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This Saturday May 10, 2014 Docks In! All Hands on Docks at 9:00 a.m.!

Greetings:

Now hear this!   All Hands, All Hands, All Hands on Docks!

As Chair of the Boathouse Committee I am excited to announce that it's finally here, the day we struggled through ice and COLD all winer LONG to get to is upon us now.

Please be advised that your strength of body is greatly needed this Saturday at the boathouse to launch the docks, install the roofs and rig the boats. More than usual will be going on so there will be little need to twiddle those thumbs. We will be starting at 9:00 AM. The more who arrive early the sooner we will  be done. So please be there. WE NEED YOU!

Thanks for all you do!!!!!

Jim

Docks in Day will take place on Saturday May 10, 2014

Due to continued high and fast water, 

Docks in Day will take place on Saturday May 10, 2014

(or Sunday May 11, 2014).

Stay tuned for the exact day and time. 

2014 PRC Membership!

Remember folks to sign up and get your 2014 PRC Membership form in.

The 2014 forms are available online at the PRC website.
Just click this link, and scull to the bottom of the page to print them off, fill them out, and send them in with your check.
Remember membership is not complete until you submit your 2014 membership form, a signed waiver and your check.

See you soon for docks in!

2014 Annual Meeting - Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 4:00 pm at the Putney School

Greetings:

Welcome to a new year and as the sun is now steadily marching on its northward journey rejoice in knowing that, for sure, the ice will melt from the river, the air and water temperature will rise and once again our boats will set out from the PRC docks. This, of course, will not happen tomorrow but it WILL happen, for the PRC By-Laws guarantee it.

With all that in mind, the governing Board of the Putney Rowing Club is excited to announce the date of a most important function, our Annual Meeting, set for Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 4:00 PM at the Putney School. Please mark down the date now. It is the Board's expressed desire for all members, by whatever means possible, no matter what the weather, to attend this all important meeting to start the 2014 rowing season. Begging, borrowing and/or stealing to arrive on time is not only permissible but highly encouraged. Did I mention there will be food? Yes, a Pot Luck, and you will bring it. “Be still, my beating heart, I can barely wait.” Seriously though, PLEASE come because...

One, very important part of the Annual Meeting is the election of club officers and this year's slate is to be unusually large. I would like to take this opportunity to list and explain the positions which the membership will vote on to fill. First, though, I wish to encourage all members to seriously consider yourselves in one of these official positions. The Putney Rowing Club is first and foremost a member run organization. That is to say members are expected to participate, to take their turn, in the administrative duties of the club. The rotation of members into and out of official club positions is vital in keeping the PRC healthy in action and spirit. There is nothing like a stint on the Board to give you a good view and understanding of everything the club accomplishes, or not, in a given year. It is your opportunity to have your strongest say about what you feel is important for this club. So I ask all of you to give careful consideration to this opportunity to step forward and play an important and necessary role in the PRC.    Oh... by the way, it's also fun... really.

Four (4) positions on the Board are to be filled. All Board positions are for terms lasting two (2) years. Meetings average less than once a month for approximately1½ hours at Graeme's shop.

• The terms of President and Vice President are ending and will be voted on to be filled.
• The Secretary will be stepping down to become CoChair of the Boathouse and Equipment Committee. One year remains in the Secretary's term. Whoever is elected will be taking on a one (1) year commitment.
• One At Large (representing club members) position will be voted on.

Furthermore, the Chair of the Education Program Committee is retiring and this position will need to be filled. This is not an elected position, rather one appointed by the Board on a yearly basis. Any member interested in taking this on should contact any Board member.

To get the best information on what it's like and what the responsibilities are of the above positions feel free to talk with the present holders:

• President – Oliver Brody
• Vice President – Kristin Dawley
• Secretary – Jim Robinson
• At Large – Lies Pasterkamp
• Education – Sally Newton

We are a small organization, presently with less than 40 members. That means the 7 Board and 4 Chair positions comprise nearly 1/3 of our membership. Sharing these duties among ourselves is vital towards the club's longevity, both mentally and physically. This is important stuff for you and all PRC members. I thank you for taking the time to consider it. And I'll thank you on my knees for going for it!

