Whitehall Newsletter June 2011 By Harold Aune

Rowing and sailing can become addictive. I often get reports from boat owners who say that when they are out slide seat rowing, or out sailing, they feel more connected to life, more in the now, than at any other time of their lives. This is good!

One of these owners I recently heard from is recovering from a shoulder condition and cannot wait to get back out there on the water. In the meantime he's reading about rowing and sent along the following quote from ÒRowing to LatitudeÓ an absolutely amazing book written by Jill Fredston. Jill and her husband have rowed through some of the most extreme areas on the planet. In her book she wrote the following description which sums up her peak feelings while rowing...

...zen is a stroke without beginning or end. It is a sensation of being completely connected and disconnected in the same moment, a feeling of pure harmony and symmetry. It happens when my oars are just extensions of my arms and my legs seem to grow out of the boat. I am not consciously working or thinking in any disciplined way. The boat flows. I am a marionette, the boat is part of me, the water is air, the journey, the ultimate magic carpet ride. Or maybe I am the boat ...its heart, its motor, its spirit. My legs are pistons, I could row forever.

Pretty heady stuff but I've been there myself, both sailing and rowing and these all too brief moments of clarity are what charges my inner battery and moves me forward with a smile. I wish the same for all of you.

The Either Oar Rowing Company - Learn to Row in Sausalito

Open water rowing, even though it has been around for decades, has been mostly done with boats that are only a bit fatter than a racing shell but still quite tippy. Rowing in a really stable boat such as a Solo 14 is quite new. The addition of slide seat rowing gear that's bio-mechanically identical to a racing shell to a modern teched out Whitehall adds what is needed to make learning to row possible for the average person. And once adequate rowing and boat handling skills are acquired a sleek stable and seaworthy Whitehall can make rowing in wind and waves a truly enjoyable experience. Or learning to row a narrow shell a much less demanding experience.

Douglas Gilmour, owner of the Either Oar Rowing Co. in Sausalito, California loves rowing on the sometimes quite turbulent waters of San Francisco Bay and comes from a place of long experience. Doug has owned and rowed more different rowing boat designs, from shells to dories, than anyone I know. He feels that the Solo 14 is the best all around boat and is perfect for introducing new rowers to slide seat rowing. He, like myself, believes that slide seat rowing is absolutely the greatest sport for so many reasons.

Many, if not most, people are terrified of rough water. No one wants to tip over into the bay. Just like hundreds of our owners and the WSRC club members here in Victoria, Doug has found that the first time student finds recreational joy and security in a Solo 14 and even more in a Tango 17 double. These boats offer the thrill of adventure and feel as safe as they look. The Either Oar Rowing Co. now has three Solo 14 singles and a Tango 17 double on their dock in Sausalito and has engaged topnotch instructors to teach rowing skills on the bay.

Doug's background career as a creative director marketing for major national brands is evident in the EORC poster shown here. And that's a mighty nice halibut lying there in the stern as well.

The fishermen, halibut and dory image is from a painting called 'Fog Warning' by Winslow Homer. You can see the original at the Boston Fine Arts Museum.

Whitehall Rowboat Fishing - Send along your fishing Photos...

Kurt Beacham, Whitehall's inhouse fiberglass wizard was out fishing the other day in a Classic Whitehall Spirit ® 14 and caught a couple of nice sized ling cod just outside the Victoria harbour. One of these is shown below. Nothing like the 35 lb halibut he caught last summer that was so impressive it's worth showing again. If you have any great fishing pictures please send them to along and we'll send you a surprise.

Canadian Navy Fitness Trainers Go Slide Seat Rowing

We all know how good slide seat rowing is for anyone who gets out regularly and so we were quite happy to host a dozen fitness trainers from our local Navy base over at our local Whitehall Spirit ® Rowing Club. They received a brief lesson on the basics of boat handling and slide seat rowing and reported that they all really enjoyed the experience. A good rowing program and a small fleet of open water rowing boats is perfect for keeping hundreds of navy personnel in fine fit form.

Tyee Spirit 14 Sailing and Slideseat model

A mint condition previously owned Whitehall Spirit® Tyee 14 has just come available. These are as rare as hen's teeth. The current list for a new model including a trailer is $30,465.00 this hardly used model is available for much less. A call to our sales department could have you slide seat rowing and sailing in a matter of days.

Reminder ... If there are any accessories you might need for this season give us a call and we can ship them out. To view our accessories visit whitehallrow.com/accessories \Please don't hesitate to call if you would like any assistance or advice.

We are available by phone Monday to Friday between 9:30am and 4:30 pm PDT Call toll free1 800 663 7481 in NA and from Europe or elsewhere call 00+1 250 361 2628.

We would love to assist in any way to help you enjoy your boat more or to assist you to purchase one of your own please call or email.

Email to info@whitehallrow.com