Attention athletes, health and fitness freaks, and hard-driving wannabes: Solano Rowing Club wants YOU!

Solano Rowing Club (SRC) is a member of the Bay Area Whaleboat Rowing Association (BAWRA). We provide instruction in the sport of whaleboat rowing. We row year-round, and four months each year we race with other BAWRA teams. We are dedicated to developing and maintaining the athleticism and personal commitment required for competitive success. Essential to our mission, we conduct charitable activities to advance health in our communities.

NO EXPERIENCE? NO PROBLEM!

Our program is open to the public. Newcomers are welcome! Our experienced rowers are committed to teaching new rowers the fundamentals of rowing, boat safety and how to have fun on the water. If you are interested in rowing, please contact AJ Simonsen at 707-685-3900 to get more information. We meet at the Vallejo Marina, Dock B, 0 Harbor Way (by the Sardine Can Restaurant and Coast Guard station--the BLUE BOAT, aka "Joey").

WHAT TO BRING/WEAR

--Bring drinking water
--Wear clothes that won't rub such as biker shorts/seamless exercise wear (no jeans!)
--Wear rubber-soled athletic shoes
--Wear fingerless gloves
--Wear sunscreen, a hat and/or sunglasses
--Wear layers, layers, and more layers
  (the weather in the Bay Area is unpredictable so it’s best to layer your clothes!)

PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Currently, our women’s team (aka "Rowverines") practices on Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Our mixed team practices on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Sunday mornings. Practice times for new rowers are announced separately. A men's team is in the works.

THE BOAT

Whaleboats were small vessels originally designed for hunting whales. Our whaleboats, called Monomoys, are based on a Coast Guard design used in life-saving for most of the 20th century. They are 26’ long and weigh about 2,000 pounds. They carry a team of 10, which includes a coxswain who steers with a 16’ oar, a bowhook, and 8 rowers who provide the power using 12’ oars. The boat has 4 stationary benches that hold 2 rowers each.

With support from friends, SRC has access to a new Monomoy whaleboat, the Espiritu de Jonas. Also known as "Joey", the boat is named after the brother of one of our founding members, a man whose athleticism and enduring courage continues to inspire us. 

RACING

Each spring and fall, SRC participates in BAWRA’s two race seasons, April-June and October. All races are held on Saturdays at different locations in the Bay Area such as the Mare Island Strait, Berkeley Marina area, Oakland Estuary, and various locations around San Francisco (from 'bridge to bridge', so to speak). Race organizers charge the teams participation fees. These fees are shared by the racing team members and range from about $15-$25 per person per race.

MEMBERSHIP

To introduce newcomers to the sport of whaleboat rowing, SRC offers the first 5 practices free. Thereafter, a membership application is required.

Membership Rights: Members have access to rowing and physical training to attain skills and physical conditioning necessary for participation in rowing competitions. They are able to join competitive teams according to openings. (At this time, openings are unlimited). There is unlimited access to community support activities.

Membership Responsibilities: In addition to committed participation in rowing activities, members are required to assist with SRC’s boat maintenance tasks, such as monthly boat washing and waxing. Members are also required to participate in community support/charitable activities.

Membership Rates*:

Standard--Annual $180 membership fee and $10/mo. dues ($300/yr for 12 mos)
Household--Annual $270 membership fee and $15/mo. dues ($450/yr for all household members for 12 mos.)
Coxswain or Bowhook (no rowing)--Annual $180 membership fee
Club Supporter--$60/yr

*Arrangements can be made to pay the membership fee over multiple months, and discounts are available in the case of financial need.