Potomac’s Results for Diamond States 2010

The record setting temps gave an all new meaning to the heat medals awarded today at the Howard B. Smith Diamond State Regatta (aka “Diamond States”) held on Noxontown Pond in Delaware.

Below are the results we found on Ronin earlier in the day.*  (Wha …? Interference with Lane 4?! Pfffbt.)

To see all the results, click here.

* Events 38 and higher were canceled due to unsafe conditions (read: the storm, not the temps).

Potomac Boat Club - Diamond State Masters Regatta 2010

Women’s E-J 8+

Heat #2
1. Cory Conzemius [62] (Potomac BC #3)	00:04:22.05	00:00:24.5 handicap	00:03:57.55
2. Meaghan Yeatts [60] (Syracuse Chargers #5)	00:04:20.29	00:00:21.8 handicap	00:03:58.49
3. Lexi Eyerman [57] (Genesee RC #5)	00:04:33.28	00:00:17 handicap	00:04:16.28
4. Laura Ebersbach [57] (Syracuse Chargers (B) #4)	00:04:41.41	00:00:17 handicap	00:04:24.41
5. Sue Oldenburg [68] (Wilmington RC #2)	00:05:06.23	00:00:33.6 handicap	00:04:32.63

Women’s D-J 2x Lightweight

Final
1. Karen Ellis [56] (Carnegie Lake RA #2)	00:04:26.69	00:00:18.2 handicap	00:04:08.49
2. Kit Huber [50] (Saugatuck RC #4)	00:04:24.8	00:00:11.4 handicap	00:04:13.4
3. Nancy Petrisko [57] (Potomac BC #3)	00:04:49.06	00:00:19.4 handicap	00:04:29.66
4. Rose Ford [53] (Carnegie Lake RA #5)	00:04:53.32	00:00:14.6 handicap	00:04:38.72

Women’s A-J 2x

1. Sandra Burt [46] (Baltimore RC #6)	00:04:32.89	00:00:09.00 handicap	00:04:23.89
2. B. Ralston [30] (Alexandria CR #4)	00:04:29.2	00:00:00.2 handicap	00:04:29
3. Tara Neider [50] (Annapolis RC #5)	00:04:43.14	00:00:13.2 handicap	00:04:29.94
4. Deborah Davis [52] (SAS Alumni #2)	00:04:54.48	00:00:15.6 handicap	00:04:38.88
5. Joanne Haug [46] (Swan Creek RC #3)	00:05:10.11	00:00:09.00 handicap	00:05:01.11
6. Debbie Charles-Chisholm [51] (Potomac BC #1)	00:05:29.05	00:00:14.4 handicap	00:05:14.65

Men’s A-C 4x

Final
1. Marc Daemen [48] (Potomac/Baltimore #2)	00:03:34.9	00:00:08.8 handicap	00:03:26.1
2. Chris Ives [49] (Greenwich Crew #6)	00:03:48.11	00:00:09.7 handicap	00:03:38.41
3. Yuiry Levitskiy [46] (Virginia BC #3)	00:03:50.33	00:00:07.2 handicap	00:03:43.13
4. George Wheeler [36] (Alexandria CR #5)	00:03:50.98	00:00:01.6 handicap	00:03:49.38
5. Steve Norman [27] (Wilmington RC #4)	00:04:14.76		00:04:14.76

Men’s E-F 1x

Heat #3
1. Chuck Selden [58] (Potomac BC #2)	00:04:25.8	00:00:24.00 handicap	00:04:01.8
2. Neal Young [63] (Potomac BC #4)	00:04:37.65	00:00:32.4 handicap	00:04:05.25
3. john pokorny [63] (Fairmount RA #6)	00:05:01.04	00:00:32.4 handicap	00:04:28.64
4. robert franks [57] (All American RC #3)	00:04:55.37	00:00:22.5 handicap	00:04:32.87
5. Joe Oliver [58] (Carnegie Lake RA #5)	00:05:07.44	00:00:24.00 handicap

Women’s C-D 2x

Heat #2
1. Deborah Davis [52] (SAS Alumni Racing #6)	00:04:39.5		00:04:39.5
2. Paula Krahn Merkle [54] (Baltimore RC #4)	00:04:40.48		00:04:40.48
3. Susan Forbes [53] (Potomac BC #5)	00:05:08.75		00:05:08.75
4. Patti Nash [54] (Chester River RC #2)	00:05:25.4		00:05:25.4
5. Francesca Cogliano [53] (Navesink River RC #3)	00:05:49.18		00:05:49.18

