About Pettipaug Scullers
Pettipaug Scullers is home to a varied clan of masters and junior scullers that row single and double sculls on the lower Connecticut River near Essex. Our mission is to promote the lifelong love of sculling through continual improvement and enjoyment on our tidal waterway. Whether one sculls for pleasure or competition, we provide encouragement, camaraderie, and coaching as integral to fulfilling our mission. We also reciprocate with other sculling clubs by holding group rows at our respective venues.
A Unique Place for Scullers
Our stretch of the lower Connecticut River exudes nature’s beauty. We are blessed every day by frequent sightings of ospreys fishing, bald eagles soaring, deer drinking by the shore, and beaver swimming. Striped bass often surprise us with their leaps and splashes. Heading 2k upstream from the club, we have the option of continuing along the shore or entering the protection of the quiet creek at Selden Neck State Park. After 3.5k we pop out onto the river again and continue another 1.5k to the ferry landing at Gillette Castle State Park. On more adventurous days, we may continue another 5k past islands and coves to the Haddam Bridge at Eagles Landing State Park and at the Goodspeed Opera House. While we normally head upriver, it is also possible to explore the 9.5k stretch south to the mouth of the river at Long Island Sound.
Membership
Pettipaug Scullers operates within the Pettipaug Yacht Club (PYC), a sailboat racing club which also offers a well-known youth summer sailing academy. Therefore, all members of Pettipaug Scullers also need to be members of Pettipaug Yacht Club, and we will assist you in that process. Outdoor storage racks hold our shells and we have use of the clubhouse (restrooms, equipment lockers, meeting room). While we encourage new members to own their own shells, the club has a small fleet of both training and racing shells for the use of members and their guests and visiting rowers. Those interested in becoming members should contact a member of the Pettipaug Rowing Board, or email rowing@pettipaug.org
Guests:
Experienced rowers are welcome as guests at Pettipaug but must be accompanied by a club member (USRowing waiver required). For additional information, please contact us at rowing@pettipaug.org
Fees:
• Pettipaug Yacht Club Annual Membership $140 (dues $95 + Capital Fund fee $45)
• Pettipaug Yacht Club Initiation (1st year only) $100
• Pettipaug Scullers Annual Membership $75
Returning Members:
• Payment for the upcoming season is due April 1st.
• All members will need to sign the US Rowing standard waiver. Please download and sign; completed waivers will be collected at the PYC Boathouse.
• Use the dropdown below to make payment to Pettipaug Rowing for the 2022 season.
US Rowing Release of Liability:
Select entry type
Rowing Club Membership $75.00
Member email address:
New Member Training
For those new to sculling, coaching is required before heading onto the Connecticut River. This is because of the combination of the river’s brisk speed (2.3 mph), varying depths (from 100 ft to shallow sandbars), and changing tidal conditions creating whirling eddies. Therefore, we strongly urge novices to attend the “Learn to Row Day” at our sister club, Blood Street Sculls at Rogers Lake in Old Lyme in early June, which is followed by a two-week program. Thereafter, new members may reserve one of our stable, wide beamed Wintech trainers (or a racing shell) on a per use basis until they purchase their own shells. See: www.oldlymerowing.org
We also highly recommend the sculling camps (weeks and weekends) at the Craftsbury Sculling Center in Craftsbury, Vermont: www.craftsbury.com/sculling
In addition, shells can be rented at a reasonable cost from Wintech and other shell manufacturers.
Blood Street (Old Lyme, CT): www.oldlymerowing.org
Member Coaching
Coaching is provided by one of our veteran Pettipaug Scullers with past coaching experience. Please inquire for schedule.
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