Site Contents

	PBC Home Page
	Head of the Potomac
	Rowing Programs Club Rowing Sculling Sweep Rowing
	PBC Forum
	About PBC
	Club Organization
	Membership Info
	Rowing Links
	Weather & Water
	Frequently Asked Questions
	Members Area Password Required

Questions or comments? Click above.

Copyright © 2009 PBC

Potomac Boat Club Rowing Committee

A current listing of club boats and responsibilities can be downloaded from this site (PDF file): Club Boats (as of July '09)

Club Rowing Committee (CRC)

Potomac Boat Club is rich in history which stems from the days of a small group of willing and passionate individuals who formed and founded this club in 1869. Through their inspiration the club tradition and legacy has continued to thrive for 140 years on the Potomac River. Over the decades and centuries, Potomac Boat Club has evolved to become a premier rowing club and venue on the eastern seaboard. Many members of the club are involved with local, national, and international rowing events, and communities. The club organization provides unique opportunities to its diverse membership and engages levels from elite rowing to recreational rowing. Being located in the nation’s capital, the club is rich in rowing history as well as political history and has carried forward a global participation in the sport.

The Club Rowing Committee at Potomac Boat Club represents a constituency of Senior Members ranging from juniors to masters to former Olympians. All members of the club are eligible and welcome to use boats designated to the club rowing fleet which are reserved for members. Our mission is to serve the PBC membership by providing rowing opportunities for members and maintaining a fleet of rowing equipment reflective of members' usage. The club inventory has vastly improved over the last few years and a high quality of rowing equipment is maintained for the fleet. In large part the success of the acquired and current inventory as well as the maintenance and care are due to the undertaking of Jim Edmonds, Karen Swider-Lyons, Chuck Selden, Willie Packard, Ed Ryan, Steve Weiss, Bill Breed, Heidi Avery, Elizabeth Becton, Penelope Walz, Marj Nelson, and many other senior members that are either on the committee or volunteer their time when possible.

Member eligibility is partly based on rowing experience; therefore the club does not offer novice or intermediate programs. The club infrastructure is relatively small and boat handling at the club is tested everyday due to the size and limitations of the building structure that influences the current layout and arrangement of the racks. Club designated boats are generally available on a first-come, first-served basis; boats can be reserved in advance should members seek to train and race in the calendar year. The number and types of boats determined for the fleet are derived from member demand accounted from logged usage, and the condition and age of the equipment. The CRC has arranged the club singles in the main bay of the boathouse to make them more easily accessible. Please read below to learn about our inventory of boats, or click on the club boat inventory link to view or download a PDF version of the current listing of club boats.

The club has organized racing teams that are sponsored by the Racing Committee. For those interested in participating in Racing Committee-supported programs please refer to descriptions provided on the programs section of the website. Most programs (racing teams) at the club require participants and members to have attained skill level above intermediate and pre-qualifications to be eligible for participation on competitive teams. For information or interest in elite competition and training including Juniors, and pre-elite college contact racing@potomacboatclub.org. Learn to row opportunities can be found at neighboring organizations, including Capital Rowing Club, Thompson Boat Center, and Alexandria Community Rowing. Visitors in the area who are members at other clubs and would like to train at the facility while temporarily (visiting on business, friends/relatives of members, interested participants) located in the Washington DC metropolitan area should contact the PBC Secretary at secretary@potomacboatclub.org for information. Visitors need to be sponsored and chaperoned by Senior Members to be eligible to row and utilize the facility.

Guests are required to sign waivers and respect rules outlined for guest rowing at the club. CRC boats are offered to club members first, and reserved use may be requested to the CRC chair, crc@potomacboatclub.org. Request for use of CRC boats by racing teams(s) shall be made directly to the CRC chair.

The committee is indebted to volunteers who participate in CRC workdays or help to maintain the equipment in good working order throughout the year. We thank them for their hard work, participation, and interest in helping to support the mission of the committee. If you are using the CRC equipment, please look for our workdays, and pitch in! To contact the Club Rowing Committee for questions, information, or interest in joining send an email to the chairperson (currently Sylvia Frayne) at crc@potomacboatclub.org, or phone 703-312-4894.

Thank you,
Sylvia Frayne
Chair, Club Rowing Committee
and Members of the Committee

CRC Boat Inventory and Locations

Note: CRC boats are reserved for use only by PBC members and their guests.