Pocock Classic Cedar Single Racing Shells
The Guy Harper
More about the man, Guy Harper
6/10/19

5/23/19

RIRSC Board and others.

I bought on behalf of the Club (perhaps rashly) the 1956 Pocock coxed Four/Quad with four sweep oars and both sculling and sweep riggers for $1,000.

I had to buy it.

Guy Harper has been our guardian angel since our Club was formed arranging for the donation of many of our wooden shells including most recently the Oct. Guy restored this boat in 1991, it was named the "Guy Harper" and I rowed it as an Ancient Mariner in 1991-2.

This is an especially interesting boat because it is Stan Pocock's venture into modern boat-building. We may think of Stan as the champion of wooden rowing shells but that was George, his father. Stan was an engineer interested in building fast boats - not necessarily wooden boats. In an act of rebellion Stan built this boat when George was away at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. It's built just like our two wooden quads but has a fiberglass hull instead of a cedar hull. When George got back he was pissed - actually never got over it. 1956. That's older than any of our boats and way before any competitive shells were built with fiberglass hulls.

Okay, back to why I had to buy it. Sue Pocock is very pleased that we have this boat since she is more concerned than most that Stan be remembered for his innovations. Bill Titus, the Pocock Boat Co., is looking for a cover for the boat. The rigger at the Orcas Club, Dave Rosberry, the guy who made the wooden medals for the WBF rowing race last year, is really pleased that the boat is in good hands and will be preserved. For the sake of our rowing relationships alone, I thought we needed to buy this boat.

Turns out the boat is in pretty good shape and is rowable. Needs a new skeg, splash guard repair and a little attention to some fasteners but is essentially ready to row.

Some may not like that it is a coxed four or quad. On the other hand a coxed quad or four might be useful for training or loaning to visiting crews with a local cox'n. It could be rigged as a four for those few who want to sweep or learn how to sweep.

And it's $1,000. The oars and riggers are worth more than that.

The boat is in the Back Forty for now. Jim says he will make another cart, maybe Titus will find a cover and I suggest we leave it at that and row it a while and see how we like the boat.

I also think the Club should reimburse me for the $1,000 I paid for the boat. I don’t really need - and Bonnie certainly doesn't want - another boat in our office.

Jim

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6/10/19 - The Board approved! Whew.

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The fiberglass hull and rudder placement is new and inovative for 1956. I think the foot stretches, seats and wheels are replacements. What about the SS connectors?

Orcas Island Juniors. Where has the boat been? The University of Puget Sound donated the boat to the Ancient Mariners and Guy dod a lot of work on it in 1990. Where was it rowed before then? The Ancient Mariners rowed the boat, named the Guy Harper in 1992 and 1993. Then where?

First Row in Port Townsend. Video clips

Pan
Rip
Trial Row

Pocock Classic Cedar Single Racing Shells
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