Many thanks to all those who have pulled or sailed in Vancouver with me over the past few years! Reluctantly I have to admit I can no longer afford the time to do full justice to her, as she is my second wooden boat (!) and my first love Constance is beginning to pine for lack of attention. So VANCOUVER is for sale in first class order, and full details of her can be downloaded as a PDF file by clicking here.
One way and another Vancouver has taken part in this annual jamboree for many years, this year in perfect weather making her best time under current ownership, 3h43m52s for the 22 mile course. We started alongside the only other Montagu Whaler in the race, and having one crew member who had never rowed before we took a few minutes to get into our stride, by which time our opposition for the Montagu Whaler prize had gained a lead of a few hundred yards. We had them in our sights the whole way, sometimes closing the gap to 50 yards or so, but just couldn’t catch them, crossing the line less than 3 minutes behind them - not bad after nearly 4 hours.
But a great effort from our very keen crew, who were surprised at how quickly the 4 hours or so seemed to pass. From bow to stern in the photo: Marianne Rundle, Tim Fountaine, Inderjit Kundi, Nina Siljanovic, Alice Toulmin, Kurt Strid, Dick Wynne. Many thanks to Inderjit for stepping in at one day’s day’s notice, especially as this was his first ever row, and he did a brilliant job — and to Nina for finding him, her tireless efforts to fill our last troublesome vacant position were motivated I think by a desire to be one of 5 rather than one of only 4 driving us along!
Before the start - Alice in a state of grace
Excuse our flag — this element of the rules was forgotten until the night before, and we made do with a a piece torn from an old sheet, tied to a walking stick. After drinks at the crowded Poplar Rowing Club, and collecting our very impressive crew certificates, souvenir T-shirts etc, we parted knowing that sleep would come easy that night. (The photo will be replaced with one without the watermark, when mine arrives from the photographers).
More about the race can be seen at www.greatriverrace.co.uk
Well, for the 3rd time in five years, the race had to be re-routed up the River Tamar, due to strong winds and poor visibility. In the prevailing conditions that was quite challenge enough — a 20-mile round trip taking us nearly 4 hours, and the toughest row anyone on board Molly had experienced, as we wrestled with short, steep seas in Plymouth Sound, plenty of rain, and plugged against a strong flood tide through the narrow neck of the Tamar to get back home. Our speed over the ground at some points was virtually zero as we pulled for all we were worth. The photo does not do justice, trust me. That’s Dick & Kurt in the dark jackets, centre of picture. We came away with the Whaler trophy (of course, being the only whaler in the race…)
Every year a rowing race is held from Plymouth, out around Eddystone Lighthouse and back. The treacherous Eddystone Rocks are twelve and a half miles out to sea so that’s 25 miles of open sea rowing, and not for the faint-hearted. But two of us, Dick and Kurt, have decided to put our affairs in order in time to participate on Saturday 16 August. We’ll be crewing in Molly, the Henley Whalers’ American whaleboat, a somewhat lighter and faster vessel than our own Vancouver. In its four-year history the race has sometimes been re-routed inland up the River Tamar due to strong winds. The Eddystone course will take 4 to 6 hours in Molly, depending on conditions, and we plan a practice session in the boat at Henley on Wednesday evening next week. Our first-hand report right here, in a couple of weeks or so.
