About
Scottish Coastal Rowing - What's it All About?
Scottish Coastal Rowing is a sport and community movement that has spread dramatically across the country in the past ten years. Starting from humble beginnings on the Firth of Forth in 2009, there are now well over 200 registered boats in the UK – mostly Scotland – and others in the US, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, France, South Africa and New Zealand. The concept is simple: form a club, build a boat, and get out onto the water.
At the heart of the Scottish Coastal Rowing movement is the St Ayles Skiff – a versatile 22-foot rowing boat typically crewed by four rowers with a cox steering and room for a passenger in the bow. But these boats don’t come off the shelf – they arrive in kit form and are built by the communities that go on to row them.
Thanks to generous grants awarded by Burntisland & Kinghorn Rotary Club, Fife Council, and the Edinburgh Airport Community Fund, along with the fundraising efforts of our own members, we secured sufficient capital to purchase the 243rd kit sold in the UK. The build of Black Rocks Rowing Club’s first skiff is now nearing completion.
No matter what aspect of Scottish Coastal Rowing interests you, now is an exciting time to become involved. Please read on to find out more about our club, the progress of our build, and the Scottish Coastal Rowing movement.
Is It For ME?
Scottish Coastal Rowing is all about bringing communities together and getting people active out on the water, minimising the expenses that are so often associated with sports clubs and with boating in particular.
The benefits of this unique sport are recognised by the numerous success stories from coastal communities all around the country. You will have the opportunity to gain new skills both off and on the water – learn the haptic skills of boatbuilding and oar making; learn to row as part of the coordinated team that makes up a boat crew; learn how to steer, navigate and keep your crew safe. You will get active on the water, no matter what type of outings take your preference – whether it’s race training, cruising, or simply taking in the scenery and local wildlife. You might help with fundraising and get involved in a busy social calendar. You’ll be able to take advantage of inexpensive weekends away, visiting other coastal communities and engaging in some friendly competition on the water. You will have the chance to compete against other clubs from around Scotland and further afield – there are categories for every age group, and races can be anything from a few hundred yards to twenty miles or more. You will work, play and forge friendships with members of a community from every demographic, from teenagers to pensioners and everything in-between.
This is the club that we are aspiring to create here in Burntisland, and we would love to have you aboard. If you are as excited by this as we are, please get in touch!
Building a Club; Building a Boat; Building a Community
Like most coastal rowing clubs, ours came from humble beginnings. A small band of enthusiasts met over a series of dark winter nights at the end of 2018 with the aim of establishing a community rowing club here in Burntisland. In January 2019, more than 60 people came along to a public meeting at the Roasting Project on the High Street to register their interest in establishing the new club, which was formally named in March.
An enormous amount of work has gone into getting the club to where it is. We have a constitution, a committee and a bank account. With the help of pupils at Burntisland Primary School we rolled out a club logo. Thanks to the generosity of a Burntisland resident we enjoyed access to a space that we turned into a workshop; the kit and materials for our boat were purchased and, though interrupted by the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, we finally managed to complete our boat “Irene” earlier this year.
But most importantly of all, we have an enthusiastic band of members who are determined to see our project succeed. We are a diverse bunch which includes venerable members of Burntisland Sailing Club keen to share their vast experience, young professionals looking for a serious workout, a disabled gentleman keen to stay active, members of other rowing clubs who are keen to see its benefits introduced to Burntisland, and a fair few for whom this will be a first foray into the world of watersports.
Now is an exciting time to join our growing community. Whether you’re interested in getting active out on the water, helping us build our young club, or engaging in our busy social calendar, we’d love to hear from you!
Your Committee
- Douglas Young (Chair)
- Brian Morley (Secretary)
- Martin Blankenstein (Treasurer)
- Adam Arnott
- Joel Houck
- Chris Mitchell (Fundraising)
- Elisa Robertson (Membership)
- Finlay Robertson (Health & Safety; Webmaster)
- David Roy
Affiliations
Scottish Coastal Rowing Association (SCRA)
Black Rocks Rowing Club is a member of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association – the principal organising body for coastal rowing in Scotland, and the current Class Association for the St Ayles Skiff.
Burntisland Sailing Club (BSC)
The local sailing club have been generous in allowing us to use their clubhouse for meetings and a number of social events. Furthermore, we have reached an agreement that will allow us to berth our skiff at one of BSC’s pontoons.