Clydesdale Amateur Rowing Club is Scotland's largest rowing club, located on the River Clyde in the centre of Glasgow. It was founded in 1857, by a number members who also were involved in the founding of Rangers Football Club. It is successful each year in many events at the Scottish Rowing Championships, and has one of the two best junior-contingents of any Scottish rowing club.
History
The club was founded in 1856 or 1857, and was originally named the Clydesdale Gentlemen Amateur Rowing Club. In 1872 a group of members of the club formed a football team to play Callander FC on the land at Flesher’s Haugh. This team was part of the foundation of Glasgow Rangersfootball club. The club moved to its home at Glasgow Green in 1901.
Boathouse
The club currently resides in the East-Wing of West-Boathouse on Glasgow Green, sharing the building with Clyde Amateur Rowing Club. Part of the East-Boathouse is also being used to house eights, as well as boats for Glasgow Schools Rowing Club, due to the small size of the Clydesdale boathouse. There has been a plan to build a new, shared, boathouse in conjunction with other Glaswegian boatclubs, on the site of the east-boathouse on Glasgow Green which would provide improved facilities and more storage space The current boathouse is a listed building. It contains two medium boat bays: the riverside one is barely long enough for shorter coxless fours, and is used to store one of these, along with the club's doubles and Aldens. The other bay is for the fours and singles, with singles being stored in a system with two singles per shelf. Access to the boathouse is from the path on Glasgow Green, the bay doors face east onto the asphalted forecourt, with steps onto the river along the south side of the boathouse, which are shared with Clyde. The female changing rooms are also on the ground floor, the top floor contains male changing rooms, a tearoom, and the gym in which the Concept 2 Ergometers, and weights equipment are stored. Access to the balcony is also from this floor. There is also an attic in which Club belongings and equipment are kept.
Boats
The clubs boat-fleet consists mainly of British Janouseks, as well as some newer Stämpfli boats. In Autumn 2009 a used Stämpfli 8 was delivered, as well as a new Coxless Quad. A Filippi F41 Eight was bought with financial help from Henry Abram and Sons Ltd, Awards for All Scotland, the Sports Council for Glasgow and Culture and Sport Glasgow. There are also two other Stämpfli fours, most other boats are Janousek. The majority of boats are built for scull and sweep rigging for versatility, also necessary due to the limited boat racking space, meaning the total number of boats is limited.
Club colours are Royal Blue. The blades are Royal Blue with a white cross spanning the height and breadth of the blades. A previous design was Royal Blue with two vertical white stripes towards the end of the blade, which can still be seen on some private blades. The one-piece is also Royal Blue with a double white-stripe along each side.
Events
The Club is involved in organising a few races throughout the year, most notably the Clydesdale Sculler's Head every October, the largest Scottish single's head race, in which doubles can also race in a separate division since 2007. There is also the Clydesdale Four's and Eight's Head, as well as the Corporate Regatta where companies can send teams to learn to row and then compete, which is both a source of income and new members. Clydesdale Summer Regatta is held annually in May.
