BoatHouse Project
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The Andover Crew Boathouse
The Andover Crew Boathouse is in need of improvement. This is a major undertaking. Few would be brave enough to tackle this problem. However, Andover rowers are not easily intimidated. Chris Maietta '74 and Barry Crume '88 decided last year to lead a small group to investigate an improvement program. A project proposal was submitted to the school. The school formed a team to review the proposal. This team took on a life of their own and have been working towards a report to the Board of Trustees. This will go to the board at the end of October. If approved the school need to raise find for a boathouse project.
The Boathouse Story
In the mid '50s when Coach Bill Brown was crazy enough to try and start up a rowing program in opposition to the wishes of the then trustees, he had to scramble to acquire boats oars and a place to store them. Few people would have had the determination and tenacity to create a program from nothing. He scrounged up the boats from Harvard, Yale and Princeton. The boats had seen better days. His boathouse was a corrugated iron shed closer to the dam than our current boathouse. It can be easily seen from the river or after a gentle walk from the current boathouse.
It survived 25 years as the program took hold and became one of the better programs in New England. In 1979 a tragedy struck. Some mindless vandals broke into the boathouse and attacked the boats with hammers. They destroyed everything. This catastrophe would have crushed less sturdy hearts.
Coach Brown started the rebuilding and the task was carried on by Coach Washburn. The Greenway family came to the rescue with a generous donation that made a new boathouse possible.
The "new" Boathouse was built to support the program as it was 24 years ago. Security rather than beauty was the primary concern. The fact that the boathouse has resisted many attempts at illegal entry is a tribute to the success of the design.
Over the last 27 years the program has grown and arguably outgrown the boathouse. While other schools have built new purpose designed facilities, our coaches have squeezed their program into the existing facility and persuaded the students that they were made of tougher metal then their pampered competitors with their spring trips to Florida, their winter rowing tanks and their fancy boathouses with showers, lockers and warm crew rooms. It may even be partly true. For sure the Andover kids that train in the icy rain in early spring and sit shivering on the buses until they return to school for a shower and a little dry warmth are probably less fazed by the cold spring rain than their pampered opponents from Exeter, Kent and St. Paul's. It could also be argued that they probably suffer more colds, flu and bronchitis than their opponents.
Now in the 51st year of the program the kids are proudly carrying on the tradition and passion of Andover Crew. It is time we refurbished and improved the 1980s boathouse to match the 21st century program in honor of everyone that has gone before and our recent rowers including our New England Champions and Henley competitors.
The current Andover boathouse on a good day
The 1983 "Bill Brown" and "James C. Greenway" dedication plaques.
The Exeter Saltonstall Boathouse
The Andover Boathouse
The Boathouses of others
Click here for pictures of boathouses at other schools.Over the last few years many of the schools in the region have updated their boathouses. Here we have compiled a series of images from these boathouses. Given our requirements for security we might have to compromise a little on the aesthetics.
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The Boathouse plan
[ Back to Previous Page ] [ Back to Jump ]Completed- The initial proposal offering to work with the school to develop a plan to improve the boathouse facility.
Our little team of Chris, Barry and Sam submitted a proposal to the school requesting consideration of a project to improve the Boathouse. We conceived of expanded access road, a large parking area for supporters and visiting crews and a larger boathouse with more boat space, a workshop area, better toilet facilities and an open space for training and general meetings. We thought we would not include showers or locker rooms since these are better situated back at campus. The coaches also thought exercise machines or rowing tanks would be more useful on campus than at the boathouse.
The school convened a meeting to review the proposal and the initial response was positive. The school has been actively researching the project. Those of you who have visited the boathouse in recent months will have noticed markings on the property and other signs of investigative work that would normally be a prerequisite for a building plan. We expect the school to make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees at the end of October '08. The board will have to consider any project in the context of the larger school capital plans.
We have had several volunteers offering to help with legal, architectural and fund raising issues. At this stage it appears as though the school would handle the building project provided the finance is forthcoming. Barry Crume has volunteered to lead our funding raising effort. Once we have board approval, we will need volunteers to help the school raise the funds. Probably between $5 million and $8 Million.
It has been suggested by an influential alumni that we arranged the weather for the reunion in 2006 to impress upon everyone the need to improve the facilities to support what is undoubtedly a world class rowing program. It has also been suggested that the opening of a new boathouse would be a perfect time for another crew reunion.
