The Scottish Coastal Rowing Project

Sun Sand and Skiffs at Portobello

robbiew — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:07:47 +0000

A report will be put here in due course but in the meantime we have come accross a photo blog of the day here: http://scotland4thesenses.blogspot.com/2010/07/return-of-portobellos-rowing-regatta.html

And still the numbers grow.

Alec — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:56:51 +0000

After a quiet couple of months on skiff sales, I’m very happy to say that the total number of kits sold has now reached 28.

These have come from…

Royal West at Greenock who have ordered two kits,

Eyemouth’s 2nd, to be built in the High School,

Catterline, who finally have the space in which to to build,

South Queensferry, adding another to the many on the south side of the Forth,

and finally Fife has woken up, with Pittenweem and Crail getting in on the act.

Other places in Fife are getting clubs going, and it seems possible that the spring of 2011 will see another 8 skiffs built in Fife.

There has also been new interest from Helmsdale and Lochgilphead. My spy in Stornoway tells me that there there is renewed interest in Lewis and Harris and at Gairloch.

With the way the numbers are building up, I think it is very likely that by the first regatta in 2011, there will be something in the order of 40 skiffs on the water.

Thank you all who have purchased the kits.

Alec Jordan

Eyemouth Launch

Alec — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:12:59 +0000

The Eyemouth community rowing Project Launched their first boat officialy on Sunday 11 July. Immediately after the offficial launch she was rowed around to Eyemouth Beach by what I think was the heaviest and powerful crew I have seen in a St Ayles. When those young men get practiced, any other men’s open crew had better watch out!

On the start line on a very breezy day

Radio Scotland sent a reporter to cover the event, and the piece on the rowing can be found at BBC iPlayer at 38:00 or thereabouts.

Unity of Eyemouth

As can be seen in the photo, it was a very breezy, and conditions were very testing for the crews, especially the new ones.

Everyone appeared to enjoy themselves, especially the Dunbar mens crew who had never rowed a St Ayles before, won their heat, and came pretty close to winning the event – we blame the cox – equally inexperienced.

All pictures above courtesy of Peter Nisbet – more to be seen at http://www.flickr.com/groups/scottishrowing/pool/

Alec Jordan

You can view the results of the Eyemouth Regatta here.

Cumbrae 14 and 15 August

robbiew — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:20:52 +0000

GalGael are hosting a festival on the Isle of Cumbrae on the weekend of 14/15th August. They would love as many skiffs as possible to attend this international event, which is the first of its kind to be held. There will be visiting traditional coastal rowing boats visiting from Spain,Portugal, Ireland and we hope france and this will provide everyone with an opportunity to meet likeminded people from far and wide.The visiting international crews are all keen to have a go in the skiffs and would love folk to have a go in their boats. If any skiffies would like to take part then could you please let Martin Hughes at Galgael know asap.

www.sailandoar.co.uk and www.galgael.org

Portsoy Results

Alec — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:59:35 +0000

At Portobello’s suggestion, I’ve uploaded the full results from Portsoy – the only thing was that I cannot remember whether it was Cockenzie or Port Seton that won the Mixed Open on the Saturday!

Portsoy Results

Eyemouth Skiff Launching Sunday 11 July

robbiew — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:28:18 +0000

Eyemouth are very confident, and are challenging local skiffs to take them on within 45 minutes of their launch! Eyemouth are putting on skiff races in the three categories: mens, womens and mixed open crews. Enjoy their Herring Festival on 11 July:

Team briefings between 12-1 at Dickson’s Yard behind Cafe Questo on the Harbourfront

1:15pm Launch by the newly crowned Herring Queen followed by a blessing by George Shaw

2pm Races commence either in the bay or a time trial in the harbour if weather is not good. http://www.berwickshirecoast.org.uk/

Portsoy Races on YouTube

Alec — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:33:57 +0000

Chris Perkins has started the process of uploading his videos to Youtube.

The first is Coigach v Port Seton.
Port Seton v Anstruther Ladies - a learning experience for umpires and rib pilots! the race was rerun after recovery time.
and Ullapool v Anstruther showing Ulla’s brief instant of success

Coigach v Port Seton, Men 40+

I will add links to others as he lets me know that they have been uploaded.

Congratulations to Portsoy Winners

robbiew — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:58:33 +0000

Safe to say that everyone was a winner. The skiff racing at Portsoy was a fantastic event in wonderful weather.

It was at Portsoy last year that promotion really started for the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project, with Iain Oughtred still working away at his drawing board. It was fantastic to see six skiffs racing at the event, especially with the knowledge that many more are already in build.

Recognition of the attention that the project has received can be seen from the fact that Scotland’s First minister came along in order to watch our racing and present the prizes. Every one was a winner, but some are more winner than others, so congratulations to Port Seton for winning three events: the mixed open, men’s over 40 and Women’s over 40; to North Berwick for winning the mixed over 40, to Coigach for winning the men’s open, and to Anstruther for winning the Women’s open.

See post below for Flickr link.

Portsoy Skiff-fest

Alec — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:22:39 +0000

From the reaction of the Organisers of Portsoy when I said goodbye to them on Monday morning, the title of this post will be the show’s title next year. I have booked the whole of the Links campsite for Skiffies for next year (I wish).

First set of pictures on Flickr have been posted, courtesy of Chris Perkins. I could not decide which of them should be in this post!

I’m expecting to get a link to Kathy Mansfield’s set in a day or two, and I will get the official results up here in the morning.

To all who attended this weekend’s fun, a massive thank you, to all who haven’t yet built themselves a Skiff, time to get building to join the fun!

Alec J

A weekend’s showing – Pittenweem & South Queensferry

Alec — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:00:46 +0000

I’ve had a busy weekend showing off Chris o’Kanaird. On Saturday we were at the Pittenweem Gala day, and from discussions there, it would appear that Pittenweem and St Monans have been talking seriously about joining the fun. There was second hand news that Boarhills (near St Andrews) has been talking about it, and everyone who I talked to from Crail said that they were going to get things moving there! On top of the news last week that there is serious interest from Methil and Burntisland, it appears that the Kingdom of Fife is at last getting its skiffs on.

Sunday saw Chris making her way over the bridge again to South Queensferry, where she assisted the RNLI gala day by chucking the chairman of the Queensferry group in the sea for him to be rescued by the inshore rescue boat. Quite a few members of the Queensferry group had a try, and Mike McDowall showed off his model of the skiff that he has been using to publicise the build there.

I’ll hopefully receive a few pictures of the boat later, but in the meantime, here’s Mike and his model.