Welcoming pilot gigs, whaleboats, dories, and other traditional rowing craft
3+ mile triangular course in historic Gloucester harbor
Hosted by Lake Champlain Maritime Museum on the Otter Creek at Vergennes Falls. This would be a 1km out-and-back race, totaling 2km, just like we'll be racing in Stranraer. Depending on entries and boat availability, we'd like to run multiple heats of 2-3 skiffs, set up like a bracket. This wouldn't be one-and-done for anyone, though, so it's not like you'd be traveling to Vermont just to row for less than 15 mins.
Skiffie Team Members sign up on our calendar to show your interest!
Held every 3 years at a different location-sprint races in 27 categories by age, male, female and mixed.
https://scottishcoastalrowing.org/sasi-st-ayles-skiff-world-championships-2025/
BHCR has reserved a boat in Scotland for our use during this race week. We have 12 members who will be participating in 15 categories over 6 days.
Watch this space for live time video of the events.
6th Annual Blue Hill Maritime Heritage Festival
BHCR will have a St Ayles Skiff at the dock for 20 minute introductory rows. Sign up at the tent in the parking lot. No experience necessary. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Donations gratefully accepted.
CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN
Open to all human powered boats. Informal-no registration or fees, no safety boats, no coxswains meetings, no rain date.
Start/finish at the footbridge-6000 meter course around the harbor, then up river and back
BHCR registered rowers sign up on our calendar. Email your questions: register.bhcr@gmail.com
.What should a mariner know about what’s going on in the sky? Captain Elliot Rappaport, a professor at Maine Maritime Academy with wide experience on large and small sailing vessels, wrote “Reading the Glass: A Captain’s View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships.” On April 17 he spoke to coxswains from Castine Rowing and Blue Hill Community Rowing, whose job is to give rowers enjoyable exercise and, sometimes, racing – but whose main task is taking crews out and bringing them back safely, whether the clouds are puffy and pleasant or something big and back is building in the western sky.
Text, photo – Mark Baldwin
44th Annual Snow Row Weekend
Come join us on Saturday, March 15, 2025 for the Hull Lifesaving Museum's signature-rowing race, the 44th annual Snow Row. Taking place at our Windmill Point Boathouse in Hull with its one-of-a-kind LeMans-style start, the race covers a 3 3/4 mile triangular course starting and ending off the beach.
Weather Date: March 16, 2025
Check In: 9:00 - 11:00 am
Coxswains Meeting: 11:00 am
Pre-Registration: Mandatory, deadline, 4pm, Friday, March 14, 2025
Race Starts: 12:00 noon
Location: Windmill Point Boathouse, 185 Main St., Hull, MA
Welcoming pilot gigs, whaleboats, dories, and other traditional rowing craft
3+ mile triangular course in historic Gloucester harbor
https://www.gloucestergigrowers.com/public-pages/harbor_race
Mary is coordinating participation by BHCR. For more details contact Mary” maryhennessy54@gmail.com
It’s time for everyone’s favorite annual challenge and fun-filled summer race on Lake Champlain: The Lake Champlain Challenge Race! Rowing crews and other human-powered vessels are invited to compete in this three-mile course at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to set the new fastest time for their respective category. After the race, all are invited to a free lunch buffet, hosted by the Museum’s rowing clubs.
Race categories include: 6- and 4-person rowing gigs, individual rowers, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and more.
Sunday - “pick up” recreation rows
https://www.lcmm.org/event/lake-champlain-challenge-race-2024/
Mary is coordinating participation by BHCR. For more details contact Mary: maryhennessy54@gmail.com
Mission Statement: To celebrate and preserve the significance of Blue Hill Bay to our history, economy and culture
https://www.bhmhf.org/
BHCR offers Introductory rows from the Town Dock approx. 20 min. Sign up at the festival to try it out in groups of 3. Contact Rebecca Gratz for more information or to volunteer: rebecca.susan.gratz@gmail.com
Row from Southwest Harbor (MDI), sprint races with the Islanders, camping out on the grassy lawn at the Boatworks, row around Islesford and experience life on a small island.