Men’s A 4+

Heat #1
1. Laura Smith-Spark [30] (Potomac BC #5)	00:03:42.9		00:03:42.9
2. John Curtin [33] (University Barge Club #6)	00:03:47.1		00:03:47.1
3. Kris Connor [31] (Capital RC #4)	00:03:47.35		00:03:47.35
4. Rachel Freedman [31] (D.C. Strokes RC #2)	00:04:07.08		00:04:07.08
5. Chet Riley [27] (Virginia BC #3)	00:04:10.09		00:04:10.09
Heat #2
1. Libby Stancik [27] (Capital RC #4)	00:03:45.69		00:03:45.69
2. Cory Conzemius [31] (Potomac BC #5)	00:03:42.1	00:00:05.00 Interfered with lane 4	00:03:47.1
3. Gabe Sim [27] (Saugatuck RC #3)	00:03:56.05		00:03:56.05
4. Michele Handzel [34] (Syracuse Chargers #2)	00:04:13.03		00:04:13.03
5. Sarah Doyle [34] (Prince William RC #6)	00:04:29.46		00:04:29.46

Women’s C-D 8+

Heat #2
1. Kristina Medlock [50] (Prince William RC #1)	00:03:57.8	00:00:10.6 handicap	00:03:47.2
2. Gabe Sim [51] (Saugatuck RC #3)	00:04:05.77	00:00:11.5 handicap	00:03:54.27
3. Kendal Wolf [51] (Potomac BC #4)	00:04:11.7	00:00:11.5 handicap	00:04:00.2
4. Karen Snyder [43] (Alexandria CR #2)	00:04:15.21	00:00:05.1 handicap	00:04:10.11
5. Fran Mulherin [47] (Wilmington RC #5)	00:04:19.22	00:00:08.00 handicap	00:04:11.22
6. Sarah Morgan [52] (Rock Creek Rowing #6)	00:04:35.08

Men’s C-D 1x Lightweight

Final
1. joe paduda [52] (Potomac BC #3)	00:04:12.61	00:00:15.6 handicap	00:03:57.01
2. Mark Malone [52] (Navesink River RC #4)	00:04:14.36	00:00:15.6 handicap	00:03:58.76
3. Jeff Cutler [43] (Malta BC #6)	00:04:07.4	00:00:06.4 handicap	00:04:01.00
4. Peter Pietra [49] (Potomac BC #2)	00:04:15.32	00:00:12.1 handicap	00:04:03.22
5. Meinhard Hausleitner [51] (Greenwich Crew #1)	00:04:22.81	00:00:14.4 handicap	00:04:08.41
6. Jim Benz [50] (Passaic River RA #5)	00:04:22.52	00:00:13.2 handicap	00:04:09.32

Women’s E-J 2x

Heat #1
1. Kathy Lhommedieu [56] (GMS RC #2)	00:04:33.1		00:04:33.1
2. Anne Shapiro [56] (Central Pennsylvania RA #5)	00:04:43.27		00:04:43.27
3. Suzanne Rauth [57] (Passaic River RA #3)	00:05:08.9		00:05:08.9
4. Linda Ensor [55] (Navesink River RC #6)	00:05:13.47		00:05:13.47
5. Gail Edie [59] (Potomac BC #4)	00:05:14.81		00:05:14.81
Heat #2
1. Cheryl Capps [61] (Potomac BC #3)	00:04:55.8		00:04:55.8
2. Carol Randel [60] (Saugatuck RC #4)	00:05:04.29		00:05:04.29
3. Maryann Caruso [61] (Hiawatha Island BC #5)	00:05:30.71		00:05:30.71
4. Susan Markel [63] (Syracuse Chargers #2)	00:06:09.17		00:06:09.17

Men’s D 4+

Heat #2
1. Tiffany Dao [53] (Potomac BC #2)	00:03:50.3		00:03:50.3
2. Steff McKay [52] (Capital RC #5)	00:03:54.22		00:03:54.22
3. Sarah Doyle [51] (Prince William RC #4)	00:04:15.95		00:04:15.95
4. Robbie Colburn [53] (St Andrews Alumni Racing #3)	00:04:18.74

