Author Archives: The Rondout Rower

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About The Rondout Rower

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a Pisces, Nelsie Aybar-Grau not only enjoyed swimming in the Caribbean Sea but she has enjoyed travels that have brought her in close contact to the waters of the Thames, the Seine, the Yangtse, the Amazon, the Mississippi, the Hudson and the Harlem Rivers. Although she enjoyed swimming she had never pursued athletics in any serious way. After a career in computer programming for Wall Street area financial institutions she moved into the Hudson Valley upstate New York area. Then at 60 years of age as a favor to a friend she started photographing the Rondout Creek and the rowers in the Rondout Rowing Club. After four years of rowing both on land and water she became president of the rowing club from 2014 to 2017. Rowing has changed her life. Living steps away from the Rondout Creek has brought her closer to nature and the meditative rejuvenation that it provides.

Testing the EDON TS515 – May 15, 2018

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The EDON TS515 is a training boat for sculling. I have changed the name to the “Ninja” boat because of the way it rides. Short (17 feet 9 inches) and heavy (a little over 50 pounds), I had thought it would be a safe way to learn to scull but I expected the performance to be mediocre. I was TOTALLY wrong. This boat is nimble—to say the least— and a sculler’s dream. You can row anywhere on the Rondout Creek and venture out on the Hudson without fear of tipping over. C…lub rowers said to me “if someone rows those boats they will have to work on bad habits” of relying on the pontoons. Well, I beg to differ! The assumption is that pontoons slow you down. Have you ever heard of the Americus Cup? Catamarans? Yes, the need for speed requires a vessel capable of balance on its own. Ever seen a tightrope walker? Where would one be without the very long bar for balance? Because the pontoons “cut” the water instead of creating a drag they actually enhance the ride. But the designer of this boat wanted more! He put three “ribs” on the round bottom for even greater stability. Before I rode this boat my favorite ride was a Swift single. It was the club’s tippiest boat. One mistake and you were in the drink. I tried fruitlessly to balance myself on it. Neither sitting still nor racing at top strokes per minute. I could not prevent tipping on a side, necessitating an oar blade to keep me balanced. You can actually balance with both oars off the water sitting still in the Ninja! The ribs ensure that you stay upright. It is great for training rowers to recover “off” the water—a near impossibility with round bottom boats. “You can’t get a workout in that boat”, others have said to me. TOTALLY wrong. You will get the workout of your life in this baby. I had thought that I would take the pontoons off the boats for regular rowers when the water got warmer. When the fear of falling in has fallen away. No need to. I am perfectly happy with this boat, feel no strain or embarrassment with the pontoons. Can’t wait for my next ride on the Ninja!