FCRC April 22, 2022.
I feel a bit for Reg typing that date.
Lessons
We have had our first block of lessons get sold out and others are filling up as well. It will be good to get folks on the water. Ever ones to improve our game we have been working on finding ways to get people on the water. To that end we bought a few sets of pontoons and a coastal boat so the people taking lessons can learn on a stable platform at their own speed.
Pontoons & Coastal Boats
Two things from the last couple of weeks: we returned the FISA Coastal Double that was lent to us by Oarca in Victoria through Rowing BC and have replaced it with a new Duo from LiteBoat Pacific. It's not a FISA eligible coastal racing shell, but it is an excellent platform for when it's a bit lumpy, you need to practice rowing with other people again or you just want to enjoy rowing.
We also purchased 6 sets of pontoons from Jim at Revolution Rowing for use with people taking lessons, or who want a little more stability than a 25' telephone pole shaped boat offers. The brackets get permanently attached to the riggers (there are spares in the red shed to put on other boats) and the pontoons themselves are stored in the greed shed with the gas.
We still have the use of the Coastal Quad from the Salish Sea Coastal Rowing Club... it'll get used for a community programming and lessons, but this year I hope we can get more opportunities to row it in partnership with SSCRC...
New Shirts
This year's shirts have arrived: no more trying to stuff Coach Aidan into last year's "lady's small" like a sausage! If you already have one, you do not get another one. If you want another one, you are going to have to pay for it so we can buy more to replace it. More to come on that.
Toothbrushes
For those of you that have spent the last 2 years inside hiding, you may not remember what these are. They are called "toothbrushes". You can use them to clean your teeth, which you likely haven't done because you've been wearing a mask and staying inside. In any case, if you have spares, they are also good for washing the little bits on the boats. Please bring them down and any empty yogurt containers you might have (also good for maintaining control over the little bits being washed). Toothpaste not required.
Arbutus Street
For the past several months, Arbutus has been a one way street north of Cornwall. The Vancouver Park Board recently approved a plan to make it two way again, and still account for a bike lane to keep bikes from colliding with folks on the Seawall. That will make it easier to get rowing trailers out of Kits Point if their drivers are feeling trepidation about exiting along Greer to Cypress and coming up by Starbucks - which you can do, but you want to do very slowly. Anyhow, a diagram of the proposed changes is here. I've been in discussions with them for several months and thank you to them for listening and offering suggestions about options for trailers coming to and leaving our regatta.
Wrenches
We have a few at FCRC, however: please get your own. I would suggest 7/16" imperial (for older North American boats) and 10 mm metric (new boats or the foreign ones). Or a good adjustable. If you find ones that float, please let me know.
Taps Are Replaced
Just so you know, the taps that turn off the water between our compound and Vancouver Ocean Sports have been replaced as they were a bit leaky. A lot leaky actually. Anyhow, they should all be good now. There is a master on off valve, then a pressure reducer so our hoses don't explode, then a splitter between us and VOS. On our side there is a splitter to supply the sink that Katie and Cailtin (the earlier one) built for covid and the hoses in the compound. Then another splitter to power the two hoses on our side. Please turn off the one at the fence so our hoses are not pressurized when we are not there (they have exploded in the sun before - it gets me phone calls when I don't want them). Thank you.
The Games
You may have seen the announcement for the Invictus Games coming to Vancouver-Whistler in 2025, but it's going to be a winter games which is vaguely appropriate given it'll be February. Fear not, though. We'll be rowing. Unless it's cold or damp. We'll have other opportunities.
- 2022 FISU Worlds - end of June, July [warning: conflicts with Henley Royal]
- 2022 Canamex, early July in London Ontario - Fanshawe Lake
- 2023 Pan American & Parapan Games - Santiago, Chile: there doesn't seem to be a para rowing segment, but perhaps more to come
- 2024 Paris Olympics & Paralympics
- 2025 English Henley - obviously every year, but seems like it would fill a gap in the annual calendar
- 2026 Australia Commonwealth Games will likely have rowing, if only because "drinking", or "drinking heavily" isn't an official sport outside Australia.