Men’s G-J 1x

Final
1. christopher collins [78] (Rivanna RC #4)	00:04:57.39	00:01:05.00 handicap	00:03:52.39
2. Cal Sutliff [73] (Potomac BC #2)	00:04:51.2	00:00:52.9 handicap	00:03:58.3
3. Walter Cesewski [67] (Potomac BC #5)	00:05:10.34	00:00:40.00 handicap	00:04:30.34
4. Hans Mueller [72] (Wilmington RC #3)	00:05:26.28	00:00:50.6 handicap	00:04:35.68

Women’s C 4+

Heat #1
1. Dana King [43] (Carnegie Lake RA #5)	00:04:33.2		00:04:33.2
2. Desiree Boucher [47] (Rock Creek Rowing #2)	00:04:34.84		00:04:34.84
3. Kendal Wolf [49] (Potomac BC #4)	00:04:36.37		00:04:36.37
4. Emily Clevelnad [44] (Prince William RC #1)	00:04:40.03		00:04:40.03
5. Maddie Alden [47] (Mercer Masters #6)	00:05:07.4		00:05:07.4
6. Rebecca Burns [49] (Annapolis RC #3)	00:05:25.29		00:05:25.29

Mixed D-J 2x

Heat #3
1. Nancy Faigen [60] (Potomac BC #4)	00:04:32.9	00:00:23.5 handicap	00:04:09.4
2. Liz Turner [62] (Saugatuck RC #5)	00:04:42.48	00:00:26.5 handicap	00:04:15.98
3. Jackie Wehmueller [57] (Baltimore RC #2)	00:04:59.03	00:00:19.4 handicap	00:04:39.63
4. RED SARGENT [68] (Fairmount RA #3)	N/A	00:00:36.3 handicap00:00:00.00 DNS	N/A

Men’s B 4+

Heat #1
1. Laura Smith-Spark [36] (Potomac BC #3)	00:03:37.4		00:03:37.4
2. Steff McKay [38] (Capital RC #4)	00:03:40.88		00:03:40.88
3. Katie Wood [45] (Virginia BC #6)	00:03:49.48		00:03:49.48
4. Gabe Sim [38] (Saugatuck RC #2)	00:04:01.47		00:04:01.47
5. Michael Stratmoen [36] (D.C. Strokes RC #5)	00:04:53.39		00:04:53.39

Men’s A-B 8+

Final
1. Libby Stancik [34] (Capital RC #6)	00:03:17.2	00:00:01.00 handicap	00:03:16.2
2. Tiffany Dao [30] (Potomac BC #4)	00:03:19.66	00:00:00.2 handicap	00:03:19.46
3. Gabby Hammond [35] (Saugatuck RC #5)	00:03:32.33	00:00:01.3 handicap	00:03:31.03
4. Katie Wood [41] (Virginia BC #2)	00:03:37.39	00:00:03.9 handicap	00:03:33.49
5. Rachel Freedman [32] (D.C. Strokes RC #3)	00:03:34.39	00:00:00.7 handicap	00:03:33.69

Women’s E-J 1x

Final
1. Anne Cann [60] (Rivanna RC #4)	00:05:01.5	00:00:27.2 handicap	00:04:34.3
2. Ann Couwenhoven [56] (Baltimore RC #6)	00:05:04.65	00:00:21.00 handicap	00:04:43.65
3. Dana Perrone [63] (Potomac BC #2)	00:05:19.72	00:00:32.4 handicap	00:04:47.32
4. Pat Williams [56] (Prince William RC #5)	00:05:19.36	00:00:21.00 handicap	00:04:58.36
5. Liz Turner [60] (Saugatuck RC #3)	00:05:26.88	00:00:27.2 handicap	00:04:59.68
6. Evy Anderson [60] (Baltimore RC #1)	00:05:39.22	00:00:27.2 handicap	00:05:12.02

Men’s E-F 2x

Heat #1
1. Michael Tebay [57] (Greenwich Crew #2)	00:03:48.3	00:00:19.4 handicap	00:03:28.9
2. Chuck Selden [62] (Potomac BC #3)	00:04:14.35	00:00:26.5 handicap	00:03:47.85
3. Mac Holcomb [56] (Wilmington RC #4)	00:04:10.11	00:00:18.2 handicap	00:03:51.91
4. Chris Shuster [55] (Unaffiliated #5)	N/A	00:00:16.9 handicap00:00:00.00 DNS	N/A

Excessive heat warning for DC metro!

Be smart in the heat, PBC!!!

