1881

Lymington Rowing Club is one of the oldest on the South Coast and was originally founded around 1881, alongside the Coastguards slipway, now the site for Royal Lymington Yacht Club. Their first boats were fixed seat clinkers; the ‘Victoria’ (built in 1878) and the ‘Alexander’ (built by George Watkins, 1880) and were stored in the Old Bethel Chapel. The first notable rowing achievement was Gig racing at which they won 40 consecutive races. In those days, the Lymington town crier would proceed along the High Street announcing the days racing. Regattas were also held in Yarmouth, Ryde, Southsea and Southampton.

1890

In 1890 the local MP, the Hon John Scott Montagu was elected president. Dr Pithie became chairman and Mr Edward Elliott (of Elliott’s family department store still on Lymington High Street,) became the Hon Sectary for the next 20 years.

1891

In 1891 the club had its first win in a fixed seat clinker four, when they beat the Southampton’s ‘Black Cross”. Unlike today, winners actually received prize money. Mr C. T. King of the town’s book shop was a huge contributor to the club putting up prize money and loaning his steam launch ‘Kelpie’ for the umpires.

Also in these times, the regatta included many other aquatic events such as swimming, cask races and duck hunts. Fundraising was carried out in those days and gentlemen’s smoking concerts were held in the Angel assembly rooms with violin and singing recitals. In 1897 the club boasted 23 Vice-Presidents including Colonel Cornwallis-West (Newlands Manor) and Ingham Whitaker (Pylewell Estate) who all contributed to the funds of the club, varying from 2/6d to £1 a year.

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The club purchased their first sliding seat boats at a cost of £35 each. The ‘Florence’ which was launched by Mrs H. St Barbe the Lymington banker’s wife (school & museum) and the ‘Lady Cecil’ named after the President’s wife and launched by the then Cllr C.T.King.

The crews at the time included the well-known names of Totterdell, Bran and Hayter.  Incidentally, wagers were placed on those two boats and in 1891 ‘Alexandra’ beat the favourite, ‘Victoria’, in 12 minutes 46 seconds over a 2½ mile course!

Inman’s Yard auction house bought club boats for 10 shillings.

1894

At a dinner in 1894, the Chairman emphasized the importance of rowers being able to swim and urged the County to appoint ‘a competent man to educate children in the art of swimming.  It would be of great benefit to the nation as a prevention to drowning.’

Club records recall how on one occasion when the rowers took their boat to Southampton by train to compete in a regatta, they inadvertently pushed one end of their boat through the station master’s window, which cost the club 3/4d to replace.

At the end of the first World War, club activities lapsed.

1947

Edward Austin and Bart Wilshin re-founded the club in 1947/8 in Clements Coalyard, on the Quay. 

Archie Campbell offered his boat building skills to the club. LARC asked him to build models to prove his prowess, which he duly did and then went on to produce 5 boats for the club. These models are now on show at the Lymington Museum.

The club has always been at the forefront of boat constructions and was the first to use a light weight composite boat; the ‘Dave Stafford’ was constructed by Aylings.

Following on from that, the club members led by craftsman Kenny Chalk, constructed their own mould and subsequently produced the ‘Jim Gregory’. After some debate, it was agreed to enter into a mutual deal with Burgashell boats to lend them the mould to construct boats in return for commission. Each boat that sold accrued a credit for the club to later obtain a new boat. This agreement proved very satisfactory for the club, far exceeded the initial expectations and lasted till the mould eventually wore out.

1975

First Senior Pair H&DARA win: Charlie Phillips and Alan Taylor at Swanage.

1981

In the Centenary year, (only the second time in the club’s history) the Men’s Junior Four became HDARA Champions: Adrian Bull, Terry Woolford, Peter Woodford and Dave Gale, coxed by Stuart 'Straight' Lane (10yrs), nicknamed after the courses he steers.

At the Centenary Dinner, a photograph was taken of them with Archie Campbell, who had been a shipwright in Berthon and had helped build the famous J Class yachts in the 1920s. He personally built 3 Fours, a Pair and a Scull for the Club which are still being rowed today.  A surprise presentation was made to him at the dinner.

Mr Archie Campbell said that he always tried to get the youngsters involved in little jobs when building the boats so as to add to their pride in maintaining the condition of the boats.

Another problem Lymington encountered in those early years was transport.  Having no vehicle capable of transporting the 30 foot boats, crews usually had to race in boats borrowed from other clubs.

Until the generosity of local business man Leon Crouch, led to the club being gifted a 30ft, three deck trailer to transport the boats to regattas.

Mr Leon Crouch said it was the least he could do, to help others get together, row hard and have the enjoyment in the club that he’s had.

1983

Congestion on the Lymington River forced a move for the home regatta to nearby Milford on Sea.

1994

First Men’s Senior Four H&DARA Win: Gordon Stillwell, Kenneth Chalk, Kenneth Street, Glyn Mullins & Mark Sloper, at Shanklin 

1998

Lymington now has equal numbers of men and women rowers.

Lymington had their first Ladies Senior Pair H&DARA win with Michelle Sloper and Mel Young at Swanage.

2001

 LARC had their first female captain, Sue Mullins.

2002

Senior Pairs H&DARA Championship: Peter Lock and Marc Tremain

Lymington’s increased success since the early 1990s is largely due to Colin Fagan. A former crewmate of top international coach Mike Spracken, Colin has raised the technical standard of Lymington’s rowing hugely.  All of Lymington’s current coaches have been coached by Colin at some point in their rowing career.

In more recent years, the club has continued to enjoy more championship success, both domestically and at the South Coast Championships.

Strong seasons followed and in 2007 Lymington had their first South Coast Championship win with the Men’s Junior 4 (runners up in H&DARA but went on to beat everyone at SCC, Dorney Lake). Then in 2010 Lymington had their first Ladies Junior Four H&DARA and South Coast Championship win. In 2012, Laura Lock (Viner) led her crew to another H&DARA championship become Lymington's first Ladies Senior Four H&DARA Champions, narrowly missing out on ‘the double’ with a 2nd place at the South Coast Champs.

See Honours Board

2017

Kenny Chalk becomes World Masters Champion (D Single Sculls) at Lake Bled, Slovenia in September

Dave Manns and Rob Maltby entered the Guinness Book of Records for rowing the lengths of the River Thames (160 miles,) in under 30 hours.

. An incredible effort from the double scull, backed up by a full land support team from the club, saw them smash the record by six hours.

2019

In 2019, Lymington completed a decade long project to move clubhouse. The new two storey facility on Lymington Shores was officially opened by Heather Stanning, OBE.

The facility features a boathouse under the main clubhouse and a purpose built rowing pontoon.

2020

In 2020, the COVID19 pandemic cancelled all H&DARA events and so the SCC 2020 to be hosted by Wessex, was postponed ‘til 2021.

Club members resorted to virtual ZOOM quiz nights, circuits, ergs and committee meetings and waited patiently…

2021

LARC’s Dave Mans is leading a team for another World Record Challenge for entry in the Guinness Book of Records and this time it’s in local waters and with not 1, but 4 World Record attempts in one continuous row.