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Maidenhead Explorers

The Explore Rowing league continues to be a big success with our more competitive rowers. Here is a report from Roger:

Now home and luxuriating in front of a nice warm fire, with a totally unjustified feeling of comfort deserved after the rigours of the day. When the snow started, we all anticipated a phone call saying cancelled but none came. Maidenhead are clearly made of stern stuff for when we got there, there were fours, eights, singles and doubles out the river regardless. Contrary, as per usual, to any logical reasoning, the fates decreed that more crews than ever before should enter today’s event and all but one turned up, so there was a nice atmosphere. Needless to say we got wet and very cold. It is many years since I have seen my hands turn turn quite the shade of blue they were today but at least the snow turned into rain. We should be thankful for small mercies. The results were a little surprising as we only managed to come third and fourth. Perhaps clocks run more slowly in Maidenhead as when we practiced yesterday over an identical if not slightly longer course (round the island) we took the usual 13 minutes. In Maidenhead the crews were averaging 20. Very strange, but then they were trialling a new timing device. Who cares, it was an excellent and companionable way to while away a dreary day and Miadenhead’s club is vey welcoming. We must think about that as we work on the new boathouse.

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Long Row plan

The plan for the sponsored Long Row on 3 June is firming up. We will row an eight, Mark Hayter, and a coxed quad, Bob Bushnell,  32 miles from the City of Oxford Rowing Club to our current base at the Oratory boathouse. We will have Keith Jackson’s 6 meter rib and Murray Bracewell’s 4×4 to support us. There are 18 rowers, who will alternate between the two boats and our support rib and 4×4, with as many as possible taking a turn to cox one boat or the other.

The route involves the passage of ten locks. We have agreed stopping points at Abingdon Rowing Club (mile 8) and Wallingford Rowing Club (mile 21). On the basis of an average speed of 5 mph and 20 minutes at each lock and stopping point, the row would take 10.5 hours, as per the schedule. So leaving at 7:30 am we should be home just before 6 pm. But in reality it could be quicker or slower and much will depend on getting away on time and queues at locks.

If anyone wants to come along and support us at any point, they are very welcome!

The purpose of the row is for everyone to have a great, if testing, day out and to raise funds for the new boathouse. If anyone would like to donate they can do so on our MyDonate page.

The sponsorship form gives a bit more detail.