come from a range of backgrounds including CEOs, pilots, architects, students, brokers, investment managers and two Olympic Gold Medallists. This is a fantastic opportunity to make new contacts, discuss potential projects and collaborations in a dynamic sporting environment. Row for a reason. Sign up for our upcoming editions of our Med Races including our 10th anniversary edition and Row to End HPV.

For more information, visit or contact via the below

www.nomancampaign.org hq@nomancampaign.org Article, photos and logo © and provided by NOMAN Campaign

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TheWaveRowing.com

UNITED WE CONQUER ONE MAN UNSUPPORTED A WORLD FIRST 4,500 MILES PORTUGALUSA The whole journey is around 4,500 nautical miles meaning Jack will be at sea, alone for almost 100 days, rowing almost 50 miles every single day. Jacks boat ‘Budgie’ is a Rannoch Adventure R25 Solo.

‘He has even re-mortgaged his flat to help himself get to the start line!’ attempting something no one has ever done before rowing solo from Mainland Europe to Mainland North America, all in an attempt to raise money for two incredible charities, Brainstrust & CALM. Jack is a resourceful, adaptive and tenacious individual who, after joining the British army at 16 years old, immediately volunteered for the All Arms Commando course. On successful completion, he spent the next 7 years of his career within 59 Commando Squadron, giving him a wealth of experience in risk management and operating in high stress situations. After winning the British Army indoor rowing league in 2019, it has been his ambition to push his competitive rowing to the next level.

The row starts on December 1st, 2021 from Mainland Europe (Lagos, Portugal), goes past the Canary Island and the Dominican Republic, and finishes in Mainland America - near Miami. He is the only person to ever have attempted this route and will become a Guinness World Record holder if he completes it. The row will be incredibly testing, both mentally and physically. Jack will battle with sleep deprivation, salt sores, and his mind will be left with his own thoughts surrounded by the thousands of miles of open water. However, it's something Jack can't wait to do in memory of his late grandfather, who unfortunately passed away in 2007 from a brain tumour. This is why the military man is totally dedicated in raising muchneeded funds, so much so that he has even remortgaged his flat to help himself get to the start line! To find out more about Jack, his incredible challenge and to donate, please visit…

www.unitedweconquer.co.uk Craig from The Wave Rowing briefly met Jack and Budgie in September – it was on his boat was when Craig got the call that his fiancés water had broken and the baby was on the way! We wish Jack all the very best on his crossing, and a safe voyage.

TheWaveRowing.com

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All photos and logo © Jack Jarvis (United We Conquer)

In December 2021, British soldier, Jack Jarvis, will be

YOUR ROWING FIX

Swanage Super Vets. © Picture: Barney Quaddy (Leaping Fish Balms)

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TheWaveRowing.com

SOMERSET 525

he second Somerset 525 Virtual Rowing Championship will be taking place over three consecutive days, from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th March 2022, hosted by Portishead Pilot Gig Club. With over 315 entrants in 2021, they hope for continued success in 2022, money raised will go towards the development of youths to get them active through rowing. Staying with the same winning format as last year, competitors, rowing from home, club, or gym, will have the opportunity to enter one, two or three of following individual and team races:          

500m sprint (individual only) 525m (juniors only) 2K (individual and team option) 5K (individual and team option) Age categories are: Open Ladies and Men (18-39) Ladies and Men’s Vets (40-49) Ladies and Men’s Supers (50 plus) Juniors ages 12-17 Para / Adaptive : PR1 / AR1, PR2 / AR2, PR3 (PD) / AR3-PD

You do not need to live in Somerset, you can live anywhere, literally! TheWaveRowing.com

There are individual and team races (ladies, men and mixed) for both the 2K and the 5K plus there will be an overall trophy for the fastest lady and man from all competitors who compete in all three races. Junior prizes will be awarded to both the fastest boy and girl. Teams will be made up of four rowers, from any age category. Mixed teams are allowed but must consist of two men and two women, though we will allow three women and one man. There will be a trophy for Men’s, Ladies and Mixed Teams. Individual entry will automatically allow you to join up with other members from the same club to create your team, for no extra charge. Your club can enter as many teams as you like. Each club team will be ranked starting with the fastest four being team A, and so on. The races will be a straight ‘fastest past the post’. Results will need to be submitted by 8pm GMT on the day of that race (by 6pm on Sunday 27th BST for the 500m race). This gives you the freedom to complete that days’ race at any point during that day. Results will be revealed on Sunday 27th at 8pm.

