David Dickison has accepted the position of President of RowAmerica Boat Clubs, a division of RowAmerica LLC. Prior to joining the RowAmerica team, Dave was the Northeast Senior Sales Advisor for Vespoli Racing Shells for over 10 years. Previous to that, Dave was a key member of a Foundation responsible for establishing over a dozen rowing clubs in Canada.
RowAmerica Boat Clubs is an organization that provides “turnkey rowing clubs” throughout North America. In addition to providing capital assets (racing shells, oars, coaching launches, trailers, trucks, docks, gangways, racks, ergs and, in some cases, buildings), Row America will set new standards in programming, athlete development, safety, coaching, financial reporting, marketing, and so forth. Its first club, RowAmerica – Rye, was established last year in Rye, NY and has grown to over one hundred members.
The RowAmerica organization is owned by the Winklevoss family, whose members Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss rowed at Harvard, Oxford and the Beijing Olympics. “We believe Dave Dickison is ideally suited to head up this division of our organization, based on his background in Canada, his experience selling boats, and his love of rowing,” said Howard Winklevoss. “We know that individuals who are passionate about this sport can make a big difference, and Dave has both the requisite experience and passion. RowAmerica has the resources ready to help expand this sport, and we’re excited to have Dave spearhead the development of boat clubs across the Nation.”
Those involved with rowing know how wonderful this sport is for juniors. Whether they’re competitive or recreational rowers, its benefits are becoming more widely appreciated, especially as contact sports are giving many parents second thoughts. “Our aim is to establish new rowing clubs in school districts with suitable water, and to help existing clubs realize their true potential,” says Dave Dickison. “It’s a big challenge, but we’re up to it.”
RowAmerica has three divisions: RowAmerica Boatworks which markets WinTech Racing and King Racing shells, RowAmerica Shell Repair which repairs boats of all makes, and RowAmerica Boat Clubs.
If you would like to discuss how RowAmerica can help realize your vision of a boat club in your area please contact Dave Dickison directly at: 203-903-7744, or ddickison@rowamerica.com
WinTech Racing was thrilled to be a part of the first annual Red Bull High Stakes regatta. Enjoy a look back at this truly unique event.
(Bridgeport, CT.) WinTech Racing, a RowAmerica company, has partnered with the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association and the Scholastic Rowing Association of America for their rack needs at this year’s championship regattas. A bulk order of RowAmerica racks will be sent to Dillon Lake in Nashport, Ohio, this year’s race site for both the MWSC and SRAA races. The racks will be on sale for $1,850/set after the SRAA racing is through on May 28th. If you are interested in taking a set of these portable racks home with you please call 203-866-7223, or email us at info@wintechracing.com to reserve your set today. If you will not be attending either regatta, but are still interested in the racks, WinTech Racing may be able to put you in touch with a trailer that will be able to get them close to you. Please call 203-866-RACE (7223) to discuss those options. More information in the caption below.
Bridgeport, CT January 19, 2017
WinTech Racing is now showcasing the new LW and HW Medalist 8+’s to select crews on their Florida training trips.
This new Medalist model, complete with state-of-the-art carbon fiber bow mounted rigging and heavy press molded footboards, seats and steering components, was designed by world renowned naval architect and rowing -specific hull designer, Klaus Filter.
Check in with your local WinTech Racing representative to set up a demo for your club.
Launch into spring with WinTech Racing. WinTech announces a spring season promotion that covers Club Trainer singles, doubles, quads, coxed fours, Explorer 21s, & Junior Racers. See pricing below. For more information on the boats, please visit the product pages by clicking on the boat name.
Junior Racer, Explorer 21, & Club Trainer models only
Not applicable with other offers
Prices apply to current inventory
Time of delivery based on availability
Full-time entry-level customer service and merchandise associate positions available immediately at our Bridgeport, CT facility.
Responsibilities: – Boat prep – Customer service – Merchandise inventory management – Order fulfillment
Requirements: – Strong organizational skills – Positive attitude – Basic rowing knowledge – Desire to become part of a team-oriented atmosphere – Local residence or ability to move locally
Compensation includes: – Competitive salary – Health benefits package – 401K – Paid vacation time
WinTech Racing announces a Club Trainer Small Boat sale going on through the end of August. The promotion is applicable to the Club Trainer Single (1x) and Pair/Double (2-/x). For more information on the boats, please visit the product pages by clicking on the boats below.
Pair/Doubles: $7000
Singles: $4000
The USRowing Women’s Open Weight National Team has been training and racing in WinTech singles and pair/doubles since the beginning of the 2015 season.