An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for the Washington Metropolitan area from noon until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 24, 2010. The Heat Index may reach 110 degrees.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control web site for the warning signs of heat exhaustion and what you can do about it at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.asp.

Those racing tomorrow up at Diamond State Masters regatta in DE, drink lots of water throughout the day.  Heed the early warning signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration.  Try to stay in the shade when you’re not racing, and GOOD LUCK!

WeCanRow DC

Potomac Boat Club is very proud to host WeCanRow DC, a volunteer-directed, not-for-profit, educational and support organization offering breast cancer survivors an introduction to sweep rowing, and ongoing recreational and competitive rowing opportunities.

Below is our WeCanRow DC photo gallery! If you have WeCanRow DC photos to share, please send them to Penelope at editor@potomacstar.com.

For more information about WeCanRow DC, please visit their web site at http://www.wecanrowdc.org.

Watch a replay of the 2010 Boat Race!

If you missed the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race live yesterday on the BBC, you missed a good one!  But no worries!  Click here to watch the blow by blow replay on the Theboatrace.org!

I love the water.

I love the water. By Dick Schwartzbard

Senior member Dick Schwartzbard has been retired from the federal government for more years than many of us have been alive.  He was a sailor, who loved the water, but got tired of driving all the way to the Chesapeake Bay from Arlington. He tried sailing on the Potomac, but quickly got tired of getting his boat stuck in the gunk.

When the weather is warmer, don’t be surprised to find Dick up on the porch at the club. It’s one of his favorite places to just sit, relax, and watch the river and the world go by. He recalls one of these days for us.  -The Potomac Star

I love the water.  It’s peaceful and tranquil.  Well, usually.  I was quite an avid sailor back in the day, but I am willing to admit that these days, I’m probably way too comfortably ensconced in old fartdom to ever become an avid rower.  All I know is that I love the water.  I love looking at it.  I love being near it.  I love watching the shells glide over its surface, especially from the porch of Potomac Boat Club.  If I have to do a little rowing every now and then to be able to watch the sun set over the river from the porch, then so be it.

Truth be told, conditions have to be pretty close to perfect for me to go for a row.  A few months ago, I went down to the boathouse on a Sunday and found less than perfect conditions.  Too much wind.  Too much chop.  The air was a bit too cold.  Just the kind of opportunity I look forward to!  A day to get comfortable on the porch and watch the world go by on the river.  It didn’t take much for me to head straight to my favorite place upstairs.

I wasn’t on the porch long before someone else was on the dock below to survey the scene.  Unlike me, this brave soul decided to go for it.  He disappeared into the house, reemerged with a boat on his head, proceeded down the ramp, and carefully placed his boat in the water.  I’ll call him Rower 1.

Rower 1 got his oars in the oarlocks, and then got himself in his boat and situated.  In a few minutes, he was ready to shove.  Unfortunately, when he did, he didn’t quite give it enough “oomph” to clear his starboard oar.  This is usually fine, but it didn’t seem like he knew how to use his oar to push off from the dock, either.  Worse yet, after this “misfire,” he wasn’t able to maneuver back into a position that would allow him to try to shove again.  Every stroke Rower 1 took with his port oar only angled the bow of his boat closer to the dock and the stern farther away … the opposite position he wanted to be in.  In fact, it looked like he was inadvertently working his way down the dock to where the coaching launches were tied up.  I thought if he got there, he’d really be in trouble!

So, at this point, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t get up from my comfortable vantage point on the porch to go help poor Rower 1.  Well, I thought about it.  Briefly.  But as you know, rowers are a determined lot, and Rower 1 was no different.  Back and forth, inch by inch, little by little, he kept at it.  I wasn’t going to deprive him of achieving success on his own.  Finally, his oar cleared just enough to let him take a bite and he was off!  Good job, Rower 1!

As I watched the first rower make his way up river, another one showed up on the dock.   This guy was a bit quicker off the dock than the last one. He grabbed his boat and launched.  I’ll call him Rower 2.

On the water, Rower 2 looked skilled and smooth.  In fact, it wasn’t long before he caught up to Rower 1 and passed him.  Now, I’m not one to take pleasure in another person’s misfortune, but the ease with which Rower 2 overtook Rower 1 … well, it made me feel pretty good. I thought, hey, maybe I’m not the slowest rower at the club after all!