Schedule Friday 25th March = 5k race Saturday 26th March = 2K race Sunday 27th March = 500m sprint race, and the juniors 525m race.

Entry fees Each race entry fee £5, Juniors £4. The first 50 to sign up for all three races will get a snazzy Somerset 525 (2022) race vest - different from 2021. Final entries by Wednesday 23rd March. There will be no extra cost for team entry. For more information and entry, please visit/contact…

somerset525@gmail.com

Issue 9

IRISH COASTAL ROWING

The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation was founded in 25th/26th April 1992 when the Chairman of Passage West Rowing Club, Mr. Liam Healy invited representatives from the Irish Yawl Rowing Association, the East Coast Rowing Council and the South & Mid Kerry Rowing Board to a meeting in the Park Place Hotel in Killarney, Co. Kerry with the aim of placing the annual All-Ireland regatta which had been held on an informal basis over the previous number of years between Clubs from the three associations. The tradition being that the winner of the Senior Men’s race earned the right to host the regatta the following year. Liam recognised the potential of the regatta if it were to be given formal status with its own rules and regulations and so the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation was born. The very first rule that was agreed was that the hosting rights would no longer go to the winner of the Senior Men’s race. It was agreed that from that time forward, the hosting rights would be awarded on a round robin basis with the East Coast having the rights for 1993 and Kerry having the rights for 1994. Other rules that were agreed were the race lengths, 800m, 1500m 2700m.

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The first ‘Official’ All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships was held in Passage West on the weekend of 5th/6th September 1992. This event was primarily organised and run by Passage West Rowing Club and the Irish Yawl Rowing Association and involved clubs from all three associations plus Carnlough & Cairndhu from Co. Antrim. The first Official Committee of the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation was appointed at our first AGM which was held in the CoisFarraige Hotel in Bray, Co. Wicklow. Shortly afterwards, two new associations joined the ICRF, the Antrim Coast Rowing Association and the Slaney Rowing Association from Wexford. In the years that followed, the Irish Yawl Rowing Association outgrew itself and for purely logistical reasons, split into two separate geographical associations: The Coastal Rowing Association primarily based in and around Cork Harbour but stretching as far as West as Kinsale and then the South West Coast Yawl Rowing Association which encompassed clubs from Kilmacsimon nearInnishannon as far West as Schull & Bantry.

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IRISH COASTAL ROWING The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation is now recognised as the Governing Body of Coastal Rowing in the Island of Ireland and now has seven automatous regional associations who each run their own regatta leagues during the summer months and then come together in August each month to take part in the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships. There have been 27 All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships held since 1992 (28 if you count the fact that it had to be held twice in 1993 when rowing had to be abandoned on the original Sunday due to severe sea conditions in Wicklow Bay and the majority of clubs returned two weeks later). The Associations affiliated to the ICRF are: 

   



The East Coast Rowing Council (which technically now is the only remaining founding member). The Antrim Coast Rowing Association. The Wexford Rowing Association. The Down Coastal Rowing Association. The Kerry Coastal Rowing Association (which is an amalgamation of the South & Mid Kerry Rowing Board, the Killarney Lakes Rowing Clubs & North Kerry Clubs). The Donegal Coastal Rowing Association.

