A message from the GCBC Captain
Grey College Boat Club needs a bit of help, the men’s squad, particularly has a real need for some investment. The current state of our small boats’ fleet is not great. We have two men’s fours, each of them in varying states of disrepair: 'The Earl', and 'Bluestinov'.
The former, has dented slides; it is almost impossible to balance for lighter weighted crews; and has serious fin problems. The latter also suffers from dented slides. A slightly worse problem suffered by 'Bluestinov', is that it has an unnerving habit of taking on large amounts of water during outings! Not only is this a danger to the crew, but it also slows the boat significantly due to additional weight.
Bluestinov, is so old, that it’s not even a Grey boat, it was obtained by the club after the merger with Ustinov. Both boats, in fact, are so antiquated, that the companies that made them are no longer in existence, meaning it is impossible to order replacement parts. We currently make up the shortfall by 3D printing badly needed spares, but these are much less durable, and are very liable to breakage.
2004 was the last time the men’s squad received a new boat, 'Green' - this is now a women’s boat.
The competition faced by Grey, and the quality of our rowers, means that there is now an opportunity for the club. At Tyne and Rutherford we have been consistently behind the top boats of Castle, Hatfield and Collingwood, but only by a matter of seconds. We are severely handicapped by the state of our fleet.
With a new boat, however, the situation would change. Collingwood, Castle and Hatfield, so tantalisingly close, would suddenly be within reach. With a new four, there would be strong potential for Grey to win, and to win hard. With a new four, Henley qualifiers would be our ultimate goal, we have the rowers, and the ambition to achieve this, the only thing we are lacking, is the equipment.
GCBC has already begun its fundraising efforts, and we can proudly say we have fundraised £4,000 already, before the beginning of this campaign, which we can dedicate entirely to the new four. We are also expecting to make another £500-£700 from the selling of a couple of our older boats which are no longer in use.
Our main aim would be to raise enough money to purchase an ex-demo mid-weight Filippi coxed four. Filippi are a highly regarded racing shell manufacturer, with many international crews, as well as a large proportion of DU boats, employing Filippi shells. An ex-demo boat will have seen minimal usage, mostly for show at large events, but has been certified to be of the highest standard by Filippi themselves and comes at a much lower, more affordable price. These boats often come in the range of between £15,000 and £18,000.
However, if we are to fall short of this target, all is not lost. There are several other options available to us, for example the ever popular and successful WinTech shells. A brand new Medallist class coxed four costs £13,500, an achievable target and still a substantial upgrade on the club’s current top four. Other options come from Khangua and Stampfli, there are plenty of possibilities to get the perfect boat for the club.
A new men’s four would be a benefit to the entire club, not just the Men’s squad.
By redressing the balance of spending, we can create a more harmonious club environment. Furthermore, a victory for the men’s squad, just like a victory for the women’s squad, is a success for the entire club. If we win races, and we bring home the metaphorical bacon, GCBC raises not only its own profile in college rowing, but also that of Grey within the Durham community. It will increase student satisfaction, by spreading the feel good factor of winning to all of GCBC, and beyond.
With a new four we can raise the profile of Grey as a rowing college to the heights it once occupied in the past.
In the coming weeks we will be launching a Crowdfunding campaign, and will be hosting an event in London to support the campaign - we invite you to come along.
With many thanks,
Grey College Boat Club