FAQ
Does the Rowing Club have a Banquet Hall that I can rent for a Wedding?
No! After almost 40 year’s in the hall rental and banquet business we decided to go in a different direction and turned our hall into what is now our gym. Effective January 1, 2017 our entire facility has been dedicated solely to the pursuit of athletic excellence.
What is the difference between rowing and paddling?
In rowing the main source of power is the legs and trunk and the oars are locked in place in the oarlock. In paddling sports, the upper body is the main source of power and the paddles are not fixed to the boat. Rowers sit on a sliding seat and look behind themselves. Paddlers kneel or sit and face forward. There are two disciplines to rowing; sculling and sweep. In sculling athletes use two oars each and in sweep rowing they use just one oar. Some rowing boats also use a coxswain to steer, guide, and encourage the crew.
Do I need to know how to swim?
The chances are overturning a rowing boat are slim. The boats themselves and the oars are designed to provide floatation if one overturns or swamps. It is highly recommended that aspiring rowers know how to swim. When you fill out the Rowing Membership application you will be asked to declare your level of swimming ability. If you do not consider yourself to be a strong swimmer, we recommend that you schedule a test locally to assess the same.
What if I don’t have any experience, where/how do I start?
If you fall into this category, then taking a Learn to Row (LTR) session is the appropriate place to start. Please contact us to find out when our next LTR intake will be.
Does the BRC offer boat storage if I own my own boat?
Unfortunately, we do not offer boat storage. Our facilities are cramped and as a result we are not able to offer any form of storage for boats that we do not own ourselves.
Does the BRC rent out rowing boats?
No, only registered rowing members have access to our equipment as part of their rowing membership.
How long is the rowing season?
Typically, the season is 12 months in duration. We generally train on the water from April 1 to October 31. From November 1 until March 31 we train indoors at our facilities making use of our rowing machines, cardio equipment and our weight room. The level of your commitment and involvement with the sport will determine how often you will practice each week during the season.
I don’t see any mention of Adult Rowing for either LTR or Masters athletes…….does the BRC not have a program?
The short answer is no! We have tried various programs in the past to fill this gap in our program, but they have all been limited by the rowing environment that we have to operate in. We row and train on a very busy commercial waterway that can be calm and placid but also very rough and dangerous. As a result, we miss a great deal of water time which makes selling the prospect of on water rowing to adults a bit of a gamble. We train on water very early in the mornings to help mitigate the challenges of our environment and our rowing equipment, safety equipment and coaches are all involved and occupied in this effort.
I have heard about Coastal Rowing ….do you offer it?
Currently we do not have a Coastal program. Coastal boats are unique by design and we do not have enough equipment to offer programming. We are strongly considering adding to our fleet and running this program.
I did a Summer Camp session for several years, 2 years ago……. where do I fit on the Athlete Pathway?
Please contact us and our coaches will work with you to determine where you best fit.
I currently go to University and row competitively; can I join the BRC and row for the summer?
Absolutely! The summer U21/U23 is the correct program for you if you wish to row during the summer break.