The All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships has evolved into one of the largest single sport, single venue, team events in the country with over 500 from 40 clubs involving up to 3000 individual competitors taking part in the 2019 Championships. It is by far, the largest regatta of any code in Ireland and one of the biggest in Europe, and is a huge draw for fixed-seat boat supporters. Due to the restrictions imposed during the COVID 19 Pandemic, the 2020 & 2021 All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships had to be cancelled. Behind the scenes the team are working very hard to welcome back the Coastal Rowing community at the 2022 AllIreland Coastal Championships. For more information on the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation, please visit their website…

Traditional / Regional Classes of Rowing Boats ► The East Coast Skiff is recognised as the traditional rowing boat of the East Coast Rowing Council and its affiliated clubs. ► The Cork Timber Yawl is recognised as the traditional rowing boat of both the Coastal Rowing Association and the South West Coast Yawl Rowing Association and their affiliated clubs. ► The Slaney Cot is recognised as the traditional rowing boat of the Wexford Coastal Rowing Association and the Slaney Rowing Association and their affiliated clubs. ► The Antrim Gig is recognised as the traditional rowing boat of the Antrim Coast Rowing Association and its affiliated clubs. ► The Kerry 4-Oar, the Seine Boat & the Killarney Six are recognised as traditional rowing boats of the Kerry Coastal Rowing Association and its affiliated clubs. ► The Sligo Skiff is recognised as the traditional rowing boat of the Sligo & Roscommon Rowing Association and its affiliated clubs. ► The Donegal Skiff, Donegal Punt & the Currach are recognised as the traditional rowing boats of the Donegal Coastal Rowing Association and its affiliated clubs. ► The Ayles Skiff is recognised as the traditional rowing boat of the Down Coastal Rowing Association and its affiliated clubs. ► The Celtic Longboat, the Pembrokeshire Longboat and the Bean Treasa Yawl are recognised as the traditional rowing boats of the Irish Sea, Sea Rowing Association and its affiliated clubs. The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation is happy to acknowledge the status of the above classes of boats and supports the promotion and continued utilisation of these boats in their respective areas of operation. The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation further acknowledges that it has no desire nor intent now, or at any time in the future to see the eventual replacement of these classes at local level with the Celtic Yawl.

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Issue 9

FEATURED BOAT

THE ‘CELTIC YAWL’

The ‘Celtic Yawl’, fondly known as the ‘ICRF OneDesign is a 24.5ft (7.45m) Coastal Rowing Racing Boat that was introduced in 2002 by the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation. Following the introduction by the ICRF which was founded by three regional Coastal Rowing Associations (Irish Yawl Rowing Association, South & Mid Kerry Rowing Board & the East Coast Rowing Council) of the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships in 1992, it was quickly realised that there was a serious imbalance in the performance and success of clubs and crews related directly to the design and performance characteristics of the different boat classes competing in the championships. Success, or more importantly, lack of success, was all too often was related to the performance characteristics of the boat a crew rowed in. The Celtic Yawl was designed by the renowned Boat Designer Rob Jacob of Kinsale, Co. Cork. In addition to his primary role as a Premium Yacht and Sailing Boat Designer, Rob had previously designed a number of very successful 21ft Timber Yawls for clubs in the Cork area, one of the most successful of these being the ‘Girl Nicola’ for his local Kinsale & Dock Rowing Club and Rob based his new boat as an elongated version of the Girl Nicola.

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Although timber was everybody’s material of choice, pragmatism won out when it was decided to opt for fibreglass rather than the more desirable timber construction. There were three main considerations in choosing this material: 1. Guarantee of Conformity - All boats would be made from the same mould meaning there would be a very high level of certainty that all boats would be built exactly the same. 2. Cost - £10,000 (at the time) for a fibreglass boat compared to £22,000+ for a boat built of timber. Making it more affordable for our cash strapped clubs meaning they were more likely to embrace the project. 3. Speed of Delivery - To achieve the aim of having a ‘One-Design’ boat in a single stroke, it was necessary for at least 20 to 30 clubs to be able to procure a new boat in the very first year. This was an achievable target with fibreglass. Had the Federation opted for timber, the maximum number of boats built to the highest standard that could have reasonably been delivered was 4 or 5 boats per annum. This would have meant that it would have been a 5 or 6 year lead in time before the aim of a One Design boat could have been achieved and meanwhile the clubs with the most resources and able to procure a new boat at the earliest time would have an even greater advantage against the clubs that had to wait longer until they could get a boat.