I continued to watch as Rower 1 and Rower 2 disappear upstream, and then turned my eyes back to the water, sky and birds.  Soon, another rower showed up on the dock.  This one was about half my age, but definitely no youngster!  Like the last two fellows, he surveyed the scene and then disappeared for few minutes to get a boat.  He emerged with a club Maas, and set it in the water.  I’ll call him Rower 3.

A Maas is a shorter and wider type of boat than a regular racing single, but it is also more stable.  It’s the kind of boat I like to use, so I assumed that, like me, maybe Rower 3 didn’t have a lot of experience.  Given the trouble Rower 1 had getting out there, I thought this might get interesting!

I watched as Rower 3 mounted his oars, but something wasn’t quite right. It seemed to me that he put them in with the oarlocks backwards!  Why didn’t I say anything?  Well, I thought, what do I know?  I still consider myself a novice rower, so I resisted giving advice.  Besides, it looked like a friend had shown up with him.  Certainly, his friend would say something if his oarlocks were indeed backwards.  His friend shoved him off the dock, but once he got out there, I could see that his backwards-looking oarlocks were giving him trouble.

Anyway, Rower 3 sure wasn’t making much progress, and the progress he was making sure wasn’t in a straight line.  He took the boat around another 270 degrees or so before he finally started going straight.  The problem was, he was headed straight for the dock!  I don’t know if it was a good thing or not that the wind suddenly blew him down river, but it did.  He missed the dock by about six feet … and went right into the shore between the dock and Jack’s.

Just like Rower 1, Rower 3 persevered and finally extricated his boat from that awkward location. His friend helped him back to the dock. Clearly frustrated, he got right out of the boat to search for someone who could tell him what had gone wrong.  Unfortunately for him, there must have been a regatta that day because most of the folks I usually see around the club weren’t there.  Eventually, one of our most experienced members appeared, and I watched as the three of them went over the boat from bow to stern.

It’s interesting how experience sometimes blinds you to the obvious. Here was a unbelievably experienced member, who has probably forgotten more about rowing than I will ever know, yet he couldn’t see the backward oarlocks.  Maybe I was tuned in to the problem because I’ve made the same mistake putting in my own oars.  Finally, I decided to get up from my seat on the porch, and went down to the dock to offer that the oarlocks might be backwards.  And they were!  I felt smart.  They got the oarlocks facing in the right direction, made some adjustments to the foot plate, and soon, Rower 3 was back on the water and headed upstream.

About that time, Rower 1 was coming back down river. I watched from the dock as he rowed under Key Bridge, and I watched as he turned to cross the river behind the arches to come back around to the boathouse.  But then, nothing. That was odd, I thought.  I waited and waited for what seemed like forever, when finally something slowly came into view.

I couldn’t really tell if what I was looking at was just a shadow or a log or a boat that was barely moving. It turns out it was a boat.  And it was barely moving because it was upside down with a rower clinging to it. The bridge supports, the wind, and the current do strange things to the water close to the bridge.  More experienced rowers go down river a bit before making the turn. Rower 1 turned too close to the bridge, an error I daresay he won’t make again.

Right away, someone in a powerboat noticed the plight of Rower 1 and rushed up to help.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t seem to get Rower 1 out of the water.  Soon, a couple of rowers rowed up to the poor guy and it looked like they were offering him advice on how to get back into his boat, but to no avail. Eventually, they must have decided that one of them would tow - as in row - Rower 1 and his shell back to the dock.  And that’s precisely what they started to do.

Now, as you know, we pay some pretty high taxes in the DC area and the beneficiaries of those taxes like to show that they are earning our tax dollars.  Just as the situation was under control, the Harbor Police came roaring up to the chain of rowers and boats, their lights flashing. They managed to pull the wet rower on board and tow his shell the remaining few feet to the dock.  Just as I caught the bow of the rowerless shell, more flashing lights appeared on the river as a fire department boat came roaring in for its part of the rescue. And finally, it wouldn’t have been complete without a club member running down onto the dock all excited to find out what was happening. It seems that she had just pulled in to the club parking lot as three fire engines, two ambulances and a rescue van of some sort were arriving under the freeway with lights and sirens blaring.

Well, it certainly wasn’t the nice relaxing day on the porch I thought I was going to have, but I learned some valuable lessons.  On a superficial level, I watched a couple of novices make novice mistakes. On a more substantive level, I saw two men courageous enough to accept the challenge of a new activity.  They clearly had the determination and perseverance inherent in most rowers, so I am sure they will succeed.  I also learned that rowing is not only physically and technically challenging, but it can be downright dangerous, and even life threatening, on a river as unpredictable as the Potomac can be.

