Head of the Weir River Race 2016

By Sally on November 3, 2016

head-o-the-weir-24-of-24The 30th Annual Head of the Weir River Race, hosted by the Hull Life Saving Museum, was held last Saturday, October 29th. 71 boats were entered in the 5 1/2 mile race, setting a new record for attendance and increasing the competition. As a result, the VCB crews did not bring home any Golden Clamshells this year.

VCB sent one youth crew, rowing Warrior, a Stretch Gunning Dory built in 2012 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard by Rob Buchanan and a team of students from Benjamin Banneker High School. Warrior’s lines are based on plans by the late John Gardner but stretched from 18 to 25 feet in order to accommodate four rowers. Warrior is very light (less than 250 pounds?), very fast, and very easy to get in and out of the water. Also very traditional, in that its basic shape harks back to the ‘bateaux’ of the French and Indian wars. Those boats were sometimes built in a day.

The VCB adult crew rowed Notorious G.I.G.,a Whitehall Gig. The name is an homage to the late great rapper Notorious B.I.G. Whitehall gigs were first made in the U.S. at the foot of Whitehall Street in New York City to be used to ferry goods, services, and sailors on and off the boats coming into New York Harbor. The hull shape is characterized by a nearly straight stem, and slight flare to the bow, rounded sides, with a keel running the entire length of the bottom and a distinctive wine glass transom with a full skeg. Considered one of the most beautiful row-boats, they are designed to handle the harbor chop and yet track straight. Speed was the issue with these boats, as the first to the ship with the goods generally received the lion’s share of the sales. Later the shore patrol used these boats for customs, police issues, water taxi, and newspaper reporting.

 

VCB Coxed-4 Youth crew rowing Warrior finished in 0:55:47, 1 minute, 42 seconds behind the winning crew Youth Dharma Voyage Mariner.

Warrior Crew: Coxswain Kenny Lin, Leo Au-Yeung, Kallista Tong, Cindy Lin and Richard Liang.

VCB Coxed-4 Adult crew in  Notorious G.I.G. finished in 0:59:08 , 5 minutes behind the winning crew HLM’s Mighty Oarsmen Sacred Cod to take third place in their category.

Notorious G.I.G. Crew:Coxswain Dave Clayton, Paul Caviano, Andrew Leung, Deborah Clearman and Marcel Dejean

Head of the Weir 2016 Race Results by Category: HERE

Head of the Weir 2016 Race Results by Finish Order: HERE

Special thanks to Eric Cerny and Paul Caviano for organizing and driving.

 

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The Story of the American Star

By Sally on September 15, 2016

The Story of the American Star

condensed by Tori Gilbert from
The Log of Mystic Seaport, 1972
author: John Gardner

 

Presentation of a Special Gift

In 1824-25, the aging Lafayette visited the United States for the last time. He came as a guest of the nation to make a triumphant tour. Many Americans adored him; they had not forgotten his youthful sacrifices on their behalf in their liberation from British rule. He was showered with so many gifts that the American government provided a new boat to carry them home. The boat was named Brandywine, after the battle where Lafayette had made his name as a soldier.

One of these gifts was the American Star, the Whitehall gig that had beaten the British in a friendly race the year before. The American Star was built in Brooklyn, New York by John and William Chambers shortly before 1820. It was a symbol not only of their victory and national pride, but also of the sophisticated mechanics of the country. The coxswain of the original race, John Magnus, and the rowers were given the privilege of presenting the boat to Lafayette. John was only 14 years old when he had won this race the year before! The American Star was spruced up for her special presentation since the crew was also given the honor of ferrying Lafayette to Jersey City for a special dinner. On the way back from Jersey, John Magnus said to the General: “We hope that you will take the boat back to France where it may remind you of your grateful friends you have left behind, the ingenuity of the mechanics of a country which you assisted to liberate, and also our great naval motto, ‘Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights’.” Lafayette replied that “no keepsake could be more welcome; the more gratifying indeed, when offered from the hands of the five victors. It shall be carefully and fondly preserved. I beg you gentlemen, will accept, and transmit to your companions, the congratulations, the thanks, and the good wishes of a veteran, heartily devoted to the great naval motto-‘Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights.’ ” True to his word, this boat can still be visited today, almost 200 years later, at Lafayette’s castle, known as La Grange.
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Row Around Manhattan 2016

By Sally on September 6, 2016

Seven gigs and a chase boat circumnavigated the island of Manhattan on Saturday making VCB’s annual Row Around Manhattan a great success raising close to our goal of $5K thanks in part to the 20 Danes who joined the flotilla. Sustained  NW head winds of 10 – 15 mph  from Tropical Cyclone Hermine gave rowers a workout on the East River and the Harlem followed by a free ride down the Hudson with the wind at our backs and a following tide.

Sally’s Photos:

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Denyse Warf Row

By Sally on August 29, 2016

By

Marcel Dejean

The row went great. We left a little behind schedule, got there around noon. Notorious, coxed by Paul, was rowed; Rachel coxed by me set sail at the Battery. It wasn’t very windy so Notorious was consistently faster and arrived about 15 minutes ahead of us.

The beach at Denyse Wharf is sandy but filled with tires and debris. Louis from the Waterfront Alliance said he thinks the Army Corps of Engineers put the tires there. The city councilman posed in front of Notorious with some reenactors and then we took them out for a 5 minute row. After that we took a few groups of the public out. Thanks to Deborah for managing the waivers and order.

We left around 3pm. Eric coxed Rachel and Paul again took Notorious. Rachel set sail at Bay Ridge. The wind died around the Battery and we had to row again. The wind was stronger on the way back than on the way there but still weak and Notorious arrived back at Pier 40 about ten minutes ahead of us.IMG_20160827_102559IMG_20160827_125056IMG_0426

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Row Around Manhattan Fun(d)raiser 2016

By Sally on August 9, 2016

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Village Community Boathouse will be holding its annual Row Around Manhattan Saturday, September 3, 2016. Since this is a fundraiser, each rower is asked to raise or contribute $100. The circumnavigation will be a challenging 8 hour row, and is appropriate for experienced rowers who are in reasonably good shape. There will be celebratory party at the boathouse on Pier 40 after the row,

Annual Row Around Manhattan Schedule:

Rowers meet at the VCB Boathouse Pier 40 (south side), at 6:00 AM.

Boats leave Pier 40 at 7 am sharp

Breakfast Stop in Astoria, Queens (East River)

Lunch stop at Swindler Cove, Manhattan (Harlem River)

Boats Return to Pier 40 around 4-5pm

Post Row Dinner and Ceremony at VCB Boathouse 5pm-8pm

Essentials: Water/Fluids, Hat, Gloves, Sunblock, Nutrition, Intrepid Inclination!.

Questions: For more information contact David Shehigian at [email protected] or [email protected].

Sign Up: You can sign up to row or just donate to support our cause by clicking on the link: RMR 2016 

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