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The skiff in question – photo published with the permission of photographer Walter Bachteler. Thanks Walter!
A reader has been in touch to ask what this boat might be. Does anyone know? And why does it have windows to allow the rowers to see the level of the water?
See the photos in question at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65538230@N00/3405009991/in/set-72157616150345313/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/65538230@N00/3428080202/
PS It turns out this is a Jersey skiff used in lifeguard competitions, and that the ‘windows’ are holes intended to free the boat of water when it starts to fill in surf. The point is clearly made by a series of astonishing photos from the 2008 Asbury Park Lifeguard Challenge – thanks to Jim Mason for indicating the way, and to everyone else for a splendid set of comments and links.
PPS
Jim later sent me some more links, which are too good to miss.
http://www.lifeguardart.com depicts the men and women of the South Jersey beach patrols using the version of the Jersey beach skiff that originated in Atlantic City and environs. It is round-bilged and fuller-bodied than the flat-bottomed Seabright skiffs used up on the northern beaches. It is also heavier by 50 lbs. and not self-bailing.
Also check out the http://www.lifeguardraces.com galleries at http://web.sendtoprint.net/proofbook/galleries.asp?CouponID=Lifeguard
Thanks Jim! Some of the Lifeguardart images in particular are superb.
I guess they aren't windows, those are holes. This is one serious self-bailing boat I guess, which will allow a wave to roll right through. I would also guess it has floatation underneath the floor board.
It's probably self bailing. The pictures seem to show that the boat has a solid floor, which presumably contains flotation. The holes in the sides and stern allow the water to drain out when the boat is swamped. That's my guess.
Dear all,
I had not only send my question to Gavin, I had also put it up on the Yahoo "roughstuffrowing" group, where Walt responded in just over an hour:
"These boats are modified Jersey Skiffs. They are built by Bob Asay and ex-Jersey lifeguard. They are self bailing bats designed to row through surf and allow the wash to leave the boat. Specifically they are built for use in lifeguard tournaments, have had the original box keel of the Jersey skiff replaced by a flat bottom. When I was rowing with Bob Asay in the last few years while he was building my boat he described them as a surfboard with free board. They are quite fun and there is a huge following of folks on the east coast of the U.S. who use them for racing and fitness. You can see more about these boats at the Jersey Shore Rowing Association web site.
By the way, Bob has only built about 120 of these boats but is still producing them in Fort Pierce, Florida at about 7 to 10 a years depending on orders. They are custom built by his hand and last I heard they were about $10,600 a piece. However, Dave Healy at the Jersey Shore Rowing Association has a near new AND PRATICALLY UNUSED one posted for sale on that web site for about $7,500 for the boat only. Shipping may be difficult if you are in the Netherlands but can be done I am sure."
(http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Roughstuffrowing/messages/245?threaded=1&m=e&var=1&tidx=1)
The Jersey Shore Rowing Association has some more summer like images on their website also, like: http://www.jsrowing.org/mediac/400_0/media/2$20AP…
That's a commericial surf boat. The flotation volume is probably in the floor (picture about 4 to 6 inches of it), and the transom is open so it can take a breaking wave, dump the water in seconds, and continue on. A good sporting surf-rower, also used by lifeguards sometimes. It looks a little bluff-bowed to be based on a dory, though I have seen fiberglass commercial dories built the same way used at a beach lifeguard station.
It is amazing to see you much one can learn on a subject within about 12 hours – including a good night sleep – from like-minded people on the Net and good ol' books.
I stated my little struggle on my Facebook status too and within hours a friend came up with a link to a great article in the New York Times, dated February 2009: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B…
These boats appear to be based on the Jersey Skiff / Sea Bright Skiff. So I got into my copy of John Gardner's "Building Classis Small Craft" which has two chapters devoted to the Sea Bright Skiff.
These particular type has been developed by Bob Asay in the Monmouth County chapter of the US Lifeguard Ass. They are now trying to harmonise and established the Jersey Shore Rowing Association. (http://www.jsrowing.org/)
Oops. the article is dated Feb 2007
Well I'm amazed. I'm astonished at these crazy people rowing in big waves among rocks – I vaguely know about Jersey surf boats but didn't know they had become self-baling and imagined they were only used off sandy beaches.
There are more pics in the galleries here: http://www.jsrowing.org/32.html
I'll also take another look at my copy of Gardner!
And thanks everyone for your informative comments! In my foolishness I really did think they might be windows used to judge the boat's trim!
Gav
Gavin, the only rocks they are normally rowed amongst are those contained in made-made structures such as jetties and groynes (not sure if these are equivalent terms in American and British English!). The photo above was taken of a crew rowing between the jetties of the Shark River Inlet at Belmar, NJ (copy and paste 40 11' 14" N, 74 00' 32" W into the "fly to" function on Google Earth)
Jim Mason later sent me some more links, which are too good to miss.
http://www.lifeguardart.com depicts the men and women of the South Jersey beach patrols using the version of the Jersey beach skiff that originated in Atlantic City and environs. It is round-bilged and fuller-bodied than the flat-bottomed Seabright skiffs used up on the northern beaches. It is also heavier by 50 lbs. and not self-bailing.
Also check out the http://www.lifeguardraces.com galleries at http://web.sendtoprint.net/proofbook/galleries.as…
Thanks Jim! Some of the Lifeguardart images are superb – this seems to be an amazingly photogenic sport.
Gav
Here is another good link for surfboat rowing photos:
http://www.rowrace.com
This is the website for the New Jersey State Rowing Championships.
Where can you buy self bailing row boats and/or a life guard style surf row boat?
Tony Patroni makes a great lifeguard boat. He is based out of New Jersey and can customize any way needed. http://www.lifeguardboat.com