Skiffing
Encyclopedia
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
(or more correctly sculling
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
) a Thames skiff
Thames skiff
A Thames skiff is a traditional River Thames wooden rowing boat used for the activity of Skiffing. These boats evolved from Thames wherries in the Victorian era to meet a passion for river exploration and leisure outings on the water.-Construction of a skiff:...
. A Thames skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and other waterways in England and other countries for nearly 200 years. Sculling means propelling the boat with a pair of oars (blades) as opposed to rowing which requires both hands on a single oar.
Skiffs
Wherry
A wherry is a type of boat that was traditionally used for carrying cargo or passengers on rivers and canals in England, and is particularly associated with the River Thames and also with the Broadland rivers of Norfolk and Suffolk. London passenger wherries evolved into the Thames skiff, a...
and shallops
Pleasure barge
A pleasure barge is a flat bottomed, slow moving boat used for leisure. It is contrasted with a standard barge, which is used to transport freight...
that were operated by watermen
Watermen
Watermen are river workers who transfer passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries in Britain and its colonies. Most notable are those on the River Thames and River Medway, but other rivers such as the River Tyne and River Dee, Wales also had their watermen who formed guilds in...
as a water taxi service in London. By the late 19th century, when Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.Jerome was born in Caldmore, Walsall, England, and was brought up in poverty in London...
wrote of his up-river expedition in Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat ,The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K...
, there were thousands of skiffs at places like Richmond
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
, Kingston
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. However there are references to skiffs (as a result of accidents) as early as 1812 and 1824 at Oxford. In August 1815, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
was taken on a skiffing expedition from Old Windsor
Old Windsor
Old Windsor is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-Location:...
to Lechlade
Lechlade
Lechlade, or Lechlade-on-Thames, is a town at the southern edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. It is the highest point at which the River Thames is navigable. The town is named after the River Leach that joins the Thames near here....
by Charles Clairmont and Thomas Love Peacock
Thomas Love Peacock
Thomas Love Peacock was an English satirist and author.Peacock was a close friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley and they influenced each other's work...
. He subsequently settled at Marlow
Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Marlow is a town and civil parish within Wycombe district in south Buckinghamshire, England...
where he regularly skiffed through the locks.
Skiffs have fixed rather than sliding seats, and the blades are held in thole pins at the side of the boat rather than outriggers. The blades are made of wood with leather collars and traditional spoons. Pressure is applied by the feet against an adjustable wooden plate known as a "stretcher board". Skiffs are usually "Singles" with one sculler, or "Doubles" with two scullers (one behind the other) and a cox. However skiffs with more scullers or incorporating a sail are also used. Skiffing takes place in the Netherlands and Argentina, using the design of traditional Thames skiff although Argentinian skiffs usually have outriggers instead of tholes.
Skiffing technique
Skiffing for pleasure
Skiffs have the advantage of being able to carry loads and are stable enough to allow occupants to stand up and move about while on the water. Skiffing is therefore an ideal introduction to rowing and river sports. Skiffing provides an opportunity for both short and extended recreational outings on the Thames and other waterways in Britain. The Thames meanderThames meander
Thames meander refers to a long-distance journey over all or part of the River Thames in England. Walking the Thames Path is itself a meander, but the term usually applies to journeys using other methods such as rowing, running, or swimming....
is an example of a long distance skiff journey. For more leisurely progress, a camping skiff has an easily erectable canvas cover and is used for outdoor recreational activity holidays. The Thames Traditional Boat Society is particularly active in supporting recreational use of traditional boats like skiffs. Skiffs regularly take part in traditional boat events, in particular the Great River Race
Great River Race
The Great River Race is an annual competition held on the River Thames for any traditional-style coxed boat propelled by oars or paddles.The competition was started in 1988 and covers a 21 mile course on the tidal Thames between Ham, London and Greenwich...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Skiff racing
Skiff racing in the United Kingdom is governed by the Skiff Racing Association
Skiff Racing Association
The Skiff Racing Association is the governing body in the United Kingdom for the sport of skiff racing. The SRA is affiliated to British Rowing...
, which was formed in 1901 to ensure that a standard set of rules was applied for racing and boat construction. The Association is run by a committee elected from the affiliated clubs and regattas, and is affiliated to the British Rowing (formerly ARA). The rules of racing are based on those of British Rowing closely enough that British Rowing qualified umpires may also umpire
Referee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
skiff races.
Competitions are held at a number of events on the River Thames between April and October. Events are competed at four status levels from Novice to Senior, allowing the opportunity to compete for anyone from complete beginners and Olympic rowing champions. There are two types of skiff race, long distance and regattas. In long distance processional events, crews set off at time intervals over a course of two or more miles. At regattas, skiff races are non-processional sprint races held over a distance of up to 800 yards with heats and finals. Regatta races usually have one skiff against another, although three lane racing may also occur. There are a number of Trophy competitions. The Ormiston Trophy is awarded to the Club that wins the highest number of events each season overall while the Inter-Club competition is a separate event for top scullers in each club.