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FEATURED BOAT

Roddy O’Connor of Customworks in Cork was the chosen boat builder and Roddy met his target and has since delivered approximately 100 Celtic Yawls to clubs the length and breadth of Ireland. Now that mantle has now been passed on to John Keohan of Elite Coastal Rowing in Kilmacsimon Quay, near Bandon, Co. Cork where John continues Roddy’s mantra of delivering the highest quality boats at an affordable price for our cash strapped clubs. The Celtic Yawl is now the most popular and widely used Coastal Rowing Boat on the Island of Ireland. Coastal and traditional rowing clubs all over Ireland row their One Designs alongside their traditional and indigenous boats and Thankfully, the Celtic Yawl has achieved all of its aims. 1. It has created a level playing field for all rowers. Crews now have confidence that when they take part in a race, when they line up for the Start, and they are the best crew, they will likely win their race. 2. Traditional Timber and Conventional Fixed seat rowing has thrived throughout the length and breadth of the country. Those who feared that the One Design would impinge on their beloved traditional and indigenous boats have had their fears allayed and Tradition rowing has gone from strength to strength. Traditional Fixed Seat Rowing is now stronger than it ever was and the Celtic Yawl has played its part in that revival by facilitating fair and equal inter-county and national competition for rowers who would previously have been restricted to competing in their own localities. This has led to a massive retention of existing rowers who were previously restricted in who they could compete against which in turn has attracted new rowers into the sport. The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation is the internationally recognised Class Association for the ‘Celtic Yawl’ (or as we prefer to call it, the ‘ICRF One Design’). The ‘All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships’ which is organised and run by the ‘Irish Coastal Rowing Federation’ since 1992 is the National Championships for the Celtic Yawl. 

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Issue 9

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Official Partners

BEAUMARIS

BEAUMARIS SPARKLE THROUGH PANDEMIC WITH NEW EVENTS

eaumaris Rowing Club this year devised sparkling new events to fill its programme following the cancellation of Celtic Longboat racing in Wales due to the pandemic.

In June, four Celtic Longboats rowed out in the early hours to greet the summer solstice sunrise. Right on cue the sun emerged as an orange disk above a narrow layer of dark mist along the horizon between Puffin Island and the Orme's Head. A warming drink on the shore afterwards completed a memorable outing. A serious event took place in July with the inaugural Rum Run down to the Gazelle Hotel. Pirate costume was mandatory for all. After testing the product at the hotel, the "pirates" got involved in a vicious water fight on the beach at Glyn Garth. Thanks to our brilliant event’s organizer Rachael Robins for a real fun day. August saw four Longboats tour from Beaumaris to Caernarfon through the notorious Swellies and under the two majestic bridges linking Anglesey to the mainland. This provided a good photo opportunity for aerial shots of the crews. A brisk East wind pushed the crews along in a lively row to reach Caernarfon in near record time.

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Issue 9

SWANAGE SUPERVETS

MAKING A SPLASH – GIG ROWING RETURNS! ►Article: Simon Fenech, Swanage Sea Rowing Club © Photos: Barney Quaddy, Leaping Fish Balms

ornish Pilot Gig racing is a growing, vibrant sport with Caround 8000 active members across 100 clubs. While there are clubs across the World, the majority are in the UK and largely located across the Southwest; Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Hampshire. Local regattas, like the Jurassic League, take up most of the Summer while the rest of the year is sprinkled throughout with ‘marque’ events such as the 3 Rivers (Tamar in March), World Pilot Gig Championships (every May in the Isles of Scilly) and the Cornish County Championships (September in Newquay).