- 2027 Pan American Games in Columbia
- 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics. The venue may change from the lake indicated to a 1500 metre course in Long Beach.
Nassau RC
So, I was surfing the net, as I do, and I noticed that the Nassau Rowing Club in the Bahamas has a new coach, and connections to FCRC. https://www.facebook.com/NassauRowingClub/posts/2873425662802387 As I was thinking about how we could work with them them (without actually asking them which is the wrong way to do things), and trying to figure out if they are on a lake or the ocean, I also saw that Al Morrow (past Canadian Women's National Team Coach) has been guest coaching there with Rob Gibson (who was a Canadian National Team rower and Olympian as well). Hmmm. They look like they are at the same stage we are. Except warmer. And they do have a pretty awesome looking 3 km lake to row on. It needs a few squatters, but that'll come eventually.
Elections
We have elections. They are coming in June. It's good to have new people involved, and to have some folks return for another round. We do need people to help create enduring structures, and we need everyone to participate in keeping the ship moving forward. If you have skills that could help us out as a board member, or as someone who does things, please help. We rely on your assistance to make this as affordable as possible.
Wish You Were Here
Some of you may know Farley personally, or through his role as assistant editor and erstwhile model for this newsletter. He's also been my wingman through the last couple of years when everyone's lives took unexpected turns. He passed away last week and will be sorely missed. Not just because he now makes me understand at least one Pink Floyd song (or this link if you want to see moving pictures) or because of his catch and release program for vermin. Sigh. Here's to all the special people and pets in our lives who have kept us going when the going has been more than a little bumpy.
Racing
If you plan on racing this year, there have been changes to the Rowing Canada Aviron Rules of Racing to keep them in line with the World Rowing Rules of Racing. They aren't identical, but they do try to keep them close. This revision they tried to return authority to the regatta organizers over things that should have been theirs all along: namely weigh in windows for weight restricted events or for coxes and what you can't get exceptions for. When you sign up for a regatta, please please please read the regatta package before you sign up for any race to find out how things are going to go down when you get there.
Board Changes
Due to circumstances beyond his control (actually they were in his control until several months before his family started getting bigger until he momentarily lost control) Sergio has had to step down from the Board of Directors. We will miss your ideas for the future and love for rowing at the meetings, but hopefully we will see more of you on the water. Terry Barkman has also stepped back from the Board and membership in FCRC at the present time but is looking forward to returning to row in the future.
Cleaning Up
Thank you to the people who came down a couple of weeks ago or stayed after practice to get some maintenance done: from Sebastien who scraped all the mussels of the dock, Gordon, Carolyn, Eve, Wenqi, Guillaum, and I know I am missing others... Don! Likely there are more but my mind is a little fuzzy at the moment... and if anyone asks, yes a rowing shell will fit in a garbage can. On a related issue, please avoid logs and stationary objects.
The Phone Is Functional Again & Charging the Batteries
The phone just inside the red shed is functional again. The number is 604-803-3272 (FCRC). There is no voicemail (there is a message asking the called to please email questions@falsecreekrowingclub.ca to contact us). There are also new lights in the red shed that should come on if you are there in the dark.
Also, there is a timer for turning on the charger for the batteries for the cox boxes and megaphones. If you have used them, after putting the batteries/cox boxes away, please set the timer to run for 30 minutes to charge them back up again for the next person. Thank you. The timer is screwed into one of the shelves: it's fairly obvious if you are looking at it from the front if you know where to look: see arrow.
Sinking the LOCR Eight at the Brentwood College Regatta
The Brentwood Regatta is next week. When thinking of Brentwood, one cannot help but think of one of the great rowing videos of all time. Note how they wash the boats at the end, and always remember your sponges people. Much more controlled that the carnage at the Snowflake regatta, which is what you get when helicopter parents sign their kids up for rowing. Don't be them: be good parents and go to Starbucks and get your double donut macchiatos.
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