New sloop for Ferox rowing club in Katwijk Full speed ahead for sloop rowers

You have to row with the oars you've got. Unless of course you have a good reason to purchase new equipment, like Ferox Rowing Club. Partly thanks to a generous donation from The Schiphol Fund, it's smooth sailing for the sloop rowers in Katwijk.

Combative

Ferox is Latin for 'combative', an aptly chosen name for a rowing club. Because you need to be at least a little bit combative if you want to row together against the clock, your opponents and the elements while in a heavy sloop boat. Nevertheless, not everyone runs away from such a challenge.

Grown considerably

'We've grown considerably over the past 5 years', says Marco Bakker, vice chairman of the 22-year-old club. 'From around fifty to more than one hundred members. The recreational teams get out onto the water one evening per week. But we also have teams that row at various levels in competitions throughout the Netherlands, from the second to the major division.'

Expensive purchase

To welcome all these new arrivals on board, an extra sloop was required. A rather expensive purchase for a club like Ferox. 'You're looking at a price of around € 15.000. That's not only for the sloop, but also for a trailer that's needed to transport the boat to competitions.'

Mighty Mo

Ferox did not have the financial means to pay the whole amount themselves. 'And we also didn't want to take out a loan. After all, we rely on volunteers, and you never know how the club will be doing in a few years.' Fortunately, The Schiphol Fund was willing to help with the purchase of Mighty Mo, as the new sloop has now been christened. 'Without The Schiphol Fund, it would have been very difficult. So, we're really pleased. It's just great that you can get such a generous donation for a long-term investment like this.'

Low maintenance

Also nice is the fact that the new sloop, contrary to the other three authentic wooden sloops at the club, is made from polyester. That means it is low maintenance. 'That was a conscious choice. Mighty Mo is a lot more user friendly. We can see that this means more enjoyment and relaxation within the club.' And so Ferox is looking to the future with confidence. 'We want our members to enjoy rowing. The assistance provided by The Schiphol Fund is therefore highly appreciated.'

In March 2021, Ferox Rowing Club received a donation of € 6.000 for the purchase of a sloop rowing boat.

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