Jim Robinson

Secretary, Putney Rowing Club

Pioneer Rowing Club ~ 4K Race in Northfield, MA on October 12, 2013

The Pioneer Rowing Club

(out of Pioneer Valley Regional School in Northfield, MA)

is hosting their 2nd annual regatta on

Saturday, October 12, 2013

9:00 a.m. Start

Small Stake Race, 4K 

on the Connecticut River in Northfield, MA

High School students and women's masters are invited. 

Pioneer Rowing Club is just trying to cover the cost of a couple sanicans and some award medals, so the cost of entry is $80, unlimited number of entries. Events: 1X, 2X, 4+.

Lenox, Holyoke, Springfield and the Pioneer Rowing Club are participating. They would love to have anyone from PRC or RowBOC join in on the fun. 

It is a small event, & real informal.

We row about 3 miles north of NMH on the same side of the river. We actually launch and row upstream 500 meters and we are in New Hampshire. It is a private dock on the river. If a large contingent of the Putney Rowing Club is interested I would have you launch at the Northfield Boat Ramp which is about a 1/4 mile from our dock, if there is only a few, then we could fit you on our small postage stamp piece of land along the river.

Phone Robert W Englehardt at 413-695-7971 if you want to talk directly or have any questions.

PRC Board Meeting Monday, October 7, 2013

The next PRC Board meeting will be held at King Boatworks on Monday, October 7, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. The membership is invited to attend.

Annual Source to Sea Cleanup ~ Saturday September 28 at 9:00 a.m.

Hello Rowers,

 

It’s that time of year again—the annual Source to Sea Cleanup, sponsored by the Connecticut River Watershed Council.  This year, we’ll meet Saturday morning, Sept. 28, at 9 am (Hey, you’ll be down around the boat house anyway...) at the PRC.  I’ll have garbage bags and gloves available.  It only takes an hour, and last year we had a good group.  The several bags of junk we collected not only helped clean the river and banks, it also helped spiff up the place for the regatta.

 

For more information, go to: http://www.ctriver.org/the-rivers-hide-more-trash-than-you-think-need-your-help/

 

Hope to see lots of you next Saturday. Contact me if you’ve got questions.

 

Elizabeth

Is It Clean?

Want to know how clean the Connecticut River is when you are out rowing or swimming?

There is a new link on the PRC Website LINKS PAGE, under the Navigation Menu.

Connecticut River Bacteria Data:

Is It Clean?

This link goes to the Connecticut River.US website. The map identifies sites recently sampled for Escheria coli bacteria levels, also called E. coli bacteria. You are able to use the interactive menu to search various locations on the Connecticut River to see what the bacteria levels are.

FLAG	RECREATION THRESHOLD	BACTERiA COUNT
BLUE	Clean for swimming and boating	<235 cfu/100 ml
YELLOW	Clean for boating only	235 - 575 cfu/100 ml
RED	Not clean for swimming or boating	>575 cfu/100 ml

Check out the bacteria levels where you are boating and swimming so you know what the risk is when you are in or on the water.

2013 Connecticut River Water Quality Monitoring Program

Five PRC members, Carol C., Elizabeth M., Meredith W., Sally N. and Jim R., are participating this year in sampling the water of the Connecticut River for the 2013 Connecticut River Water Quality Monitoring Program conducted by the Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. We take samples every other Wednesday at two locations: the PRC docks and approximately 100' upstream from the mouth of Sacketts Brook. A few days later the results of the testing of our samples, and those from many other volunteers working along the Connecticut and its tributaries, are posted online. We then print out the results of our sampling and post them on the outside of the Heller Boathouse.

The samples are being tested for levels of E. Coli bacteria. Two weeks ago our sampling revealed an abnormally high E. Coli count which deemed our section of the river to be flagged red suggesting that the water was unsafe for boating and swimming. A second test was granted for one week later and the count had dropped to safe levels.

So look for the latest results posted on the boathouse wall and also consider the attached upcoming event held in conjunction with the Council's annual meeting on July 21.

Thanks, JimSecretary, Putney Rowing Club

PLEASE make sure the boathouses are locked before leaving!

Hi all.  I hope you're getting out on the river.  It has been beautiful.

Just a friendly reminder to make sure the boathouses are locked before leaving.  

And set the combination to 0000.  

The small boathouse was left unlocked when I checked it at 6:00PM last evening.  

Thanks!
Oliver

Twelfth Inaugural Black Fly Regatta on Saturday June 22, 2013

"At the other end of the pomp-and-circumstance spectrum is the Black Fly Regatta . . . It's tough to imagine a more irreverent rowing race - or one that is as much fun."