Interested in all or part of this weekend? Contact: Nancy Morris: nmorrislmt@me.com for notice of informational meeting TBA.
This “close to home” event might be of interest to those who love the sea.
Every two years, a dozen nations convene for a friendly competition and cross cultural gathering where crews showcase their seamanship skills in a series of rowing, sailing, docking, knot tying and navigation events, and build friendly ties with the international crews.
The Contest events take place in Bantry Bay gigs, which are copies of 18th-century French Navy Captain's gigs. These vessels are 38ft long and are powered by three sails and ten oars. Each nation has their own vessel for the contest.
https://www.atlanticchallengeusa.org/2024-contest.html
See their website for schedule of the week’s events.
The annual Brooklin Fourth of July parade will kick off a day of food, fun, and tomfoolery on Thursday, July 4. The parade will begin at 10 a.m
Caitlyn Porto will be coordinating participation by BHCR-trailering boat, phantom rowers & coxswain, costume, candy, walk along, etc. Possible row in the Reach after the parade. To help or join the fun contact Caitlyn: kittydowneast@gmail.com
Contact: BlueHillCommunityRowing@gmail Attention: “Boatingham Social” for participation with BHCR.
The race starts at 12 noon on Saturday. In-person sign-up is required between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. on the day of the regatta. The race is 3+nm around 2 points, open to 6 oared pilot gigs, 4 oared boats, and all other one and two-person rowed or paddled craft.
BHCR will enter 1 or 2 - 4 oared fixed seat coxed boats. For more details contact Carol: BlueHillCommunityRowing@gmail.com
The Hull Lifesaving Museum's signature rowing race, the Snow Row, will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024 a the very tip of Hull's peninsula. With its one-of-a-kind LeMans-style start, the race covers a 3 3/4 mile triangular course starting and ending off the beach at our Windmill Point Boathouse.
Welcoming pilot gigs, whaleboats, dories, and other traditional rowing craft
3+ mile triangular course in historic Gloucester harbor
For more information see: https://www.gloucestergigrowers.com/public-pages/harbor_race
BHCR 2022 team
BHCR is sending a team to Vermont for this favorite annual challenge and fun-filled summer race on Lake Champlain: The Lake Champlain Challenge Race! Rowing crews and other human-powered vessels are invited to compete in this three-mile course at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to set the new fastest time for their respective category. After the race, all are invited to a free lunch buffet, hosted by the Museum’s rowing clubs.
Race categories include: 6- and 4-person rowing gigs, individual rowers, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and more.
For more information: https://www.lcmm.org/event/lake-champlain-challenge-race-2023/
Aug 19, 12:00 PM
The Boat House, Steamboat Landing, 34 Commercial St, Belfast, ME 04915, USA
The $40/person registration fee includes the exciting race course, lunch following the race, and commemorative gift as well as awards for top finishers. Registration deadline: Tuesday, August 15, 2023. (No registrations on race day.) Race day details: Sign in on Saturday, August 19, 9:00-10:30 am. Coxswain meeting at 11:30 am. Mark you calendars, and join us for some friendly competition and a celebration of human-powered speed on beautiful Belfast Bay. More information
The Holy Mackerel, now known as Audacious is returning to its former home on Little Cranberry (Islesford) for a Mainland vs Islesford Islander Challenge.
We’ll be rowing Audacious from SW Harbor to Little Cranberry about 4 nm. There will be friendly, comptetive, sprint racing with the Islanders, camping, cooking out and general merriment, We’ll spend Saturday evening celebrating. Then we’ll be rowing back to SW Harbor on Sunday.
We currently have a full crew for rowing to and from Little Cranberry but if you’re interested in joining us on the Island, please email us at BlueHillCommunityRowing@gmail.com
The Traditional Blackburn Challenge Course is a clockwise circumnavigation of the island of Cape Ann, located on the North Shore of Massachusetts.