“WinTech Double/Pairs are solid boats. The athletes like them and that’s the best endorsement. Construction is solid and the shape is plenty quick.” ~ Tom Terhaar | U.S. Women’s National Team Coach
Chase Graham, head coach of the Saugatuck Rowing Club’s youth girls program, discusses small boat training and how he credits it towards achieving National Championships in the Girls Lightweight 8+, and Girls Varsity 8 – which also went undefeated during the 2014/2015 season. See Saugatuck’s go-to training pair, the WinTech Competitor 2-/2x.
WinTech’s Brendan Crotty discusses the new cash or credit for old boats program.
Have any shells collecting dust in your boathouse? We want them. Clear out some rack space and expand your rowable fleet thru the WinTech Cash or Credit Program.
It’s as simple as it sounds- we’ll make you an offer on your old boat. You can either take the cash, no questions asked, or apply 125% of that offer as trade-in towards a new WinTech or King shell. Boats are evaluated based on make, model, age, and general condition. And while we welcome all inquiries, ideal candidates are composite shells in the 10-15 year-old range. Offer valid upon drop-off of boat to Bridgeport, CT location.
Contact us for more details: sales@wintechracing.com, 203.866.7223, or submit your boat here for consideration.
National Team sculler, Andrew Campbell, speaks about his recent row in the Cobra 1x.
WinTech is inviting the rowing community to explore its new online catalogue and information hub. The new site has been designed to provide a unique and comprehensive boat-buying experience.
“We felt it was time our branding elements come up to speed with our boats,” said WinTech president, Brendan Crotty. “The new site is sleek and refined, and very user-friendly. “
WinTech partnered with the digital creative firm [whitepenny], out of Haddonfield, NJ, to bring the site to life. “We’re thrilled with the results of this partnership, and we think that Wintech’s customers will be as well, ” said agency principal, Jon Cofsky. “Identity development is never easy, but helping Wintech match their brand assets with their reputation is as close as it gets, and it’s a testament to the amount of respect they have in their community.”
“The new site is just the beginning and a solid launching point for the rest of our initiatives moving forward,” added Crotty. “We’re exciting for what the future holds and bringing even more value-add to the rowing community at large.”
WinTech’s Brendan Crotty demonstrates the new 3-piece, 4-in-1 convertible four/quad. One shell easily becomes a Coxed Four (4+), Coxed Quad (4x+), Straight Four (4-), or Straight Quad (4x) in a matter of minutes.
WinTech’s Brendan Crotty discusses inventory, selection, and real-time availability.
WinTech’s innovative leasing program gives you the power to control your fleet and budget. For about the cost of one boat per year, fill you boathouse with the right mix of equipment to suit your needs and finances.
Lease Program Terms
Annual payment equal to percentage of fleet’s retail value
3-year minimum
Choose from inventory of new and used equipment
Shells carry full warranty
Trade-ins considered as part of payment
Return boats after three years to conclude lease, or exchange to renew
Why would a lease work for me?
Maintain contemporary and race-ready boats
Avoid being stuck with aging money-draining equipment with little to no resale value
Consistent, predictable budgeting
Tap into the RowAmerica Advantage
Choose from large inventory of new and used boats
Discount boat repair services
Access to fleet/boathouse management consultation
Now thru the end of February, receive $1,000 OFF OR a FREE Tyro 1x (value $2500) for every qualifying* WinTech or King purchased or ordered by February 28, 2015.
The new Tyro comes in LW and SLW sizes and is great for new recreational rowers or kids learning to scull.
* Offer good on WinTech International or Competitor 8+, 4+, 4x or King 8+ & 4+. No quantity limits.
In a multi-page feature of its September 2014 issue titled “Out of the Box,” Rowing Magazine gives an in-depth synopsis of Howard Winklevoss’s progressive business model intended to grow the reach of rowing and provide opportunity in the sport that he feels doesn’t currently exist.
When RowAmerica-WinTech Racing’s Chairman, Howard Winklevoss, first opened the doors at 1010 Atlantic Street in Bridgeport, CT. he knew the site would be perfect for their ongoing effort to improve the sport of rowing. Flanked by United Technologies/Sikorsky, University of Bridgeport and the Olmstead designed Seaside Park’s 325 acres of lush lawns, shady glades and sports fields, RowAmerica is a welcome addition to Bridgeport’s revitalized waterfront development as well.
