Committee Report, 2009

Our committees were very active this year, and we benefited from their efforts in very significant ways that include new and repaired boats, new ramps, lots of coaching hours, increased membership, regular communications especially about safety, a busy regatta schedule and wonderful social occasions.

Individual reports from our committees and other activities of interest follow.

Boat and Equipment Maintenance, Mike Weiner
After a long history of only minor repairs and no accidents, we had a year of significant damage. Both of our newest doubles – the Hudson and Fluid Design – suffered damage at the start of the season. Mid-Summer the Genever 8+ was also sent out for repair after a collision with a launch. At the end of the year the heavily used Dirigo 1X was sent to Vespoli to be spruced up. New grips for club sculling oars, replacement shoes and skegs account for most of the minor maintenance activity.

Boat and Equipment Purchases, Carroll Brooke
Three used boats in good to excellent condition and suitably competitive were purchased:
• HW Empacher 4+, 5 years old and in near new condition from Colgate University for $15,000 (current cost for new 4+ is $24,000)
• MW Van Dusen 2X, recently reconditioned by Van Dusen, from Helma Chartier for $5,500 (current cost for new 2X is approximately $12,000)
• HW Kaschper men’s 1X (180-220lbs), 1992 and fully restored in 2006 @ Kaschper for $2,500 with oars and car rack.

In addition we sold a 20-year 4X, the Endeavor, for $1,200.

And finally, we want to again thank Linda Gilliam for the continued use in 2009 of the women’s lw 4+, the Donald Gilliam.

Buildings and Grounds, Stu Lathers and Mark Schofield
Members: All of us

It was a year of beam lifts and cranes at NHRC with the bulk of the Buildings and Grounds activity taking place in the early Spring and late Fall when we aren’t as busy rowing. With the new parking lot surface in place to keep sand out of the boathouse (2008), the inside stairs were refinished back to their original beauty. Then in May with the help of a 40’ beam lift and a handful of brave members the highest parts of the boathouse exterior were re-stained for the first time since 1995. The year ended with our new ramps being lifted up over the boathouse roof and lowered into place following a month of weekends prepping the docks, deck and ramps. One winter rower reports that the new ramps are “amazingly non-slippery even when it is 20 degrees.” If you missed the ramp workdays you missed an engineering wonder, some heavy lifting, a few really good jokes and will fail the pop quiz question, “Who fell through the dock?”

But you needn’t feel left out for long. Because the new ramps are both wider and longer than the old, and support greater loads, we also have to upgrade the deck supporting structure at the top of the ramps. This work will be done Spring 2010 funded by the $9000 that remains from the $30,000 that was approved for the entire ramp project.

Coaching, Mitz Carr
The Coaching Committee is co-chaired by Frank Castiglione and Mitz Carr and includes committee members Steve Burt and Karyn Gallagher. Our mission is to deliver coaching to the membership equitably, and to utilize the budget efficiently and completely. 2009 has been our most successful year in delivering an organized coaching program to the membership and more coaching per member.

Nich Lee, back for a 2nd year, was extremely effective as an organizer and was instrumental in bringing in our sculling coach Brad Hemmerly. Nich had an opportunity to coach the Jr. National Development camp and helped line-up substitute sweep coaches (even providing free housing at his apartment) for the summer during his absence including: Pat Tynan, Mary Shofner, David MacIntosh, Mark Davis, and Tom Guncik. The total amount spent on coaching was $16,850, which represents approximately 270 hours of coaching time. Additionally, the coaches went to Master Nationals where they worked long days helping the large contingent of NHRC rowers.

Unfortunately for us, Nich moved to New York and is working with Columbia's Lightweight Crew. The 2010 committee will need to launch a search. We will advertise on Row2K and are reaching out to area programs. We already contacted all of the Yale coaching staff and have some interest in the summer coaching but not for the spring. Certainly we will contact those coaches who worked at NHRC last summer, and any other coaches who will be coming to coach at the Yale Bulldog Camp as those are all likely candidates. Free housing at Nich’s made coaching at NHRC attractive last summer, and we’d like to be able to offer it again this year. Please let the coaching committee know if you have a room that you can provide to a coach for a week or even a month this year.

Nich was really a great match for NHRC, and it is unlikely that we will find anyone as dedicated and organized who will take us on with the same level of enthusiasm and commitment. A goodbye party for Nich wasn't really possible around the Holiday with his and our busy schedule, but we will have a gathering for him on Tuesday, March 9th at 6pm at BAR in New Haven. Come enjoy great pizza and beer, good company, re-connect with Nich and wish him well.

Please reach out to any of the committee members if you have comments or thoughts regarding the program, we look forward to providing a good program in 2010.

Hopkins, Audrey Novak
With Mitz Carr and Wayne Huskes

Hopkins Jr program started at NHRC immediately after Masters Nationals on Aug 17th. Nate Case returned as head coach and was joined by Kate Weber. Hopkins students rowed primarily quads and an 8 this year using: the 88 or Genever 8+; Yofra 4+; and three quads, Oxford, Freedom and Baltic Blue. Their rowing schedule during the school year, Sep 1- Oct 31st, was 3-6pm. In August, however, the schedule was different. From Aug 17-21, one group of students rowed in the morning from approximately 9am-11:00am, and a second group rowed from approximately 3pm to 5pm. The following week the two groups had shorter afternoon sessions. Hopkins raced twice: at the Head of the Housatonic and the Head of the Fish. They concluded their year with a scrimmage with Choate at NHRC followed by a brunch hosted by the Hopkins parents.

