Medical and other support staff: The coach decided that an outside team was unnecessary, because the crew included two doctors, a surgeon, an accountant, an airline pilot, a farmer, a chief executive and an engineer.

Nearly everyone turned up on time for the outing at about 2.15, though we had to wait for a few minutes for two members of the crew who came armed with tea and other liquid refreshment for after the outing.

There were distinct signs before we went on the water that fitness training during the 33 years since the crew last went out was not uniformly up to standard; some of the kit being worn had not seen the light of day since 1974, but the coach thought it unwise to offer to provide lycras for the crew. [This item of clothing appeared on the scene some time after members of this crew left school, and when it did, I let it be known that none of my crews would ever wear it. They did. - JMB]

Once we left the rafts, it was not long before the crew settled down to steady light paddling. The aim of the outing was to establish a record for the quarter mile. It was unlikely that the time of 1:10.5 achieved in 1974 would be even on the horizon, but the coach came armed with his stopwatch and the crew was eager to have a go. After warming up and gradually increasing the tempo - Boathouse - Brook - Warleigh, the stretch from the three-quarter mile post to the mile was tackled.

The rate was about 30 for the course, and there were no shipwrecks. There was some digging, the odd missed stroke, but on the whole the boat moved well. The coach, somewhat more generously than usual, set the target at 1:40, so the crew was delighted that the time was 1:28.

The coach did not particularly want to have to make use of any of the professional skills represented in the crew, so they came straight into the raft. At that stage the Cox had to leave us, but the oarsmen were determined to have another go at a quarter. One or two perhaps felt they would not manage, but there was no whining. For this part of the outing they were coxed by another airline pilot. They went down as far as the Quarter Mile Post and on the way up did the same time as on their first attempt.

An enjoyable outing for all, somewhat faster than any of us expected. The boat ran well, and with a bit more training it could be made presentable enough to enter a veteran event.

Next planned outing : Summer 2012