Rowing & Sculling Boats

Feedback on TS515

Got this today from another happy customer.

Dear Steve,

I have been away for 2 weeks so I have only just been out in my new TS515. I did take the precaution of wearing a life jacket on my first outing as our river is deep and cold this time of year but after a few strokes I came back in took of the life jacket and set off up the river. As I had not been in a boat for 18 years it was a shaky start but I was enjoying it so much I rowed at least a mile up river and back. Great boat and I am enjoying it.

Regards

R Palmer

Oldest yet fastest!

On Saturday I raced in a Masters E quad scull at Agecroft Head of the River Irwell in Manchester/Salford in glorious weather. My club had put together, by accident because somebody couldn't make it and had to be substituted, the same crew in which I won at Henley Veterans' Regatta in 2008.

We found ourselves lumped together with all of the other Masters classes from B through to E. Races like this are handicapped to take account of declining performance expectations with age. We were given a 35 sec handicap advantage over the youngest crew.

But guess what! We beat the lot of them anyway, even without taking advantage of the handicap times we were offered. There is life in the old dogs yet!

I was steering, with my right foot, at bow and was delighted to get around the first bend and through the inside arch of the first bridge without mishap. The course runs right through the city centre with sheer walls on each side so the water is very lumpy and uncomfortable to row on in a fine racing boat. But it's the same for everybody except the crew that starts first so you just have to get on with it.

We gradually caught up with Runcorn but they passed Warrington on the big straight and so we had to scull in the wash of two boats! Then we had to pass Warrington on the outside of the final bend and we nearly clashed with them but they moved over just in time. I had a nice line for the finish as we came under the final bridge, by Old Trafford, and we put in our final effort to try and get past Runcorn, who seemed to have brought their entire club to support them from the dockside at Salford Quays!

Just before the line we got tangled up with their blades and amongst a lot of shouting (but to everybody's credit - no swearing) we dragged each other over the finish line. I don't know how I drifted off course. Sometimes the wash from another crew can suck you in. It certainly wasn't deliberate. Anyway, no harm done.

In the results the crew who came second behind us was another from my own club, Grosvenor RC, a Masters C crew. Looking good for the future.

Two used boats for sale

We have two used boats for sale, a nine+ years old Yole Club single and an all but NEW Turbo II Classic . Please register your interest in order to check them out and place a bid. Bidding closes on Wednesday and Thursday this week respectively so better be quick.