Author Archives: Sally

A Manhattan-Made Boat Heads to Maine . 

By Sally on January 9, 2022

http://www.otdowntown.com/news/a-manhattan-made-boat-heads-to-maine-CG1910411

A Manhattan-Made Boat Heads to Maine

| 21 DEC 2021 | 05:04

In summer, The Village Community Boat House offers free rowing from Pier 40 in Hudson River Park. Come winter the boathouse stays open so that its skilled boatbuilders can teach the craft to others, (also for free). This year the builders realized that they needed to make more room in the boathouse before they could build another boat. So they decided to donate a vessel to some worthy seafarers.

The gift boat, a Whitehall Gig, is a model of the traditional four-oared 19th century boat used to ferry ship captains from their moorings over to the Whitehall Street pier. Boats from the Village Community Boat House are so esteemed in the rowing world that the chosen recipient, Station Maine, sent the town’s mayor to receive the gift.

On Sunday December 19, Mayor Ed Glaser of Rockland took possession in an informal riverside ceremony. Members of the Village Community Boathouse gave the Gig a fresh coat of paint — black and white with a yellow racing stripe —and a champagne sendoff. But the crowd wasn’t in an entirely celebratory mood.

“We’re like a family that has to give away a beloved pet,” said boathouse President Sally Curtis. “We wanted to be sure it would be well cared for and used to help folks, especially young people, get out on the water.”

Lorne Swarthart, head of the boat-building program, was pleased that the boat he’d been rowing and repainting for 20 years would go to Station Maine. The nonprofit club has an innovative and entirely free youth seamanship program.

When Mayor Ed Glaser arrived with his borrowed boat trailer, VCB founding member Ruth Lindner was glad to see that “Mayor Ed knows his way around a boat house.” In a speech, Glaser said that before becoming Rockland’s mayor he’d been its Harbormaster for 13 years. “I’ve done enough amateur boat building in my life to appreciate professional craftsmanship like this.”

Then he hitched the 25-foot boat to his truck and headed north. If you’re in Maine this summer keep an eye out for a 19th century Hudson River Gig in Rockland’s 21st century harbor.

http://www.westsidespirit.com/news/a-manhattan-made-boat-heads-to-maine-CG1910411

 http://www.chelseanewsny.com/news/a-manhattan-made-boat-heads-to-maine-CG1910411

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Winter Boatbuilding Update

By Sally on January 7, 2022

by Lorne Swarthout

December 23rd: Seven students showed up this afternoon, three who came last week and four additional. Two of those were alums, Stone and Nafel, two were first-timers. We got the sides on the Opti and began work on the dagger board case.
It was a happy crew.

Sunday, January 2nd, 2022: We worked with a small crew of four on Sunday, but we made some progress on both our projects. We primed the bilge of the gig and we steam bent one batch of stems. We also began to layout the bottom of the peapod.
Stay safe everyone

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VCB Row Around Manhattan 2021

By Sally on September 16, 2021

On September 11, 2021, thirty-two intrepid rowers circumnavigated the island of Manhattan in six Whitehall Gigs. The Row Around Manhattan (RAM) is an annual Fall fundraising event for Village Community Boathouse and each rower contributed a minimum of $100. The RAM is a challenging and incredibly scenic 30-mile voyage that begins at our boathouse on the south side of Pier 40, circles Manhattan on the Hudson, East and Harlem Rivers in a counter-clockwise direction, and ends with a spectacular party back at the boathouse.

Originally, the RAM was scheduled for August 22nd but Tropical Storm Henri interfered with our plans and we rescheduled the circumnavigation for September 11.

Special thanks to Ingo Gunther for driving the chase boat despite a sprained ankle and Dave Clayton and Lorne Swarthout for crewing. Thanks to Melissa Curtis for supplying the food for the after RAM party and Henry Yee and Regine Urbach for helping with setup and cleanup.

