Community Rowing on the Harlem River

Harlem River Community Rowing gets people out on the river in racing shells, at no cost to them.  We are the only group in New York City offering adult rowing to those without access to a car, and we have far more demand than we can meet, from both experienced rowers and novices. 

Our small fleet of racing shells allows twelve people to row at once, sixteen if they are more experienced. One or two coaches follow in a motorboat, teaching and ensuring safety. Expanding the number of rowers means offering more practices, during the week as well as on weekends. To do that, we need our coaches to spend more time on the water, but there's only so much that even dedicated volunteers can do. So we have to start paying them. That's why we need to raise money.

With additional funds, we will be able to expand our practice schedule substantially. Right now, we only row on weekends, and each participant can only row once a week. Learning to row and building skill and speed take time and commitment. Unlike the public kayaking programs putting New Yorkers on the water, rowing requires continuous engagement to master the sport.  

We plan to expand our offerings in two ways:

-  Add weekday practices so rowers can train three or four times a week instead of only once.  

-  Offer two or more six-week learn-to-row sessions at which people who have never rowed before can begin learning. Those who successfully complete these sessions can join the other programs later in the season.

In addition to paying our coaches, we have routine operating expenses - insurance, boat maintenance, gasoline for the launch, and of course social events!  Plus we need to replace various equipment and save to add to our fleet in the future. 

Rowing is a great way to build physical and mental health. That's something everyone needs, especially the underserved communities in northern Manhattan. Getting outside in the early morning, and being on the water instead of on the land, calms our spirits with a sport that is both physically challenging and rewarding. That's what we hope to offer more of this summer. In 2022, even with a short season due to Covid-related equipment problems, some 80 people rowed with us. Right now, our email list has more than 200 who want to join, far more than we can handle. So our aim is to increase our capacity, and get more people from the neighborhood out on the water to enjoy all the benefits rowing can offer them.