On 16 October, a beautiful autumnal day, 19 Women’s Crews and 22 Men’s Crews turned up with their Cornish pilot gigs, filling Swanage Beach with an array of colour much to the delight of other clubs and locals. It was great to see the crews and supporters, in their racing attire, putting up their familiar club gazebos, laying out chairs and oars. Racing took place around a 3 buoy turn course covering 1.8 miles and the long final straight ran parallel to the beach for 800 metres meaning all the spectators got a great view of the racing.

It’s no surprise that 2020 and 2021 has been unprecedented and that most, if not all, competitive rowing has been disrupted for reasons that will be all too familiar to everyone. As all remaining restrictions had been eased, Swanage Sea Rowing Club decided to go ahead with the Supervets Championship. Whatever concerns the club had that people were not ready for competitive gig racing, turned out to be unfounded – people couldn’t wait for the event to run!

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SWANAGE SUPERVETS The event started with 3 heats where all gigs were individually timed and then ranked with the fasted third entered the Final, the next third into a Shield and the remaining third in a Plate. Berths were randomly drawn to remove any tidal bias and racing was fierce with none of the Clubs having lost any of their competitive spirit since the last Supervets in 2019.

In the Women’s event Salcombe ‘A’ in Bolt took 1st place with Mounts Bay and Penryn taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. For the Men a dominant Caradon ‘A’ took 1st in Ann Glanville while Lyme and Langstone came 2 nd and 3rd.

Swanage Men and Women came 4th in both categories and were really pleased after what has been a turbulent training period. An event like this takes a lot of planning, reams of volunteers and tons of local goodwill but the reward is an event that stands out as a key race date in the Pilot Gig calendar and maybe soon to be viewed as another annual ‘marque’ event.

For information on Swanage Sea Rowing Club, visit…

www.swanagesearowingclub.org.uk For information about Cornish Pilot Gigs, please visit…

www.cpga.co.uk

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FEATURED CLUB

BRIGHTLINGSEA COASTAL ROWING CLUB B

rightlingsea is an Essex coastal town with a population of 8,000 people. In April 2011, a small group of local enthusiasts decided to form a rowing club aptly named Brightlingsea Coastal Rowing Club Starting out with a preloved Admiralty Sailing Boat (ASC) rowing was hard and unattractive in their early days. Fortunately, circumstances were about to align and shape the club in its current form. The Pioneer Trust, a local boat builder, based in Harkers Yard, Brightlingsea, were looking to provide apprentices with skills in the construction of traditional wooden boats. This coincided with a local architect who had drawn plans for a traditional wooden four oared rowing gig. We decided to apply to Sport England for a grant and were successful in winning funds,

Facilities Brightlingsea Coastal Rowing Club is a private club that currently has space in a local Marine boat park and ride for both Gigs together with a shed to store their equipment. They also utilise several of the other different water sports clubs in the town to host events. A club house is a long term ambition, however, they have a small room in the Marine Park and ride for two Concept 2 Rowing machines, should the weather not allow them to train on the water.

Brightlingsea Coastal Rowing Club participating in the Annual Harkers Yard ‘Winter Series’ Boat fleet/number & types: Gig number one was purchased in 2012 from the Pioneer Trust. ‘Velocity’ in her vibrant red colour – which was adopted as the clubs colours; her ease in being rowed not only provided a great experience for the rowers but made her a great spectacle for the towns folk as they viewed her on the water. The attraction of Velocity on the water attracted many new members; due to the demand the club decided to re-apply for more grant funding and again were successful in receiving funds to purchase Gig number two 'Vanduara'. The club has never looked back and has grown from strength to strength each year since.