Whitehall Gig GML: Coxswain: Marcel Dejean
Crew: Ravtej Kohli, Katie Gilbert, Frank Cervi, Hamilton Sands
Whitehall GIG Quixotic, Coxswain: Mary Harvey
Crew: Emmy Chen, Stone Su, Nafel Khan, Michelle Huang
Whitehall Gig Bird: Coxswain Deborah Clearman
Crew: David Tan, Andy Lin, Evelyn Chen, Catherine Chen
Whitehall Gig Notorious G.I.G.: Coxswain: Andrew Leung
Crew: Chris Dong, Bella Signorelli, Pranjal Modi, Emily Travis,
Whitehall Gig Storm Queen: Coxswain: Sally Curtis, Crew: Cadamus Quin, Derek Wollenstein, Daniella Bauleo, Edward Moffet, Leticia Lew
Whitehall Gig Pete Seeger: Coxswain: Michael Anton
Crew: Barbara Garson, Nelsie Aybar-Grau, Linda Seekamp, Francis Yesurathinam, Vivek Sanan
VCB Youth Crew: Coxswain and VCB Youth Rowing Coordinator Mary Harvey and crew
Safety Boat: Ingo Gunther at the wheel, Lorne Swarthout, Dave Clayton
[Show thumbnails]
The RAM Itinerary

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VCB Row Around Manhattan 2021

By Sally on September 15, 2021

2021 VCB Row Around Manhattan

Sunday, August 22 canceled.

Raindate: Saturday, September 11

The Row Around Manhattan (RAM) is a challenging and incredibly scenic 30-mile voyage that begins at our boathouse on the south side of Pier 40, circles Manhattan on the Hudson, East and Harlem Rivers in a counter-clockwise direction, and ends with a spectacular party back at the boathouse. The RAM is also our biggest fundraiser of the year; we ask each rower to raise or contribute a minimum of $100.

This year’s RAM will take place on September 11 with a start time of 9:00 AM (Crews need to be on hand at 7:30 at the latest.

Non-members are welcome to join us provided they have sufficient rowing experience or join us for at least three practice rows between now and the event. Non-rowing friends, family, and colleagues are encouraged to support by volunteering at the event.

You must register in advance. Signup is easy. Just click on the link: HERE

If you just wish to support our endeavor, you can donate HERE

If you wish to raise money for VCB, go HERE

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Coxswain Training August 21st

By Sally on August 22, 2021

Rob Buchanan instructing prospective VCB coxswains

Congratulations to the 25 people who completed the 2021 VCB Coxswain Training Saturday–you are listed below. 
Remember that this is just the first step, and that experience and judgment take time to acquire. If you want to become a senior coxswain and trip leader, or just a more accomplished mariner, keep coming down to the boathouse to row and, when possible, take the yoke lines and steer.
Don’t hesitate to be in touch with any questions, suggestions, or concerns, and thank you for your support of the Village Community Boathouse!
Rob Buchanan, coxswain training coordinator

ps–Special thanks to Sally Curtis, Dave Clayton, Mary Harvey, Jon Lu, Chris Dou, Tizoc Gomez, Marcel Dejean, Pablo Garcia, and Frank Cervi. 


2021 Jr. Coxswain Trainees

Stuyvesant Rowing Club:
Abi Johnson, Catherine Chen, Emmy Chen, Chris Dong, Evelyn Chen, Richard Chen, Pranjal Modi, Michelle Huang


NY Harbor School:
Camillo Cretara, Aelish Mullaney, Marifer Sanchez-Gaspar, Nick Pabotoy, Beatrix Alevras, Liana Martin-Peterson, Catherine Murphy


Cooper Union rowers: Karan Gill, David Yang, Jonathan Pan, Amaan Rahman


Rocking the Boat: Daniel Martinez, Silvana Genao, Mitchell Bess


VCB adults: Derek Wallenstein, Barbara Garson, Peter Wellings

Coxswain trainees learning to check out boats
Practicing maneuvers
Frank showing them how it’s done.

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