"Morde Me!" indeed, flies. Chip Davis, the introspective, humble, and virtuous publisher of Rowing News magazine (aka the magazine of rowing) poignantly compared the Black Fly Regatta with England's Henley Royal Regatta in his September 2009 Publisher's Note. Unfortunately, a last-minute editorial decision left staff photos of both events on the newsroom floor. Can you guess which one is the Black Fly Regatta and which one is Henley Royal?

(Hint: We're ranked #3. Royal Henley's ranked #7.)

So what are you waiting for? C'mon and join the largest swarm of scullers ever to start en masse north of the Tropic of Cancer for the Twelfth Inaugural Black Fly Regatta on Saturday June 22, 2013.

6000 meters of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

(Hey, Chip. You didn't say which end of the spectrum the Black Flies inhabit. Are we infrared or ultraviolet?)

As long as we keep our powder dry, the shotgun will blast and the mass start will unravel at 9:01:52 a.m. EDST, more or less. Our delirious volunteers will be on hand to greet you at 7 a.m., more or less.

And don't miss the pre-regatta press conference at 8 a.m-ish. Please note I will not be taking questions.

Pay your dues

So what's this going to cost? Plenty. After all, how many Euros would you expect to pay to be at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Henley Royal Regatta? 100? 200? More? I like the way you're thinking. You can't buy this kind of insouciance just anywhere, you know. But with the Greek Banks foundering like Odysseus on the wine-dark sea, I must request you pay in U. S. Dollars this year. Don't fret. Self-restraint is the hallmark of the Black Fly Scullers. We're not gonna let this media blitz go to our swollen heads. So for the low, low, price of only $40.00 you, too, can become a member of the Black Fly Scullers for the entire year which entitles you to come play with us on the Comerford Reservoir.

Larvae and Pupae scull free -- sort of

I know it's hard to raise a swarm. And thanks to our recently approved IMF loan, the Black Fly Scullers can offer reduced membership dues for all you little larvae out there. Yep, you can join for just $10! Heck, you'll eat that much food during "Sam 'n Ella's Scullers's Breakfast." Not to mention the prizes. Talk about losing money. Now you know why the IMF is in such rough shape.

Hey, Pupae, don't feel left out. I remember what it was like to be a poor, starving, college kid. And in a few years, I won't be able to remember anything. So I gotta act now. If you are a "Student/Athalete" Pupae (aka "SAP") -- which means you are age 18 through 26, currently enrolled in college, or post-graduate school and/or training for the U23 or National Team (of any sovereign nation except Switzerland!) -- then you can pay only $20. I know, that cuts into your beer money. But life is all about choices.

I know how grateful you are. You can express your thanks by waiting for me to cross the finish line before you do.

Respect your elders!

As an added bonus, your membership entitles you to participate in the "Black Flyathlon" (copyright Black Fly Scullers, Inc. 2010), a nordic ski schuss amid the backwoods of the Northeast Kingdom which starts precisely at noon on the Saturday after the CRASH-Bs. (Details below) Two races for the price of one! Double your chances of winning a prize! Or catastrophic injury! What a deal!

Our factory-trained representatives are ready, able, and willing to process your registration.

Just click on the "Register Now!" or "Join Us Today!" tabs and you are on your way.

Next PRC Board Meeting . . .

The next PRC Board meeting will be held on Monday, June 3, 2013 at 5:00 PM at King Boat Works. All members are invited to attend.

You must renew your membership BEFORE you can row . . .

Greetings:

The PRC Board is happy to announce that the docks are in and the boathouses open. Many club boats are rigged and ready to row. 

HOWEVER, we wish to remind all members to refrain from taking any boat out or bringing your boat down until you have renewed your membership for 2013. This includes completing all of the following: Fill out the 2013 Membership Application; Sign the waiver; Pay your membership fee; Sign up for 15 hours of volunteer time. Forms are found on the PRC website as well as a link to the  volunteer sign up form found on the Home page. This year there is no membership deadline and there is no penalty for renewing late. But, you must renew before you can row.

Thanks for renewing your PRC membership. 

Jim Robinson

--

Secretary, Putney Rowing Club

Village-to-Village Spring Challenge May 4, 2013

Don’t miss the first-ever Village-to-Village Spring Challenge May 4 in beautiful upstate NY.

