Facilities
SETTLERS DAM
Situated 20km out of Grahamstown in the Thomas Baines game reserve is Settlers Dam. Unfortunately the dam is very low at present and training in the eight has become almost impossible. This means that we have to train on the Kowie River when practising in the eight. Settlers is "one of the most beautiful places to row in the world" (Justin Haggeman).
The dam gives about 6km of rowing space, and is well sheltered. The water there can be smoother than glass! Settlers provides excellent training conditions for rowing, with the added advantage that you might run into "Tom" the rhino!
KOWIE RIVER
The Kowie river in Port Alfred is easily one of the best stretches of training water in the country. The river allows for long rows without the need to stop to turn. Boys can row as far as 20km up the river to the 'horseshoe'.
There are numerous markers along the way; the bay (2km), ladies boatrace start (4km), boatrace start (6km), power lines (8km) and the Old Mill (12km). The top crews regularly row to the Old Mill, rowing a total distance of 24km, which takes around 90 minutes.
The open teams train here 2-5 times a week during the season. We are very lucky to have this long stretch of water to row on. College probably has the best water in the country on which to train.
ERGO ROOM
We now have 6 Concept 2 ergo machines with the new PM2+ interface which enables the machine to monitor heart-rate. What's more, the machines are linked to a computer which visually displays the ergo as a racing boat. Boys can race each other or set a target time and race that! There is also a sound system there so that boys can listen to music while they train. We have recently acquired a "state-of-the-art" Rowperfect ergometer from Holland. This machine has advanced features and is used by most of the top national teams worldwide. Linked to a computer, it can give the rower feedback such as stroke length, power per stroke and even displays a force curve to enable the coach to get all the rowers in his crew using a similar stroke.
ROWING TANK
College has recently invested in a rowing tank. This is a very useful tool for coaching technique. Rowers can learn to master the skills of rowing without having to worry about an unsteady boat.