Several Olympic rowers began their careers in skiffs, including James Cracknell
James Cracknell
James Cracknell, OBE is a British rowing champion and double Olympic gold medalist and adventurer. Cracknell is married to TV and radio presenter Beverley Turner; they have three children. In the New Year Honours List, 2004, he was appointed OBE for services to sport...
, Elise Laverick
Elise Laverick
Elise Mary Laverick is a British rower. She won bronze at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the double scull with Sarah Winckless, and again at the 2008 Summer Olympics with Anna Bebington...
and Sarah Winckless
Sarah Winckless
Sarah Winckless is a former British rower. She won a bronze medal in Double sculls with her partner Elise Laverick at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and was twice world champion, in 2005 and 2006....
. Many former British rowing team members continue to compete and exercise in skiffs.
Regattas
- Chertsey RegattaChertsey RegattaChertsey in Shepperton Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames in England which takes place on Dumsey Meadow near Chertsey, Surrey.The regatta was inaugurated in 1851 and is one of the oldest on the river. Early records are sparse but it is known that in two years the regatta was held upstream of...
- Egham RegattaEgham RegattaEgham Regatta is a rowing regatta on the River Thames in England which takes place at the end of June on the reach above Bell Weir Lock near Egham, Surrey. The regatta is run from Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club and the Runnymede Pleasure Grounds on the outskirts of Egham.The regatta was...
- Hampton Court and Dittons RegattaHampton Court and Dittons RegattaHampton Court and Dittons Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames in England which takes place at Thames Ditton, Surrey beside Hampton Court Palace....
- Sunbury Amateur RegattaSunbury Amateur RegattaThe Sunbury Amateur Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames at Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England. It takes place at Rivermead Island, downstream of Sunbury Lock....
- Walton Reach Regatta
- Wargrave & Shiplake RegattaWargrave & Shiplake RegattaThe Wargrave & Shiplake Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames in England. It is the local regatta of the villages of Wargrave in Berkshire and Shiplake in Oxfordshire. Some of the boats used are of a traditional clinker-built style, others are fibre-glass....
(Not affiliated to the SRA) - Wraysbury and Old Windsor Regatta
- The Skiff ChampionshipsSkiff Championships RegattaThe Skiff Championships Regatta is the premier skiff racing regatta on the River Thames in England. It is held annually at Henley on the Sunday of August Bank Holiday weekend.-Events and course:...
(held at HenleyHenley-on-ThamesHenley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
)
- Individual Club regattas
Long Distance events
- Simon Mepham Long Distance Mixed Doubles
- DSPC Long Distance Singles
- Tiny and Nancy Knight Competition
- Mixed Doubles Marathon
- Wraysbury Long Distance Doubles
- Singles Marathon (Jack Rosewell Trophy)
- Doubles Marathon (Heldmann Trophy)
Skiff Clubs
There are several English skiff clubs on the Thames and one in Cambridge.- The Skiff ClubThe Skiff ClubThe Skiff Club is the oldest skiff and punting club in existence, having been founded in 1895. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock and Kingston upon Thames....
- Thames Valley Skiff ClubThames Valley Skiff ClubThames Valley Skiff Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Sunbury Lock and Walton on Thames....
- Wraysbury Skiff and Punting ClubWraysbury Skiff and Punting ClubWraysbury Skiff and Punting Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1931. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Bell Weir Lock and Runnymede....
- Dittons Skiff and Punting ClubDittons Skiff and Punting ClubDittons Skiff and Punting Club or Dittons is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames with a club and boat house at Thames Ditton on the reach above Teddington Lock...
- Wargrave Boating ClubWargrave Boating ClubWargrave Boating Club is an English water sports club. It is based on the River Thames in England, at Wargrave on the reach above Marsh Lock....
- Granta Skiff Club
- Sunbury Skiff and Punting Club
All skiff clubs also include participation in the partner traditional river sport – punting
Punt (boat)
A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow water. Punting refers to boating in a punt. The punter generally propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole...
. Clubs also encourage youngsters to take part in skiffs and rowing dinghies.
Some clubs incorporate dongola racing
Dongola racing
Dongola racing is a popular event in traditional local regattas, especially on the River Thames in southern England and was first competed at Maidenhead in 1886. Competitors use wide punts and a team of people with single-bladed paddles, facing forwards and kneeling, normally with one leg up and...
, dragon boat racing and canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
.
There are also rowing clubs in The Netherlands and Argentina that use Thames skiffs.