The Hopkins Jr program was viewed positively by an overwhelming number of members who responded to the Nov survey. Some comments expressed a need for increased supervision.

Membership, Jen Brackett Chair
Members: Laurie Duncan, Dean Poniros, Ian Duthie

At the 2009 annual meeting the membership passed changes to the bylaws to create a new membership category for Junior Masters. Additional bylaws changes increased the age at which initiate fees are due. These changes were adopted in order to make membership more affordable and attractive to masters rowers under 40.

In 2009 we had a total of 86 regular members (master and junior master) compared to 79 in 2008. 37% are women (32) and 63% are men (54). Our 12 student members were equally divided men/women.

We welcomed 14 new regular members, two more than last year. 57% of our new members are women (8) and half came from our 2007 LTR program. Five of our students were new this year.

Safety, Paul Roy and Susan Schofield
The Safety Committee is responsible for compliance with the safety rules established by NHRC and the Board of Directors. To accomplish this goal, the committee took the following actions in 2009:

• Updated and revised the NHRC Safety manual and distributed it to the membership via email and The Catch blog
• Monitored water temperatures and water levels and announced rowing restrictions and hazardous rowing conditions to membership by email
• Posted safety ratings in the boat bay for all club members
• Posted email reminders regarding the need for PFDs
• Provided bow lights for boats and maintained this equipment
• Re-instated the winter rowing safety rules
• Worked with State of CT regarding the need for PFDs on our river that is federally regulated (Joh Georgia)

One safety incident, a near-collision of a single by a power boater, was brought to the attention of the Housatonic Lake Authority through member Sandy Blanchard. Without a boat license number, there was nothing more that could be done.

The Safety Committee recommends that next year we integrate safety ratings more tightly to the membership approval process.

Saturday Breakfasts and Other Festivities, Nancy Brackett and Dianne Kelly
Members: Volunteer pancake flippers throughout the club

The Saturday breakfasts continue to be a very popular social gathering at the club. Our first breakfast was the beginning of April - Opening Day of the Docks -- and the last was November 7 - Last Day of the Docks. We had a few cancellations due to rain, holidays and away regattas but not many. More members stepped up to volunteer bringing with them some great new recipes. Breakfasts are also small profit center, and this year they generated $775 dollars of income.

The club ended calendar year 2009 joined by spouses and friends with a very well attended potluck holiday celebration. The boathouse looked beautiful decorated with lights, wreaths, garland and a tree.

The New Year’ Day row followed a few weeks later. We had over 51 for breakfast and 35 hungry rowers who claim bragging rights for the next 12 months. Hardy NHRCs outnumbered our NRRA guests. Everyone enjoyed great food, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.

Not committees, but we are grateful to you for:

Alarms, Wade Caszatt
Each year our smoke detectors, extinguishers and alarm system require inspection in order to meet Fire Marshall requirements. This annual inspection and certification was completed Jan 13th.

All members should review alarm instructions annually and be prepared to call the security company if they arrive and discover the alarm is on.

Special thanks to Norm for giving up most of a day this summer when the alarm would not turn off and needed repair.

Away Regattas and the Trailer, Brad Martin
The NHRC trailer, driven by Brad, Joh or Nich, traveled to regattas at:
Carnegie Lake, Princeton, NJ
Narragansett Sweeps and Sculls, Providence, RI
Masters Nationals, Camden, NJ
Coastweeks, Mystic Seaport, CT
Riverfront Recapture, Hartford, CT
Row for the Cure (a.k.a. Let the wind push you out to sea), Norwalk, CT

NHRC shells hitched a ride to the Head of the Charles and the Head of the Fish.

More trained trailer drivers are needed.

Communication
• The Catch Blog, John Poole and Claire Potter, The Catch (http://nhrccatch.blogspot.com/) is NHRCs online blog newsletter. There you will find rowing articles of general interest, announcements, regatta results, committee assignments, pictures and even poetry. In 2009 thirty-one postings were made to the blog. All members are encouraged to share news, stories and pictures on The Catch.
• Sunshine, Nancy Brackett, Cards, flowers and other gifts are sent to members on behalf of NHRC when we hear about major events such as weddings and births, or when members are going through difficult times due to events such as surgeries, illness or a death in the family.
• Yahoo Mail Group, John Poole and Claire Potter, Hundreds of announcements were broadcast to all members using the Yahoo Group this year.

Da Dumpster, Susan Schofield, Commissar
Take da dumpster quiz:

Who gets up in the dark, drives to their destination, and does overhead lifts?
(Rowers and garbage truck operators)

What is the difference between rowers and garbage truck operators?
(Rowers lift with their arms and garbage truck operators get help.)

What do rowers and garbage truck operators have in common?
(They need to use the parking lot at the same time.)

Thanks to everyone for putting up with the parking ban on dumpster days – we had 100% cooperation in 2009!

Sweep Program
In 2009 organization of the men’s, women’s and sport sweep programs was shared with Coach Lee by boat captains Frank Castiglione, Lisa Brailey and Vicki Rushworth and cosxswain Sharon Lin. Kathleen Flynn managed the coxswain’s budget for all programs.

Websites (Sam Grambrell, webmaster)
We owe the new look and organization of our club’s website, http://www.newhavenrowingclub.org/ to Sam. Please take a look at it if you have not already. Sam is also working on a separate site for NHRC’s premier regatta, the Head of the Housatonic. Now the largest, single-day headrace in the country, the Head of the Houstonic is overdue for a regatta-specific site. Send comments and suggestions to Sam about our websites.