Learn-to row session #3

Seven novices and eight varsity members came out on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend to get some time in the boats. Below is a couple of shots of the "balance drill" -- what every novice needs to know about how far a sweep boat can heel. Shots by Rolando's dad.

In the two hour session we had the novices in the eight Badger (with senior varsity member Dan stroking), William and Becky sculling in NA's double, and Robert in our Hudson single Single-minded. 

Another pic of the novices sliding aft to the catch during their row by the dock:

Another session next Saturday is in the works. We'll row the fours on that day. I hope to see you!

A boatload of novices

Today's learn-to-row session went well. The picture below shows seven novices and one experienced rower. Can you pick the one person who has rowed often enough to know that the blade won't suddenly fall off the end of the oar? Thanks, Helen for helping out!

Thanks to Rolando's dad for the above shot. Below are some more pics by Brittany's dad.

We hope to have another session next Saturday at the same time. All are invited. 

Why row?

It's fun!

"Is it so nice as all that?" asked the mole, shyly...

"Nice? It's the only thing," said the Water Rat Solemnly, as he leaned forward for his stroke. "Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."

― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

You can be out in nature...

with ospreys, bald eagles, dolphins

 (all found in the Lafayette River ecosystem.)

You can experience the sport alone....

...or as part of a crew...

You get to carry 

the biggest "stick" in school.

All 9th graders start equal --

 there is no "youth" rowing. 

You're as good (or bad) as

any 9th grader in the area.

You won't have to lower

 yourself over a cliff

 with a jackhammer!

You won't have to row

 in freezing weather! 

(Remember rowing is

 supposed to be fun!)

You might get more

 insight to the summer

 reading assignment.

You'll get to experience 

Mr. Bousquet's terrible puns

 before you have him

 for math class (Greek rho = row?)

...or maybe because your English teacher

 or your math teacher

 really likes 

The Boys in the Boat!

There will be an introductory learn-to-row session this Saturday, the 23rd, from 9:00-11:00 at the Lakewood Boathouse. See the sidebar to the right for directions.

Please e-mail coach Bousquet 

bousquej@chsvb.org 

if you plan on attending.

See you then!

Wakeless launch completed

Well, I finally completed the "winter project" first detailed in this post. The boat seems to perform well and should serve as a useful coaching platform. We'll be the only high school team in the area with such a launch (the ODU women's varsity rowing team has three "wakeless" launches.) Below are three videos of the launch under way, at warm-up speed, at racing speed and at full throttle. Note when moving out the boat is hardly "wakeless." Perhaps "low wake" might be a better descriptor. I'll keep the boat in the water during the season and pull it out over the winter. In the tradition of naming our boats, this one will be called  Out to Launch.

A little bow down, but better to keep the prop out of the Lafayette River muck at low tide.

Test run at warm-up speed

Test run at racing speed

Full throttle