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2 x Harkers Yard Gigs (Velocity & Vanduara) 2 x Single rower sliding-seat boats BCCR are members of the following associations:  

Harkers Yard Gig Association British Rowing (affiliated club)

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FEATURED CLUB Common competitive events, and main league:  

   

Annual Harkers Yard 'Winter Series' of races. October to March Compete annually in the London 'The Great River Race’, 21 miles from East to West - River Thames. Round the Island Canvey race annually The Pier to Pier race based in Southend-on-Sea annually The Nelson Cup race run annually on August Bank Holiday based out of Burnham on Crouch RNLI fundraiser run from Maldon annually around the Christmas holidays

Common Notable wildlife:  Occasional Seals  Oyster Catchers  Egrets 5 tips for a new rower to Coastal/Offshore rowing:  Sense of humour essential.  Warm Clothing  Drinking Water  Social engagement & being part of a team  Patience to learn 30 minute training routine for others to try

Common social activities: 



On the water: Pyramid: 2.5 mins light rowing warm up then increase to following rates for 5 mins each rate 26, 28, 30, decease down to 28, 26. Finish with a 2.5 mins warm down.

Social rowing during the day in the week all year, with evening social rowing added during spring to Autumn Club Christmas dinner, quiz nights & summer BBQ's, inter-club rowing races

Public/Community engaging activities: We offer free 'come & try' rowing sessions to the community. Actively support our towns’ regatta day, local carnival & Blessing of the water's ceremony. Notable achievements:  



Winners of the London Great River Race in our class consistently Successfully competing in the Great River Race in our class with a team of over 70 year olds (super Vets) Very successfully winning the Harkers Yard Winter Series for several consecutive years

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Brightlingsea Coastal Rowing Club Brightlingsea Marine Park & Ride, 4 Shipyard Estate, Brightlingsea, Colchester CO7 0AR

BCRC.web@gmail.com

www.brightlingseacoastalrowingclub.co.uk

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 rowing@thewaverowing.com @thewaverowing @thewaverowing @thewaverowing #thewaverowing The Wave – The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine rowing@thewaverowing.com www.thewaverowing.com Editor, creator, formatting Craig Chaulk; Advertisement liaison and assistance: Ania Wieczorek A special thank you to all those that have contributed content for this issue. I hope you all enjoy this issue, and may there be many more. Front cover: © Photo: Atlantic Campaigns SL – Organisers of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge The views expressed by the individual contributor are not necessarily those of The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine. Though the magazine will approach brands, partners and clubs about their product in providing you content, equally the inclusion of advertisements or link in this magazine and page does not constitute endorsem ent of the products, services or entities concern by The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine. The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine is not able to recommend any product or sale, guarantee that it is free of any banned substance or take any responsibility for any claims of effectiveness or sales conducted. The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine is not affiliated with or endorsed by British Rowing Ltd or its representative associations; this magazine is purely to help promote, highlight, publicise and help in any way it can in bringing attention to the coastal, offshore, and ocean rowing activities, its clubs, community and charities in supporting them. This is a not-for-profit magazine, money will go back into the sport and its promotion. All images that appear in the publication and on its social media channels and website are copyright their respective owners and The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine of claims no credit for them unless otherwise noted. If you own the rights to any of the images and do not wish them to appear on the site please contact us rowing@thewaverowing.com with a screenshot and they will be promptly removed. External websites are used at your own risk. © Copyright 2021. Published by The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine. All rights reserved. Issue 9 (V1) No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any other form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, and recording or otherwise including its logo without written permission of The Wave - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine. Issue #5 V1

Issue #9 (Autumn 2021); The WAVE - The Coastal & Offshore Rowing Magazine

Articles inside

Beaumaris RC Pandemic Events

Swanage Supervets

Featured Boat: The ‘Celtic Yawl’

Irish Coastal Rowing Federation

Somerset 525

United We Conquer

The New Pacific Challenge

Rowing Ireland - Offshore

Noman Campaign

TWAC 2021 – During The Race

Coastal Sculling – Boat News