VirusBoats Yole,
VirusBoats Turbo II Classic,
and the more recently introduced and very successful Australian
Edon TS515 training scull.

Actually we were told that it was always possible for clubs to obtain funding for these boats under the scheme if they wanted to buy these models. But now it is clearer.

Aren't we having some fabulous weather for rowing? Don't you wish you had ordered your boat already and that you could be out there enjoying it.

Pick up the phone and ORDER NOW!

Tel: 0870 770 2728
Tel: 01244 675 685
Mobile: 07985 043 981

Sadly none of the other crews from Grosvenor Rowing Club won their events but they did put up good performances in their relative statuses.

Tomorrow I'm off to Valencia for the week but will be back in time to race at Trafford in an 8 and Trent Head in a quad next weekend. Happy days!

In the meantime I shall have my phone, +44 (0)7985 043 981, with me if you wish to ORDER a ROWING BOAT. No problem! So why not - ORDER NOW?

I was rowing at bow in the coxed four (borrowed from Liverpool Victoria Rowing Club), ably steered by 15 year old Daisy, whom we borrowed from Warrington Rowing Club.

Anyone would think we had no equipment at Grosvenor R.C. but the fact is they have been digging up the road outside our club and making it very difficult getting things like boats and trailers in and out.

So many thanks to our neighbouring clubs for helping us out.

It was almost perfect conditions, not cold but not hot either and with very little wind. There were 7 single scullers in my age group and I managed to finish 3rd in it, which is where I had hoped to finish. Inevitably though I am gradually slipping down the overall finishing order as the years progress.

In the afternoon we had a cracking scull in our quad, going over the course at a phenomenal 34 strokes per minute and beating our immediate opposition by 2 & 1/2 minutes. And my club, Grosvenor Rowing Club, won the Victor Ludorum trophy for the first time in living memory. So it was a grand day.

Photos are courtesy of Brian Chapman who has been sculling in our quad the last 2 years but is out of action at the moment.

But if you want a bargain Yole I have a couple of used ones available. It is very difficult to get hold of these popular boats second hand so don't hesitate or the opportunity will be lost.

If you want to buy a NEW boat of any description with ONLY 15% VAT then it must be DELIVERED to you by 31st Dec 2009, even if you have paid in advance! Revenue and Customs have anti-avoidance legislation in place that means you must pay 17.5% VAT for deliveries on or after 1st Jan 2010.

BUT I've just discovered this video material from Vannes about the Yole , which has covered already much of what I wanted to do. Saved me a lot of trouble! :-)

Of course I'll still have my mobile phone with me and you can call me and leave a message or better still send me a text as I don't usually pick up when I'm at sea.

It is an improvement on the original kataram because it has longer floats so it is as fast as a TurboSkiff yet more stable than a yole.

The price is on the rowing boat price list.

The boats have proved to be a great success - and in the words of our Junior Coach, "The best money the club has ever spent".

I have orders in the pipeline for 22 of the 28 boats that will be arriving at the end of May from Australia so if you want any of them then better place your order now as the first to confirm with payment will be the first to be served.

The riggers for the next container load of TS515 training sculls are curretly being painted. Presently they will be put together with the boats, wrapped and put into the container ready for shipment from Freemantle. There will be 28 as usual. I already have sales and strong enquiries that will account for half this number so if you want to be sure of getting one for the spring, better ORDER NOW.

I have received from Windermere a number of enquiries about rowing boats since the 10 knot speed limit was introduced there. Speed boats and water skiers have disappeared from the lake and now the lake is attractive for rowing when it is calm. Rowing in fairly fine boats with a low freeboard can happily coexist with sailing on the lake as, of course, it is never windy and calm at the same time. Usually the lake will be calm early in the morning and late in the evening.

The video shows just how easy it is to learn to scull when you have stabilisers under the outriggers.

I also have a Turbo II Classic that has been on the water once and is available for just £1,100 ex-Chester.

I am nearing the end of my current container load of TS515 training sculls so if you want one soon then you'd better act quickly. I have my next container on order now but as it has to come from Australia it can take a while, as you might imagine. Obviously I dared not order too early in the current financial climate.

Having mentioned the current financial climate, my candid opinion is that we are at the bottom NOW. Actually the Credit Crunch is over, as far as I can tell. But it will take a while for the majority to realise this as the press seems determined to hype the gloom and doom. I ask myself, "What is the point of pessimism?" There isn't any, is there?

Read more about the EDON TS515 Traing Scull, including pricing, if you want to learn to row in a boat that is both rewarding, safe and very affordable in the credit-crunched world in which we now live.

To order simply phone +44 (0) 870 770 2728.

They are baked in a rotating oven, that gigantic machine at the back of the factory! It is a process called rota moulding and the inital investment is huge but once done the process is cheap an reliable.