Kamloops Rowing Club
Find health somewhere new.
Some Frequently Asked Questions.
01
How long does it take to drive to Shumway Lake from Kamloops?
Allow approximately 20 minutes for you to leave home if you live in valleyview, for example. Drive up the highway and through the community of Knutsford on Highway 5A to the club.
02
When and for how long does your season run?
Our season typically runs from the beginning of May to the middle of October. We offer 3 options for memberships. All of our options allow you to row throughout the entire season. Our Full Season membership is our "all-access pass" to participate all year long with absolutely no restrictions!
Maybe your busy schedule doesn't allow you to row on a regular basis? That's okay; our other two options ensure you're getting the most for your money, and on your own schedule. Choose between either a 15-Row Punch Card or a 10-Row Punch Card.
03
Do I need to have experience to join the club?
Not at all! All skill levels are welcome in our club.
04
Do I need any equipment in order to join the club?
The only things you will need to join the club are clean socks, a pair of shorts, a gym shirt and maybe a water bottle as we have no drinkable water at our lake. We also recommend no loose pants or long loose tops in the boat as these can get caught in the moving seat wheels. Be sure to wear sun screen and a hat on those sunny days to prevent sunburn and heat stroke.
Always have a full change of clothes (underwear included) + a towel in your car just in case you get caught in a downpour or get wet while rowing. Nothing like dry clothes to change into and warm up on the way home. We speak from experience!
05
Do I need to be a good swimmer to take rowing lessons?
You need to be a competent swimmer in deep water and can swim 50 metres nonstop. A minimum age of 15 enables our participants to carry and use rowing equipment safely and without injury.
06
How much time will the learn to row (LTR) program take to complete?
As we are redesigning our LTR program to adhere to Covid protocol, we are estimating 3 hours for your dry land session and 3-2 hour sessions in a rowing boat on the lake. So, you will have 4 sessions with us to complete the LTR program. Since each participant will probably be learning in a one-person boat, it will be similar to having private lessons each time we get together! What could be better? Once registered, we will work with you and the club schedule to book you into your lesson time slots. It is preferred to have you complete your 3-2-hour sessions over the span of one week, so you are able to carry your learning forward to each session.
07
Are lessons ever cancelled and rescheduled?
Rowing Rule #1: We do not row when there are whitecaps on the water surface and/or high winds. We will call/text you from the lake 30 minutes from the start of your lesson to cancel if the water conditions are not safe. We will reschedule cancelled lessons due to weather. There is no cell service at the lake. Thus, we can call you from the lake, but you can’t call us at the lake to cancel. If you do need to cancel your lesson, you are expected to let your coach know no later than 4 hours prior to your lesson time.
08
How often do people in learn to row end up swimming from the boat flipping over?
You will learn to row with pontoons attached which creates a stable platform for your learning. In 20 years of teaching learn to row, I have only witnessed 1 person flipping their boat over with pontoons attached and it occurred because she leaned way over to one side of her boat. So, stay centred on your boat seat and never let go of your oar handles until you are docked, and you will most probably stay dry Pontoons can be raised off the water surface gradually and even removed as your technique improves with more time on the water.
09
Will I learn to scull or sweep during my lessons?
We primarily scull at our club. This requires the rower to have an oar handle in each hand. It doesn’t matter if you are right or left handed, both hands will learn how to do the same thing and coordinate moving the oars in the water and in the air as you move your seat back and forth on the boat slides. You are making both sides of your brain work during your lessons on the water. You are also moving your body symmetrically as you row. Thus, it is amazing exercise that is full body in nature.
10
Rowing must make your arms very tired.
Rowing utilizes your big muscles to initiate the rowing stroke and move the boat through the water on the “drive” part of the stroke. Using a moving seat and the long oars, your quadriceps/ thigh muscles are the big muscles used. Arm muscles/biceps are used at the very end of the rowing stroke. So, if you experience tired arms rowing, it might be because you are death gripping your ERG/OAR handles. Remember that a “light grip” on your handles is the key to a good rowing stroke.
11
I would like to row for exercise this summer after completion of the Learn to Row program. What do I need to do?
Successful completion of the LTR program is the first step to joining us on the water for the season. Talk to your coach to let her know of your interest and she can fill you in on your membership options as well as the current club schedule for rowing. New rowers are always welcome to join the club. Weekly scheduling occurs where boats/rowing workouts are provided to support each rower’s growth. A coach boat will accompany all recreational rowers onto the water until they return to the dock.