Introduction
Rowing at Seafarers Sailing Club began in January 2024 when, at a specially convened General Meeting, the membership overwhelmingly approved a proposal to purchase a Bursledon Gig.
As anticipated, rowing has become as popular at Seafarers as it is at other local clubs. Working alongside the Club’s sailing programme, rowing encourages new people to join the Club. It also provides an extra social and on-water activity for existing members including those who do not sail, and those considering retiring from sailing.
The Club’s new Bursledon Gig was delivered from the manufacturer in April 2024.
Benefits
Benefits of rowing include:
- It is very sociable.
- It is good for health and wellbeing.
- It requires less boats per participant than dinghy sailing.
- It requires less training and special clothing/equipment than sailing.
- It is not dependent on the wind.
- It can take place all year round.
- It does not require a planned timetable or duty crews.
Competition and Inter-Club Activities
Whilst it can be fun to row up and down the shoreline, it can also be fun to row to Netley, or to a café at Stokes Bay or in the Hamble River. There are relaxed rows, timed rows around markers (see Rowsea Challenge below), and local races against Hillhead Sailing Club .
As a newly formed rowing group, Seafarers has been invited to take part in the many events organised by other rowing clubs in the area. These include Tudor Sailing Club in Langstone Harbour and Hamble River Rowers.
Other rowing events that Seafarers can take part in include::
- The Head of Harbour Race in Chichester Harbour
- The Cockleshell Challenge from Eastney to Horse Sand Fort
- The Great River Race on the River Thames
- The Round Hayling Race
Photographs of the Club’s appearances at the 2024 and 2025 Hamble Valley Regattas, the 2024 Tudor Challenge and the 2025 Tudor Winter Series, the 2025 Great River Race, and the Heads of Harbour Race held in March 2025 are all available from the website GALLERY. A selection of photographs from the 2025 Great River Race appear at the foot of this page. Videos of this event are available in the MEDIA/Club videos menu.