Queensferry Rowing Club

Club captain Dónal, on behalf of the Committee and Return to Rowing Subgroup, writes: We’re delighted to let you know that from Monday 9 August we can return to something approaching normal rowing.  Yes folks, bacon roll Saturdays are coming back and you can row/cox/skipper as often as you want, or are capable of, in a day!  

Please read the following email carefully – there is a lot of important information for you to take on board.

Social Rowing
We can now return to normal social rowing arrangements as follows, subject to tide times:
● Tuesdays and Thursdays – from 18:00 
One boat will be bookable – watch out for emails from Mike B.  For the other boat, turn up, pop your name on the whiteboard and we’ll sort crews on a first come, first served basis.  The boats will continue to go out until everyone has rowed.
● Saturdays – from 09:00 (with bacon rolls!)
● Sundays – from 13:00
Turn up, pop your name on the whiteboard (to help us keep track) and row.  The boats will continue to go out until everyone has rowed.

Remember, there may be a little wait at busy times.  On Saturdays, we will have our famous Shed bacon rolls to keep you busy, as well as the usual tea and coffee at any time.  It’s £1 for bacon rolls, 50p for tea and coffee.  This is an excellent time to meet with other members, make new friends and chat about rowing!

All other times
You can book boats through Mike B as usual at other times.  Anyone can call a row as long as you have a qualified RP/Skipper to take you out!  Mike can help with that.

Not quite out of the woods yet….
COVID isn’t over, so we will still have to have some measures in place as follows:

In the Shed

1. Everyone MUST sign in and out of the Shed.  You will be asked to scan an NHS Scotland QR code using your phone for track and trace purposes.  Alternatively, you can put your name in our track and trace book if your phone can’t scan the code.
2. The boats should be taken out of the Shed to give us room to circulate, and the doors left open to allow for ventilation.
3. To allow members space to move freely, please continue to bring only a small bag (for car keys, mobile phone) into the Shed and come ready to row.  No changing in the Shed.
4. The Captain’s Cabin is out of bounds (to allow John H a safe space to work) – the life jackets will be on the rail in front of the oar rack so you access them easily.

COVID Hygiene

1. Boat touch points and equipment (including lifejackets, oars and radio covers) must be sanitised by spraying and wiping by each crew rowing.
2. The final crew in each boat should do the usual soapy washdown.

Finally, and most importantly, do not under any circumstances come rowing if you have any COVID symptoms.

Please respect these rules.  They are small things for each of us, but will help keep up all safe.  Your Committee will keep arrangements under review and tweak things as we see how they work.

The social side of coastal rowing is very important and we’re all keen to get back to it.  Thanks to everyone for helping to get us this far.  Special thanks to Mike B for doing such a great job with booking, and for Lesley for her work with new members.  Thanks also to the RTR Subgroup and the Committee for your support.

We look forward to seeing you all! 

Douglas writes: On the 9th July 2021, five QRC members took part in the SCRA “5 Miles From Home” event, using Ferry Maid. 

This event was one of a series organised to give some competitive rowing in the absence of a Castle to Crane race this year.

5 Miles From Home

Crews were invited to enter in a variety of craft, and were sorted into age categories. A crew was assembled from the Men’s 60+ squad, in the M50+ category. (No 60+ category being available unfortunately.)

Each crew had to row a five mile course in their home waters. The course had to be “out and back”, or approximately circular, starting and finishing in roughly the same place, to minimise any local tidal advantage. The row had to take place between the 9th and 11th July, and the result recorded using Strava or similar and submitted to the organisers by 1pm on the 11th.

The team had done extensive research, and with assistance from John H., had mapped a course which gave the required length. A short series of test/training rows was carried out, firstly to check that the course was actually the right length, and then to set some times. Training rows recorded times of 53:00 minutes, and 53:12 minutes.

For the first race day on the 9th July, conditions were not as favourable as expected, but a good time of 53:55 minutes was achieved despite the Inchgarvie sector being particularly lumpy and challenging. (Lots of air rowing) The forecast was looking worse for the next day, so the recorded time was accepted as the one which would be submitted.

Once the results were published, an analysis of the spreadsheet showed that the crew achieved the following:

25th out of 139 entries in all classes.

9th out of 36 St Ayles skiffs entered.

3rd out of 4 M50+ St Ayles Skiffs entered.

So, the headline is we came 3rd in our class, and were ahead of many open category St Ayles crews.

Congratulations to Alan Sutherland, Alistair Sturrock, Alan Duch, and Keith Thomson for keeping up an excellent pace in difficult conditions, while I just had to steer and make sure I didn’t accidentally stop the time recording before the five miles were completed. That wouldn’t have gone down well….

Mike B writes: Well, the summer is racing by and the tides this week are excellent for our weekday rowing, so make the most of it whilst we have the light evenings!

Times for social rowing this week are:
Tuesday 3rd August:  Slot 1, 18:00 to 20:00, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 18 45 to 20:45, Ferry Lass
Thursday 5th August: Slot1, 18:00 20:00, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 18:45 to 20:45, Ferry Lass
Friday 6th August: Slot 1, 18:00 to 20 00, Ferry Maid, Slot 2, 18 45 to 20 45, Ferry Lass
Saturday 7th August: Slot 1, 10:00 to 12:00, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 10:45 to 12:45, Ferry Lass
Sunday 8th August: Slot 1, 13:45 to 15:45, Ferry Lass; Slot 2, 14:30 to 16:30, Ferry Maid

If you would like to participate in any of these rowing slots, please contact me directly on mikebreewood@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Mike B writes: Next week will be excellent for evening rowing (at least so far as the tides are concerned!)

We have a full program of social rowing slots as follows:

Tuesday 27th, Slot 1, 18:00 – 20:00, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 18:45-20:45, Ferry Lass
Thursday 29th, Slot 1, 18:00 – 20:00, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 18:45-20:45, Ferry Lass
Friday 30th, Slot 1, 18:00 – 20:00, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 18:45-20:45, Ferry Lass
Saturday 31st, 07:00-09:00, Early Birds, Ferry Maid; Slot 1, 09:30-11:30, Ferry Lass; Slot 2, 10:15-12:15, Ferry Maid
Sunday 1st August, Slot 1, 13:00-15:00, Ferry Lass; Slot 2, 13:45-15:45, Ferry Maid.

If you would like to join a crew for any of these slots, please let me know directly on mikebreewood@gmail.com.

Mike B writes: The tides are not very helpful to us this coming week – only two rowing slots available in the evening during the week.

The social rowing slots are as follows:
Tuesday 20th of July: Slot 1, 18:30 – 20:30, Ferry Maid; Slot 2, 19:15 – 21:15, Ferry Lass
Saturday 24th of July: Slot 1, 11:00 – 13:00, Ferry Lass; Slot 2, 11:45 – 13:45, Ferry Maid

If you would like to take part in any of these rows, please email me directly on mikebreewood@gmail.com.

If you are driving down to Port Edgar, you can park in the non-charging car park by driving up to the barrier and telling them that you are with Queensferry Rowing Club.