Bagaduce Music is excited to offer in collaboration with Blue Hill Community Rowing a series of sea shanty experiences this July. Discover your inner foghorn by rowing Saint Ayles skiffs with shantyman Bennett Konesni, who brings over two decades of songs to bear on the rowing experience. Profiled recently by the Library of Congress for his work with his Mighty Worksong Community Chorus, and by the US State Department as a Special Envoy in traditional music, Bennett helps groups use music as a powerful tool to get things done. In this case we’ll be rowing and singing traditional shanties of the Maine coast.
This program will meet 4 times in July. Sign up for one, several or all. Seats limited to 8 per session.
The dates are:
Friday July 14th @ 5p
Friday July 21st @ 5p
Monday July 24th @ 5p
Thursday July 27th @ 5p
All abilities welcome. Suggested donation to Bagaduce Music $50 per session.
Join Island Heritage Trust, Downeast Trout Unlimited, and Blue Hill Community Rowing for a day of fishing, ice cream, live music, and family fun at Lily Pond Park during Maine’s free fishing weekend! Kids will fish, learn how to cast, tie flies, and row as a team out on the water. Activities will wrap up with Free Ice Cream at the end. One lucky participant (age 15 or under) will win the Grand Prize Raffle: A Lifetime Fishing License in the State of Maine!
Rods are provided for kids who need one. Bait will be provided. Life vests for rowing will be provided.
*Kids under 18 who want to row must have a parent present to sign a Waiver*
Lily Pond Park is located on Quaco Rd, Deer Isle ME.
Contact nruth@islandheritagetrust.org with any questions.
Rain Date: Sunday, June 4, 9am-12pm
The Hull Lifesaving Museum’s signature rowing race, the annual Snow Row is a celebration of traditional boats and rowers. The race covers a 3.75 mile triangular course starting off at Windmill Point, continuing around Sheep Island, around the Peddocks Island day marker, and back to shore. The race is unique for its incredible LeMans-style start and its one-of-a-kind gathering of boats and athletes. Spectators are encouraged
Sign up in the calendar to join us for the Witches Row in Belfast! October 31, departing KYC at 3 p.m. See link to news article about this row.
Photo by Louisa Carl
Celebration of boats and marine crafts at the Blue Hill town dock. For info Blue Hill Maritime Heritage Festival
Introductory rows for the public on Blue Hill Community Rowing boat “Audacious.” Please email BlueHillCommunityRowing@gmail.com for information on how to get onboard.
Three BHCR members join the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum teams to compete in the St Ayles International Regatta.
Hull Lifesaving Museum’s signature row 3 3/4 mile triangular course with a beach start. Two BHCRowers joined Lake Champlain Maritime Museum teams.
Celebration of boats and marine crafts at the Blue Hill town dock. For info click BHMHF
Rows for the public on Blue Hill Community Rowing boat “Audacious.” Please email BlueHillCommunityRowing@gmail.com for information on how to get onboard.
The 15th and last year of this 3-day gathering for small boats with no motors on Eggemoggin Reach. Camping at Knolls Reach and launching at Atlantic Boat. Fully supported. Courses set each morning dependent upon conditions. 80+ sail and/or oared entries from New England and beyond. BHCR’s first event outside Blue Hill Bay.
WHAT Traditional Small Craft Association Spring Row
WHEN May 1 2021. 10AM launch
WHERE 546 Indiana Road, West Gardiner ME
CONTACT Paul and Share Labrie 207 5702300
SOURCE Steve Bookman Steve@OtterWater.com http//DowneastTSCA.org/events.html
April 24 may be hopeful. Watch this space or check emails from BHCR.
NEW YEARS DAY ROW
Gather at Camden Launch Ramp near Wayfarer Marine, 10am on 1/1/21. Free parking around the yard and street, don't block anyone's driveway, respect "no parking/parking by permit" etc. Bring a bag lunch, sensible clothing choices and a suitable, safe boat for a January Row. This is a weather dependent event. A NO-GO notice will be sent if weather is unsuitable. Let us know if your boat is unavailable as we may have extra thwarts available.
Steve Brookman <steve@otterwater.com>
Contact us: BlueHillCommunityRowing@gmail.com