So, yes. So much for my peaceful day on the river. I probably would have stayed to watch Rower 2 and Rower 3 return, but at that point, I decided I had enough peace and tranquility for one day!

Security reminder from the president

Hi All –

A recent locker room theft reminds us that despite significant improvements in house security, we must continue to take reasonable precautions to secure our belongings while at the club.

This particular theft was from an unlocked locker.  Please make sure you are locking your locker and closing doors behind you.  As an added measure, don’t be shy about questioning anyone you don’t recognize.

It’s unfortunate we have to be on guard at our own club, but if we remember to do these simple things, we will continue to increase the level of safety and security for all of us.

Bob Price
President, PBC

Safety lesson learned the hard way

A couple of weeks before the ice set in, but after PBC’s winter rowing rules went into effect, senior member Nick Holland and his single had a run in with a log.  Upstream without a personal flotation device (pfd), with a water temperature below 45F, Nick would be the first to tell you that he was lucky to make it back to the dock alive.  Below is his story.  Sharing it with you is his penance for breaking the rules.

Before we get to Nick’s story, at the bottom of this post you will find links to Hypothermia and Cold Water Immersion - Information for Rowing and Coaches and Clubs by Jane Blockley of the Leo Blockley Memorial Campaign. Leo Blockley drowned on December 29, 2000, in the River Ebro while rowing with the Oxford University Lightweight Rowing Club during winter training camp in Amposta, Spain.  About fifty meters from the dock, Leo disappeared as he attempted to swim back to the boat. He was 21.

Please visit the Leo Blockley Memorial Campaign web site linked here for information that could save your life.

And now, a few words from Mr. Holland ….

* * *

As many of you know, I had what can only be called a lucky escape a few weeks ago when my single hit a large submerged log up river near the Hens and Chicks. Had it not been for some fortuitous circumstances, I might have ended up with a very cold swim to the Virginia shore.  I want to let you know what happened and hopefully draw out some valuable lessons for you all.

Following the collision, my boat was still afloat, so I elected to try to get back as close to PBC as I could.  Assisted by wind and stream, I started to row with one eye on my bow as the boat took on water.  When I could see that the bow ball was about to sink below water level, I spun the boat around and continued down river by backing down at the compressed catch position in order to keep the bow up as much as possible and to keep my weight as close to the stern as possible.  As I passed Three Sisters, the water came pouring over the gunwales and I was no longer able to row.

Knowing I could get very cold and wet - or worse - I took out my feet and got as far to the back of the boat as possible. After a second or two, I realized that maybe I could “surf paddle” the hull closer to PBC.  I wedged my scull handles under my stomach with the blades flat to hopefully steady the boat a bit more.  At that point, only my legs and lower torso were wet.

Straddling the hull with one leg on either side and lying forward on the tracks and foot stretcher, I was able to paddle the boat okay, but the wind blowing against the stern made it difficult for me to get to shore. I headed to a point up river of the Canoe Club, so that if I passed out, the wind and current might move my boat down onto the Canoe Club dock. As it turned out, I remained conscious and was able to paddle the hull all the way to the PBC dock, where some very nice people got me and my boat out of the water.

The lessons I learned are as follows:

1. It doesn’t matter how good I think I am, ACCIDENTS CAN AND WILL HAPPEN, when I least expect them.

2. DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR THE CONDITIONS. I had on decent clothes which helped to minimize my heat loss a bit, especially the superb under armor beanie, which looks stupid, but certainly kept my head warm. Pogies kept my hands warm, but eventually they were lost in the ordeal. In retrospect, I should have had on a pfd or wetsuit, or both. I would have increased my buoyancy, retained more body heat, and bought myself a little more time should I have needed it. And you never know when you’re going to need it.

3. DON’T PANIC. Assess the situation and make a decision. Obviously, the best decision is the one that will get you out of the water and on shore soonest. My boat was still afloat and rowable for most of the time, but every situation will be different. Try to have a plan before you go out. If it comes down to saving the boat or you, just make sure you do what it takes to save yourself. You can always replace a boat.