Have you ever attended a regatta where the start line is in one village and the finish line is in another?

Come join in the fun of either racing or watching this one-of-a-kind regatta. Bring your friends and family who can bike, run, or walk alongside the entire 12K race course.

The local Weather Channel forecast for Saturday is 

high of 69⁰ with 0% chance of precipitation. 

RJR

Make this a “destination event” as we celebrate the opening of the ERIE CANAL. Click on the following link for a listing and maps of the weekend festivities in Brockport, NY ERIE CANAL LOW BRIDGE-HIGH WATER in BROCKPORT, NY

We have extended the registration deadline to May 1 on Regatta Central

YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE

Boats available to row . . .

The two doubles Dearg and Linda K are now properly rigged and safe to row, though the oarlocks may still need some adjustment.  The King George is NOT available to row.  We will be checking out the singles in the next day or so, but it may be safer anyway to stick with the doubles until the water warms up a bit. 

And please, please, always check your equipment before you go out.  It would be disappointing, to say the least, to discover something was not quite right with your boat after you've gone a mile or two from the dock, especially if you were downstream!

If there are any members who'd like to earn a few hours working on the boathouse, we could use two or three people for securing the roof.   Kendall and I will be at the boathouse Tuesday May 30, 2013 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Also, remember that a condition of your annual membership is that you view the safety video.  There is one copy at the library, and we will be purchasing another copy as soon as we can.

Happy and safe rowing.  

Oliver
PRC President

DOCKS ARE IN!

We had a great time doing it.  A huge thanks to all who participated.

In case anyone has the inkling to get a head start on rowing, there's a couple of things you should know.

First, there are several boats, on the racks and rigged, that should not be rowed yet, as they're in need of repair.  We'll make sure they're tagged in the next day or two.

If you find a boat you'd like to row that has not been rigged, please take the time to carefully inspect the boat for any damage, and thoroughly clean the boat and the riggers before applying them to the boat!!!

The water is still very cold, so please only go out with a partner.  Watch for debris and fast currents.  If you do see snags, please note where they are and leave a note by the sign-out sheet to alert those coming after you.  We'll be putting up a chalk board with a map of the river, and chalk so you can mark snags on it.

Have fun.  See you on the river.  

Oliver
PRC President

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Go to the bottom of one of the PRC Blog posts to the old address.
Scroll to the bottom of the page.
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2013 PRC Membership and Waiver forms are on The PRC website

Greetings:

The 2013 PRC Membership and Waiver forms

are on The PRC website on the Membership page. 

Go to https://sites.google.com/site/putneyrowingclubsite/membership-information
~ scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the ~

2013 PRC Membership Form 

and 

2013 PRC Waiver

Please download them soon!
Remember that there are 4 things you must do to complete your membership.

    1)  Fill out the Membership form

    2)  Fill out the Waiver form

    3)  Include payment for your membership

    4)  Sign up for your volunteer hours at: http://tinyurl.com/cbmnqts

All four must be completed before your 2013 membership will be processed.

Mail your Membership and Waiver forms along with your check to:

    Putney Rowing Club

    P.O. Box 90

    Putney, VT 05346

Thanks for renewing your PRC membership !!

Jim

--
Secretary, Putney Rowing Club

Sign Up NOW for PRC 2013 Volunteering Slots!

1. There is a link to the 2013 PRC Jobs Sign Up Sheet !

Go to: https://sites.google.com/site/putneyrowingclubsite/membership-information and click on the link to sign up for your 2013 volunteer slots!

The days for the boathouse repair, roof repair, docks prep, docks-in, and the beginner clinics are firm dates. Mark your calendars in INK!

Some of the remaining dates have not been firmed up, due to weather, and what repairs come up during the rowing season. Please sign up for these jobs anyway, so that we will have a quorum to call upon for those jobs when needed. You will be notified when the date is confirmed.

2. PLEASE WATCH THIS MEMBERSHIP PAGE!!!!

Go to: https://sites.google.com/site/putneyrowingclubsite/membership-information

The 2013 Application Forms will appear soon on this PRC website membership page!

An announcement will be sent when this is completed!

3. ALL SET! ~ The work day for this coming weekend, Saturday April 13, 2013 (rain date Sunday April 14), to repair the damage done to the boathouse last year, has enough volunteers. Thank you all.