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We got the 2026 regatta season off to a cracking start at the aptly-named 'Frostbite' regatta at Kinghorn Loch on 1st February. This is a really friendly local event, and was an excellent opportunity for some of our members to have their first or second taste of competitive rowing. As always, the catering laid on by Kinghorn Coastal Rowing Club was second to none, and we even had the very best of February's weather on offer. 11 of our members participated in a total of 7 events against clubs from Elie, Anstruther, North Queensferry, St Andrews, Wormit, and Kinghorn. Timekeeper Brian The Results!We experienced a number of moments of special excitement including a broken footrest, hasty repairs made against the clock, and pulling an unsuspecting bystander from Wormit Rowing Club into the boat at the very last second to complete a crew - big thanks to Gail, who helped us win that race!The event finished up with a 'mix-and-match' event, which saw crews from different clubs rowing together and trying out each others' boats. We also took the opportunity to take some of our younger supporters out for a potter - it's wonderful to be surrounded by so many enthusiastic rowers! A Winning Crew?Report by Finlay Robertson

From Sunday 6th to Saturday 12th July, Black Rocks Rowing Club were delighted to join more than 2,000 other rowers from 78 clubs to be part of the 2025 SkiffieWorlds in Stranraer.  Held only once every 3 years, teams came from across Scotland, Ireland, England, the Netherlands, USA, Canada, South Africa and Australia to take part in this festival of rowing. It was our wee club’s first visit to the SkiffieWorlds - and the first time for many of our rowers too.Sunday's opening ceremony was curtailed a little by some rather windy weather but was still an impressive event. The winds were even stronger on Monday which unfortunately saw the first day’s racing postponed - and also took out a few tents at the event campsite! It did allow us all plenty of opportunity to take in everything that the onshore festival had to offer - from local food and drink to craft stalls and live music. The weather improved considerably on Tuesday when we awoke to glorious sunshine and lovely light winds which stayed with us for the rest of the week.The races all followed the same course - 1 kilometer in one direction, a 180-degree buoy turn to starboard, and then 1 kilometer back. There were 22 different classes of racing for rowers of all ages ranging from U17 right through to 280+ (average age in the boat 70). Most classes had Women's, Men's and Mixed categories, with up to 15 boats per heat. We were delighted that from our newly formed club we managed to enter crews in 12 of these classes. With this being a brand new experience for most of us there were clearly a few nerves before the racing started - however, it became clear from results in our early heats that in fact Black Rocks were going to be able to be ‘in the mix’ with other clubs of a similar size. Tuesday With no racing on Monday, Tuesday became a very busy day that saw us competing in 4 events. The sea was still pretty rough after Monday’s stormy weather - especially earlier in the day - so it was a challenging day for all involved! Our 40+ Women - Sheena, Karen, Jay and Rosie, coxed by Phil - finished 8th in their heat, 40th overall. The 40+ Men's crew comprised Gavin, Matt, Douglas and Phil, coxed by Finlay. They finished 6th in their heat, 36th overall. Lacking sufficient qualifying members to make up a 280+ Men's crew, Phil and David were joined by Geoff from Eastern and George from Luing. 33rd overall - our top points-scoring event. Our 50+ Mixed crew - Karen, Gavin, Douglas and Sheena, Coxed by Phil, finished 8th in their heat and 43rd overall. Wednesday With most of the scheduled events having 'caught up' following Monday's postponements, Wednesday was a slightly less jam-packed day and saw us competing in a further two events. Our 60+ Men's crew - Gavin, David, Scott and Finlay as cox - were…

Our club lifejackets were due to be re-serviced, so we took the opportunity to run an evening Lifejacket Workshop. Its purpose was twofold: first, to give everyone the chance to better understand how lifejackets work, their features, and what to do if they don't inflate automatically. And secondly, to provide guidance to those members who choose to use their own lifejacket on how to service them.The importance of servicing lifejackets regularly cannot be overstated. The frequency with which inflatable lifejackets fail to inflate is distressingly common, and inadequate servicing is usually to blame. Even a brand-new lifejacket should be checked over before you rely on it.The exact nature of a lifejacket check will be somewhat dependent on the exact make and model you have. The manufacturer will provide full details, so either check the paper manual if you still have it or visit the maker's website. Notwithstanding this, here is a list of some typical inspections:Check that all straps and clips are tangle-free and functioning properly. You should be checking the fit of your lifejacket every time you put it on - even if you're the only person who wears it, you'll likely be wearing different clothing each time. If the crotch or waist strap is loose, an inflated lifejacket can rise over your head or twist in such a way as to cover your face - an extremely dangerous situation should you find yourself in the water.Unpack your lifejacket and check that the gas cylinder is screwed in tightly. Even in a brand-new lifejacket you should check this as they can work loose in transit as well as through normal wear.Check the green retaining clip on the manual trigger is in place. If your lifejacket also has an automatic trigger, check the indicator on the base (which should be showing green, not red), and make sure it's within date.Check the whole lifejacket for wear, damage, or abrasions. Inflate the lung to make sure it doesn't leak.Deflate and re-pack the lifejacket, taking particular care to ensure that the manual toggle is free and accessible.If you missed the workshop and would like some more guidance on lifejackets, please contact the Health & Safety Officer or one of your coxes who will be happy to advise. Likewise if you'd like some guidance on servicing your own lifejacket, please do get in touch.Report by Finlay Robertson, Health & Safety Officerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpuX4MoC_Bg

In April we took part in the epic 20-mile Perth to Wormit row. The day dawned with clear blue skies, a good omen, with the full crew setting off at 10.00 along with 7 other boats. The row down to Newburgh was very pleasant; no racing, just a nice row with everyone on board enjoying the scenery in beautiful conditions. After a couple of hours, the boats arrived at the changeover and we swapped one of our crew; it was noticeable that all other boats were changing their entire crew!However after a swift changeover off we went, just as a light breeze out the east began to pick up. This made the row a little bit more challenging! A combination of increasing wind and tiredness from the crew made the next three hours to Wormit a bit of a slog; however we made it - yippee! The Wormit club laid on a beautiful spread for the rowers which was much appreciated by all.In summary a great day, especially with the weather up until the wind picked up - but hey ho, that's rowing! Main lesson - make sure you have enough rowers for changeovers! Thanks are due to Chris and Gavin for getting the skiff up there! Report by Martin Blankenstein