More floats than just the boats

Motoring the boathouse, Lake Union Crew Rowing Club

A marina, a mooring, an understanding in construction, a love of rowing and a whole pile of moxie. That is what it took for Rome Venture to start the Lake Union Crew Rowing Club in Seattle, the United States.

Rowing in Seattle, especially on Lake Union, has boomed in recent years and when Ventura decided to help out her former high school that had outgrown the local rowing centre she resolved to build a new club. Not letting the lack of available space get in her way, Ventura opted to go ahead with construction anyway ? on the water.

Designed as two barges, the main barge, The Inspiration, houses three boat bays and an upstairs space for entertaining and an erg room. The second barge, The Unity, forms the dock.

?When we have a regatta we motor the boathouse to the start line,? says Ventura who uses two by 225 horsepower outboard motors for engines. ?The dock goes to the finish line.?

The barges took four months to build, but five years and four court cases before Ventura secured full operating permission. Classifying the boathouse became a tough issue for the City with Lake Union Crew Rowing Club neighbours including fishing operators, houseboats and nearby apartments and condominiums.

Steering the boathouse, Ventura watches (in middle).

It was finally resolved to put the boathouse under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard. Under this jurisdiction the boathouse must be moved every 90 days and is inspected annually by the Coast Guard.

?I don’t know for sure if this is unique,? says Ventura. ?There are definitely floating boathouses, but the fact that we motor around is unique.? 

The club now caters to over 300 members from high school to college and masters rowers.

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