The Skiff Club
Encyclopedia
The 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
.
The club supports two traditional water sports - skiffing
and punting
. Skiff
s are traditional, stable wooden boats which are sculled with a pair of blades. The club uses skiffs for racing at regatta
s run under the rules of the Skiff Racing Association
, and for leisure outings such as Thames meander
s. Punting is also carried out competitively at the same regattas as skiffing under the rules of the Thames Punting Club
. The Skiff Club colours are chocolate and gold. The club organises a club regatta at the beginning of September, and also hosts the skiffing mixed doubles marathon in May.
Over the years, club members have competed in rowing
at international level. Members have also participated in long-distance rowing challenge events. The club provides support and coaching for all levels from beginner to advanced.
The Club is co-located at Trowlock Island
in Teddington
with Walbrook Rowing Club
, Royal Canoe Club
and Kingston Royals Dragon Boat Racing Club
.
The Skiff Club was initially based at the Albany Club in Kingston and in 1897 took the Turk's Albany Boathouse which was vacated by the Royal Canoe Club that year. By 1972 the waterfront conditions had deteriorated, and for this and other reasons the club took up the offer of Twickenham Rowing Club
of accommodation on Eel Pie Island
. The club left the island in 1988 and after a period located at Molesey Boat Club
and Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club
at Barnes the club settled at the present site on Trowlock Island
in 1993. This had formerly been the Leisure Services site of British Petroleum which was acquired by pooling resources with the Royal Canoe Club and Walbrook Rowing Club.
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,...
in England, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames in England at Ham in the western suburbs of London. The lock is on the southern Surrey side of the river....
and Kingston upon Thames
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...
.
The club supports two traditional water sports - skiffing
Skiffing
Skiffing refers to the sporting and leisure activity of rowing a Thames skiff. A Thames skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames and other waterways in England and other countries for nearly 200 years...
and 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...
. 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:...
s are traditional, stable wooden boats which are sculled with a pair of blades. The club uses skiffs for racing at regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
s run under the rules of 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...
, and for leisure outings such as Thames meander
Thames 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....
s. Punting is also carried out competitively at the same regattas as skiffing under the rules of the Thames Punting Club
Thames Punting Club
The Thames Punting Club is the governing body in England for the sport of punt racing.-History and constitution:Punting as a means of water travel has a long history in the United Kingdom and is now practiced recreationally on a number of rivers, being most obviously associated with Oxford and...
. The Skiff Club colours are chocolate and gold. The club organises a club regatta at the beginning of September, and also hosts the skiffing mixed doubles marathon in May.
Over the years, club members have competed in rowing
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...
at international level. Members have also participated in long-distance rowing challenge events. The club provides support and coaching for all levels from beginner to advanced.
The Club is co-located at Trowlock Island
Trowlock Island
Trowlock Island lies in the River Thames, just upstream of Teddington Lock and close to the Middlesex bank, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England.It is home to 29 bungalows as well as the Royal Canoe Club's clubhouse and gym...
in Teddington
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
with Walbrook Rowing Club
Walbrook Rowing Club
Walbrook Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, on the River Thames in England. It is situated at on the Middlesex bank of the Thames just above Teddington Lock at Trowlock Island, Teddington...
, Royal Canoe Club
Royal Canoe Club
The Royal Canoe Club , founded in 1866, is the oldest canoe club in the world and received royal patronage in the 19th century. The clubhouse is based at Trowlock Island on the River Thames in Teddington near central London. The club promotes canoeing and kayaking, focusing on flatwater, sprint and...
and Kingston Royals Dragon Boat Racing Club
Kingston Royals Dragon Boat Racing Club
Kingston Royals Dragon Boat Club is based in Teddington on the non-tidal Thames. Kingston Royals DBC was founded in 1988 as the dragon boat racing section of the Royal Canoe Club , and was one of the first dragon boat clubs to race in the UK. The section was formed from a mixture of RCC members...
.
The Skiff Club was initially based at the Albany Club in Kingston and in 1897 took the Turk's Albany Boathouse which was vacated by the Royal Canoe Club that year. By 1972 the waterfront conditions had deteriorated, and for this and other reasons the club took up the offer of Twickenham Rowing Club
Twickenham Rowing Club
Twickenham Rowing Club was founded on July 26, 1860 and is jointly the third oldest of the rowing clubs on the River Thames...
of accommodation on Eel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Twickenham, in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London. It is situated on the Tideway and can be reached only by footbridge or boat...
. The club left the island in 1988 and after a period located at Molesey Boat Club
Molesey Boat Club
Molesey Boat Club is a rowing club on the river Thames in England.-Location:The Club is situated on a stretch of the River Thames between Molesey Lock and Sunbury Lock...
and Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club
Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club
The Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club is a rowing club based on the River Thames in England at Chiswick Boathouse, near Barnes Railway Bridge, London....
at Barnes the club settled at the present site on Trowlock Island
Trowlock Island
Trowlock Island lies in the River Thames, just upstream of Teddington Lock and close to the Middlesex bank, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England.It is home to 29 bungalows as well as the Royal Canoe Club's clubhouse and gym...
in 1993. This had formerly been the Leisure Services site of British Petroleum which was acquired by pooling resources with the Royal Canoe Club and Walbrook Rowing Club.