This new facility adds another exciting chapter to the growing history of WinTech Racing, in operation since 2003, who has production done at a 500,000 sq. ft. facility in China. see: www.sinoeaglegroup.com.
While they have been “doing business as” WinTech Racing for the last ten years, RowAmerica has always been the parent company hovering over several independent divisions. Saugatuck Rowing Club, WinTech Racing Shells, King Racing Shells, RowAmerica Rye and the newly formed RowAmerica Boat Repair are all RowAmerica companies that cater to the growth of the sport of rowing. “RowAmerica’s goal is to make rowing possible when it wouldn’t be otherwise and to introduce the sport to communities that do not yet understand the sport. We want to give kids from all walks of life an opportunity to better their lives through rowing, a sport we all know is second to none when it comes to building character,” said Winklevoss.
The new Seaside Park facility currently accommodates WinTech Racing Shells, King Racing Shells and RowAmerica Boat Repair in addition to a budding state of the art composite technology research and development facility. That sector of the operation will lend itself directly to WinTech’s main production facility in China and eventually to the extended family of WinTech Racing distributors all around the world. “A tremendous effort has been made over the course of the last year to see this facility become operational,” states Winklevoss, father of Facebook twins, Cameron and Tyler. “We are nowhere near capacity, but our commitment to giving back to rowing will be thorough. It’s a boon that we are part of a resurgence of business in Bridgeport, Connecticut as well. Have you seen this coastline? We’ll be able to run three seasons of outreach programs directly across the street.” RowAmerica currently occupies roughly one third of the available space on this gated lot. There is an additional 100,000 sq. ft. with a 70’ paint booth and industrial oven already on site that they have access to if need be.
It’s coincidental that right down the street from RowAmerica’s headquarters is a foreseeable two thousand meter race course with miles of undisturbed water for steady state training. RowAmerica Bridgeport, a proposed club positioned along that waterway, is being planned as well. That facility could provide a harbor for several local universities and outreach programs.
Formerly tucked in an industrial section of Norwalk between Rowayton and SoNo, the 10,000 sq. feet that WinTech Racing occupied from 2003 to 2012 just wasn’t big enough. “Norwalk didn’t lend itself to the sales and repair process after 2010,” stated facility manager, Christian Hawkins. “When we started in 2003 we latched on to the first place that we could get a boat into and that became more and more difficult as demand for inventory grew. After we determined that a boat repair center was something we wanted, we began a thorough search for a hub that would allow us to grow according to our vision. Bridgeport provides ample space for all of that and more.” One intriguing addition to the story, and one that highlights tremendous potential, is that Sikorsky used this same headquarters to build the reconnaissance RAH-66 Comanche helicopter for the US Army.
It’s widely known that other manufacturers aren’t particularly thrilled about the boat repair industry. In addition to the day-to-day challenges of building rowing shells, it is very difficult work and can be time intensive while sharing labor previously dedicated to fabricating new boats. That is why most rowing shell repairs have largely been handled by a few small, dedicated repair shops. RowAmerica purchased a lot of the heavy equipment from one of those shops and now offers comprehensive repair service for all brands of rowing shells, not just their own. Because there isn’t another repair shop for hundreds of miles, shell repair service for all brands was an extension WinTech felt necessary while fulfilling the “one stop shop for everything rowing” goal they’ve been driving at since day one. “This facility is a tremendous addition to the operation and our customer base is already taking advantage of the convenience,” states Brendan Crotty, President of WinTech. By the look of the racks filled with off brand shells, numerous well known clubs are also taking advantage of the service RowAmerica Boat Repair is offering the sport’s marketplace.
RowAmerica Boat Repair is located just off exit 26 on Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) and can handle any repair, large or small, on every brand of boat on the market.
203-866-RACE (7223)
info@wintechracing.com
1010 Atlantic Street
Bridgeport, CT. 06604
If you’d like to stop by, call ahead and see for yourself what they have going on behind the scenes. By the look of it it’s safe to say that this won’t be their last extension to the rowing world.
WinTech opens it’s doors for a wall-to-wall warehouse boat sale. Brand new overstock as well as used inventory in all sizes and categories. Browse our inventory and contact us for more info at: 203-866-7223 or info@wintechracing.com.
THE DETAILS: On Saturday, March 2nd, WinTech Racing will hold its first-ever open house tag sale. Literally shop the warehouse floor of older and used boats, and other equipment including oars, shoes, footboards, & parts all RED TAGGED with sale prices. New, in-stock boats will also be available for sale.
First come, first served. (And don’t forget your trailer!)
