Facilities and Programs
The Aqueduct Rowing Club occupies two bays of a three-bay boathouse located in Aqueduct Park in Niskayuna, New York. Aqueduct maintains a number of sculling and sweep boats which are available for use by its members. These include eights, fours, one quadruple scull, doubles, and singles. Storage space for a limited number of privately owned shells is also available.
Boathouse and Shells (Photos by Angela Sheehan)
The rowing season for crew boats generally runs from May until October with coached practice sessions starting at ~5:30 P.M. Monday through Thursday. An opportunity to sign up for specific boats and times is provided at the annual spring dinner meeting in April. Those committing to row are responsible for being available at the specified time or identifying a suitable substitute. In addition, each crew arranges for a coxswain for their particular boat. Members wishing to scull may do so at any convenient time once the water is warm enough to minimize the danger of hypothermia in the event of a capsize. A sign-up sheet for sweep and sculling boats is provided in the boathouse. Those rowing singles must demonstrate a reasonable degree of proficiency and pass a capsize and re-entry test before being permitted to row alone.
Coaching
On-the-water coaching in the evening is provided by the Rowing Club for interested crews for both competitive and non-competitive crews.
Eight on the water with coach in the launch (Photo by Angela Sheehan)
Events
The Fall and Spring meetings are dinners usually held in November and April. In addition, the club holds informal get-togethers and fun races at various times during the season. Members are expected to help at dock-in and dock-out, when the rowing docks are launched and retrieved from the Mohawk River at the start and end of the rowing season as well with one or two clean-up days during the season. Volunteers are also needed for open houses.
Organization
The officers of the club are:
President – Amy Landauer-Ruder
Vice President – Bill Mulligan
Treasurer – Harry Darling
Secretary – Ida Nininger
Officers are elected for a term of one year at the annual fall meeting. In addition there is a Board of Directors whose members are elected for overlapping terms of 5 years. The Board and officers have the primary responsibility for managing the affairs of the Club and are governed by the Club by-laws. A copy of the by-laws is available on request.
Current Board members are Dan Barnes, Matthew Adams, Ann Riley, George Dalakos, and Andy Carey.