Nick Holland

* * *

So, folks, once the ice has melted and those of us who simply must row - no matter what - are back on the water, please remember to follow the winter rowing rules and take basic precautions. Cold water rowing is an inherently dangerous activity. We don’t want you to do it, but if you do, don’t make us have to explain to your spouse/parents/kids that you didn’t make it back to shore because you were simply too stubborn to wear a pfd or wetsuit.

• Hypothermia and Cold Water Immersion - Information for Rowing Coaches and Clubs (ENG) (132KB - MS Word)
• Hypothermia and Cold Water Immersion - Information for Rowing Coaches and Clubs (ENG) (314KB - Adobe PDF)

Brrrr … 4-Oar Rule starts today!

PBC Members: Don’t be left out in the cold!

The access code to the boathouse changes on January 1, 2010.  After that date, existing keys, FOBS, cards, and shared codes will no longer get you into the club. 

But guess what?  You have until December 4th to choose a new access code of your very own!  Exciting, isn’t it?  (Just nod your head “yes.”)

If you’re a member, you should have received an email from the Security Committee on Sunday, November 22nd, explaining how to get your new access code.  If you didn’t get the message, please contact the Security Committee immediately at security@potomacstar.com, so you can be sure to meet the December 4th code application deadline.

We just chose our new code!  It’s the birthday of the mother of the person who rowed 6-seat behind us in ‘91, plus 1869, minus 12, divided by pi, and multiplied by the number of cupcakes we ate for lunch today.  Easy!  Now, go get yours.

Social Committee socks it to us at the 140th Anniversary

You’ve probably heard this a few times by now, but if you didn’t make it to the 140th Anniversary Celebration on September 12th, you missed a great time.  Despite no-show valets, our Social Committee was able roll with the punches and pull off another big win in the party category for the Club and for the almost 200 folks in attendance. 

“The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and everyone made good use of our porch and deck and PBC’s excellent vantage point on the river,” said Susan Trice, co-chair of the Social Committee.  “The valets didn’t show, but everyone took it in stride and found parking on the street or in a garage.  And the food was fantastic!”

Credit for the fantastic food goes to Catering by Charlene.  And it must have been at least really, really good because you’ve been asking for the caterer’s contact information ever since. It just so happens that member Eric Dobson ran into Charlene at another event catered by Catering by Charlene, and he shared the following with us:

Catering by Charlene, Tel 703-684-9228

She even has a small carry-out located in Old Town Alexandria at this address:

Gourmet Food to Go
104 North West Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

And how about that Silent Auction?!  Many of you generously answered the call from the Social Committee for auction items, donating lessons, personal training, concert tickets, restaurant certificates, cupcakes and flowers, Patagonia gear, weekend getaways in Chincoteague and Annapolis, a week in a cottage in the UK, and more.  In the end, the auction raised approximately $4,000 for the Potomac River Sports Foundation to support our Open Sculling Program.  The Social Committee says “thanks” to all of you who donated and bid.  And we say “great job” to the Social Committee for putting it all together!

Okay, so, let’s review:Great food. Auction items. Hoofing it in your party shoes from a far away parking lot to share an evening with 200 of your closest friends.  Hmmm.  What else did you miss?  Oh, yes.  Socks! (If you’re listening from the other room, that was s-o-c-k-s.)  If you didn’t make it to the party, you missed an opportunity to take home a pair of 140th Anniversary commemorative socks!

Fortunately, the Social Committee still has a few left … and they’ll only cost you $100 a pair! Okay, for you, $5 a pair, if you can pick them up at the Club, or $6, if they have to be mailed.  Interested?  Send us a note to editor@potomacstar.com, and we’ll send you what you need to know to get your very own pair.  Supply is limited, so hurry. [Available sizes for men:  shoe size 6-8=M, 8-10=L, 10-13=XL. For women:  7-9=M, 9-11=L, 11+=XL.]

Well, then. We bet after finding out you missed all that, you’re swearing up and down that you’ll never, ever, ever miss another chance to be social at PBC, again! Good. You have two more chances coming up before the end of the year. Mark your calendars for the End of the Racing Season Potluck on Saturday, November 21st (the weekend before Thanksgiving), and the PBC Holiday Party hosted by the Open Scullers on Sunday, December 13th.

And while you’re at it, maybe tie a string around your finger to remember to thank the following members of our Social Committee for making our 140th Anniversary Celebration one for the record books: Mae Joyce Gay, Rose Calabro, John Forrest, Nancy Butt Packard, Katherine Hoffman, John Lavery, Camilla Durfee, and Susan Trice.

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