I live on a lake just outside of Seattle, WA and have been searching high and low for a place that sells new and or used rowing sculls. I am not having any luck locating any such place. From all that I have read I think that I would like to purchase a Virus Turbo 2 or possibly the Yole Class but want to take a test row to make sure. I am a novice rower but have spent my life on the water and am very comfortable in just about any watercraft. I am 39 years old, 6’ 200lbs and am interested in recreational rowing, and primarily dock launching from my house. If there is anyone with advice as to where I might locate the Virus or comparable vessel I would be very grateful. I have considered the Seattle Boat show and looked through their list of exhibitors but was not able to find what I was looking for nor do I want to wait until January to purchase.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Mike completelymobile@earthlink.net

-- Mike Benek (completelymobile@earthlink.net), December 08, 2003

Answers

Hi Mike, Please visit me in Olympia and try a Maas boat before you make up your mind. I welcome the chance to give you a demo of a wonderful recreational rowing shell. Check out my web page at www.evergreenrowing.com and also take a look at www.maasboats.com. Many people here in the Northwest love their Maas shells, and you can see great pictures of these boats in use by going to www.soundrowers.org and checking the photos posted on their Noteboard.

The last I knew, the Virus boats were being sold at Moss Bay Rowing at the south end of Lake Union.

Sincerely, Steve

-- Steve Wells (steve@evergreenrowing.com), December 08, 2003.

Hi Mike, take a look at Ron Mueller's site. He's in Bellingham, WA.

http://www.rowmaster.com

Michael

-- michael kaspareck (kasparek@widomaker.com), December 09, 2003.

There is also Pocock which has a recreational shell and lessions in rowing.

http://www.pocock.com/singles.htm

Yours, -Gary-

-- Gary Powell (gwpowell@hotmail.com), December 09, 2003.

Also if you are leaning toward a more general purpose rowboat than a straight shell, you might look at Andre's middlepath boats, or a whitehall. All depends on what you want from this boat, just speed, or the ability to take someone else along for the ride. And how weather dependent are you, just the Lake, or are you considering trips on Puget Sound. (more boats to look at.)

http://www.by-the-sea.com/middlepathboats/ http://www.ghboats.com

But definitely go for a row before you buy if you can.

-Gary-

-- Gary Powell (gwpowell@hotmail.com), December 09, 2003.

I've never rowed one of these boats, but there is an ad in Today's Seattle times for a "15’ Heritage Sculling Dory, trlr, used 3 times. See pictures: www.littlerivermarine.com $3999"

Just another boat alternative. -Gary-

-- Gary Powell (gwpowell@hotmail.com), December 10, 2003.

Mike,

I'm looking for my first rowing skiff also. What did you end up buying? My brother lives on Lake Sammamish and they have a club under the name Soundrowers.org. I'm looking at a Heritage 15, Virus 15 or Whitehall 14. I'm 60 and want something stable. Good rowing. Ed

-- Ed Dean (eedean@sbcglobal.net), March 14, 2004.

Ed, You might want to take a look at The TSCA for non competative rowing.

http://www.tsca.net/puget/index.htm

or

http://www.soundrowers.org/

For competative rowing. BTW The sound rowing group had a race on Saturday on Lake Samamish. If you are going to be competative, you'll notice that there are very few traditonal rowboats in the race results on a regular basis. However a few of us from the TSCA show up at the more open water events with the Sound Rowers group.

Are you only planning on rowing on Lake Samamish? Puget Sound was lovely on Saturday.

Yours, -Gary-

-- Gary Powell (gwpowell@hotmail.com), March 15, 2004.