Build up to R2AK and The Seventy48 2018!
For those of you who may not be aware, every year a group of truly exceptional (and arguably slightly crazy) boating enthusiasts make their way from Port Townsend WA to Ketchikan AK via Victoria B.C. using only wind and/or human power – ie. No engines allowed! This incredible challenge is called the Race to Alaska [...]
History of the Whitehall Rowboat Part III
Moving ahead to the present day, the growing interest in fitness and clean, pollution free, outdoor recreation has created a growing resurgence of interest in Whitehall rowboats that are built lightweight, in state of the art materials, and fitted with efficient slide seat rowing/sculling gear. The largest builder of Whitehall rowboats in the word is [...]
History of the Whitehall Rowboat Part II
Captain Smith, born in Boston in 1869, tells us in a 1943 ‘Rudder’ magazine article, the story of a deep water boarding house owner and ships pilot named Captain Alfred Sorenson. “This man usually got what he went after, whether he was in quest of sailors for his boarding-house or to pluck a fellow being [...]
History of the Whitehall Rowboat Part I
Mystery surrounds the origins of the Whitehall rowboat. Early history of this distinctive, elegant, practical rowboat remains unclear. One thing for certain, in earlier times boat builders were often sailors and seafarers. Taught to be conservative by the unpredictable, dangerous nature of the sea, they stuck with the tried and true. As certain desirable qualities [...]
8 Ways Less is More With Outdoor Adventure Rowing
Rowing is one of the best health and fitness activities in existence. It’s a total body workout that is gentle and effective. Whitehall Spirit® all water rowing / sculling boats are safe and easily handle wind and waves. You can even get them with sails, which adds yet another dimension to being out on the [...]
Yes, Row-Camping is a Thing!
Having worked for Whitehall for over a year and half now, the time had come (and I finally found the time) for my partner and I to take a boat out for an extended cruise, complete with camping gear, food, water, beverages, etc., for the Canada Day long weekend in July. Even the forecast looked [...]
All-Water Rowing in my Whitehall Rowboat
For me, there’s nothing more enjoyable than simply messing about out on a lake, a river, or the ocean in a sleek beautiful rowboat. When I’m out in open water I feel a deep connection with the wind, water and sky. No noisy smelly motor to dull the senses and create a false sense of [...]
The Little Rowing Team That Found Its Perfect Rowboat
Sometimes you just stumble on things that bring joy. Just like the licorice surprise of tiger tail ice cream. That’s how it was for my rowing pals and me when we happened on a brochure attached to a Victoria Harbour notice board three years ago. Whitehall Spirit Row Club, it said. Take an introductory orientation [...]
Yes, Whitehall Delivers Rowboats & Sailboats Worldwide
Do you deliver to...? A very frequently asked question, and to date, we have yet to say no. We have two basic methods of shipping our boats, depending on whether they are going to customers in Canada, the United States or being shipped internationally. Canadian / US Deliveries For deliveries to customers in Canada and [...]
Rowing Year-round in Maine
With his permission, here are excerpts taken from emails received from Whitehall Spirit Solo 14 owner Pete Carroll, who lives and rows out of Southwest Harbor, Maine on the east coast of the United States. These offer a great perspective on one person taking his fitness program outdoors... “I just rowed 12 miles a couple [...]