Newsletter July 09   By Harold Aune VP
 

John Sayre – 1960 Olympic Gold Rower – 2009 Solo 14 Owner

John Sayre has been a rower since he was a young man. At age 21 he was rowing with the University of Washington team, know as the “Huskies” as stroke on an eight-man boat. A series of race wins qualified the team to enter the 1958 Henley Regatta in England. Racing in nasty weather conditions they were beaten by the Russian team from Leningrad. This was the middle of the cold war and politics played a part in the team next being invited to Moscow to race there. In an event promoted as “The USSR versus the USA” they turned the tables and won against four Russian rowing teams in a remarkable and historic race. This was also the first time American athletes had ever competed in the USSR.



In 1959 John rowed for the Lake Washington Rowing Club winning gold at the Pan-American Games in Chicago in a coxless four and then went on to the 1960 Olympics in Italy, where, after an arduous start they found their groove and won gold. This feat has not been matched since by an American team in a coxless four.

After his competitive days John’s career included helping found the leadership program “Up With People”, working with Jacques and Philippe Cousteau and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  For the past twenty years he has worked on environmental projects with ‘Northwest Chinook Recovery” a private nonprofit organization with creative solutions. 

John and his wife live in Washington State on the water a mile or so inside Deception Pass on Fidalgo Island. A few months back John bought a Solo 14 after seeing Whitehall Rowing & Sail’s promo material for the Seattle boat show. He has an ideal situation as the boat is kept on the heavy-duty floating dock they share with their neighbors. It takes only a minute or so to slide the boat into the water and head off. John likes to get out early just after dawn and cruises the Pass and the upper reaches of Skagit Bay before the heavy marine traffic starts moving through.



I visited John recently and shot a few frames of him out rowing his boat and got his opinion of how he felt about his Solo 14.

John says “This is the boat that I have been looking for thirty years. I can row in salt water... it’s a real rowing boat... it’s got speed. You can pull it up on the beach, It’s unsinkable and that’s why I got one, I love it!”  



John looked good as he cruised along exhibiting the powerful stroke of a master oarsman. John sets a good example of how rowing keeps him in great shape, particularly for a man who enjoys life and loves rowing and loves being out on the water.

For more details check out the articles “Up to the challenge” and “Back in the USSR”  Click here to see a short video clip of John rowing his Solo 14


Doug Gilmour, avid rower and the man who rowed his Solo 14 the “Saline Solution” in the last two Diablo Point Open Water Rowing Races, is now an official representative for the Whitehall Spirit® Solo 14. Doug has established a small showroom located at 110A, 85 Libertyship Way in Sausalito, CA. 

There’s a shiny new Solo 14 model in the showroom and a couple more conveniently parked on the launching float on the dock right out front.  So if anyone wants to cast their eyes over the real thing or if you can possibly ignore the rave reviews from the Solo 14 owners then maybe you can convince Doug to let you take one out for a spin before placing an order.
He can be reached at 415 332 3271 or by email at catchdoug@sbcglobal.net


Here are a few new optional add-ons for the Solo 14 model.

For pricing and ordering call or go to whitehallsolo.com/accessories/factory-options

These factory optional Gear Mounts must be installed when your boat is being built because they are internally bolted, secured and sealed before the hull and deck are joined together.



Factory Installed Gear Mounts - for carrying optional accessories -  $189.Cad (2)  $316.Cad (4)
Fishermen, especially row-trollers, really appreciate having the ability to easily mount rod holders and lake-troller downriggers. Others love the convenience of the crab trap haulers or drink holders that mount on these internally through bolted tough Scotty™ gear mounting bases. A forward facing mirror is a useful option when rowing in crowded waters. Mounts for these items are installed in pairs with one on both gunnels at the stern or an additional pair, one on both sides amidships. Note that the stern locations are necessary for mounting a forward view mirror. As mentioned above the gear mounts are custom items and must be requested when your boat order is placed. They cannot be retrofitted.

The following optional items can be positioned on the gear mounts shown above and may be ordered at any time. Just Call or Email and we will quickly send your order, or include it with your new boat.

Rowing Mirror $129.CAD
In a stable rowing boat such as the Solo 14 turning to look ahead is easy. The rule is to always know what is all around you and having a forward view mirror can be very helpful in high traffic areas. This one is built to handle the marine environment in glass, stainless steel and tough plastic.

Rod Holder $79. CAD
Row trolling style fishing is becoming more and more popular. Quiet, no stinky outboard engine exhaust smells and great exercise. Even better when rowing with  a slide seat setup for a gentle  full body workout .  With two rod holders you can troll with two rods at once, one out on either side, if this works for your type of trolling. You will normally be rowing at much less than half speed to troll effectively.

Lake Troller Style Downrigger $119.CAD
This lightweight downrigger is great for getting down deep and is rated for weights of up to five pounds. It mounts on the standard gear mount base and features 360º rotation with stops. Construction is stainless steel and nylon. One Scotty No. 1181 Mini Power Grip Plus line release is included.

Crab and Prawn Trap Line Hauler $54.CAD
Makes for easier trap setting and retrieval. Built with tough reinforced nylon. Large roller size with pivoting head for smooth operation. For use with rope up to 1/2” diameter. Adjustable arm angle both horizontally and vertically.

Cup/Drink Holder $19.CAD
Great for cans, coffee mugs, water bottles and insulated sleeves. Convenient accessory rack to hang lures and tools. Easily removable.



Insulated Soft Sided Cooler 12 pack $88.CAD  24pack  $109.CAD

Here’s a handy item for keeping drinks or anything else cool. No hard corners to scratch your boat. It’s waterproof, insulated and built out of soft space age materials. We tried it and it actually keeps ice frozen for up to three days in moderate to hot conditions. They look cool as well especially with their classic Whitehall Spirit® logo.

Newsflash! Attention Fishing guides!