The Spartan Navy
One of the main goals of the Spartan Alumni Rowing Association is to fund capital campaigns for new equipment
to be used by Case Crew. The money raised by students goes into their sports club account and any equipment
purchased with those funds is owned by the university. Any equipment bought with S.A.R.A. funds is owned by S.A.R.A.
It sounds confusing but it really isn't since this arrangement gives the team and coaches much more flexibility.
At the moment, SARA owns two shells and their details are below. For a list of shells own by the university
you can CLICK HERE.
Leave Your Mark on Case Crew
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We are pleased to announce the first capital campaign for Case Crew! The team continues to benefit from the generosity
of your Annual Fund contributions. However, it's time we, as alumni, parents and friends, leave our mark on the team
by providing them with competitive equipment.
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The new Pocock 4+, the Dorothy A. Hudak, to replace the Sweet J has been delivered and was dedicated at the
2008 Head of the Cuyahoga. Also, a trailer was given to the team at the 2009 Head of the Cuyahoga. The new four and trailer have been huge steps
in building the Spartan Navy, but we still need another four.
Please take a moment to read about the Alumni Victorious Campaign
and consider a donation. There are still many naming opportunities left.
Shells Owned by S.A.R.A.
Dorothy A. Hudak:
2008 Pocock Hypercarbon Midweight 4+ - carbon laminate, bow coxed
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The first shell purchased as part of the Alumni Victorious Campaign.
A number of alumni donated the oars, seats and cox box to make the shell a reality.
The boat was delivered in April 2008 by Pocock and is named after Case Crew founder Tom Hudak's mother.
Tom and his father, Tom, each made a significant donation to name the shell after their mother and wife.
Images from the shell dedication.
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kaizen:
2007 Pocock Hypercarbon K2 Midweight Pair/Double
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The "kaizen" was purchased with a lead gift from Doug and Erynn Rathburn and delivered to the boathouse in December 2008 by
Klinger Engineering. The boat was purchased originally by Doug & Erynn
as their personal shell with the intention of someday donating it to SARA. Both the kaizen and alpha were purchase
at about the same time from Pocock. Even though they both came from the same mold,
the kaizen is the higher-end 100% carbon model for the fastest varsity crews. The alpha is the single skin mostly fibreglass version
that is perfect for training and more inexperienced crews.
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The name, kaizen, is a Japanese phrase used in manufacturing that loosely translates to
continuous improvement. Hopefully with a fleet of small boats at their
disposal Case Crew will continuously improve. Doug & Erynn also donated a pair of 2007 Ultralight Big Blade Vortex
Edge Concept 2 sweep oars for use with the shell.
Images from the shell dedication.
positive α:
2007 Pocock K2 Standard Line Midweight Pair/Double
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The "alpha" was purchased with a lead gift from Doug and Erynn Rathburn and delivered to the boathouse in August 2007 by Pocock.
The name, positive α, in financial circles means "a measure of a portfolio's return in excess of the market return". As a
metaphor for rowing, it implies that Case rowers will outperform their competition. Doug & Erynn also donated two sets
of 2002 Ultralight Smoothie Vortex Edge Concept 2 sculling blades for use with the shell.
Images from the shell dedication.
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sustain:
2009 Hudson Predator Midweight Single
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The "sustain" was purchased with a lead gift from Doug and Erynn Rathburn and picked up from the
Hudson factory by Miranda Cullins in March 2009.
The name, sustain, relates to numerous concepts in lean manufacturing where the final and most difficult job is to
sustain results. Hopefully this single will help rowers achieve and sustain a high level of performance.
Doug & Erynn also donated an older set of Ultralight Big Blade Concept 2 sculling blades for use with the shell.
Images from the shell dedication.
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Survival:
2008 Custom Built Midweight Single
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The "Survival" was built by local Cleveland rower Ken Germ. A victim of the financial turmoil besetting the automotive industry in 2008,
Ken decided to built a couple boats to help relieve some stress. He decided to donate one of the two shells to a local Cleveland club, and
after talking to Coach Tim Marcovy he decided Case and SARA should be the beneficiary. The boat is a mid-heavyweight construction using
different colors of cedar wood. He then covered the outer hull with a thin layer of fiberglass for durability. The riggers and seat
are carbon and sourced from Dreher. It is a beautiful boat and more photos can be found
here.
Images from the shell dedication.
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Capt. Rando:
1997 Peinert 26 Mid-Heavyweight Single
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The "Capt. Rando" was purchased used from Rando Blythe of the Charleston Rowing Club by Doug & Erynn Rathburn. Peinerts are known to be sturdy club
singles that can take the abuse of novice and club rowers. The Peinert 26 is built for 150-210 pound
rowers and is a perfect shell for Case rowers to begin learning to scull on the Cuyahoga. The boat came with a label "CAPT RANDO" to identify
the owner at the Charleston boathouse -- Rando was the captain of the rowing club. When the Rathburn's acquired the shell the name stuck. When Doug upgraded to another single for himself,
he donated the boat to SARA at the 2010 West Virginia Governor's Cup Regatta.
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Shells Owned by Case Crew
The Case Crew student athletes do a tremendous amount of fundraising for their sport. Who out remembers selling beer at Browns games?
All of the team fundraising goes to pay for travel, entry fees, Cleveland Rowing Foundation assessments to access the boathouse, and equipment when there's any money left. Since 1992,
the list below plus the Sweet J are the only shells the team has been able to buy themselves (the Pytte & Lenny were gifts).
Eights:
Fours:
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Hot Sauce: 2002 Vespoli Ultralite DM 4+ - carbon double skin laminate Ultralight construction, stern coxed
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Equipment Wish List
This "ideal" fleet for the team would allow the coaches and rowers the flexibility to train when needed and be
competitive in the races they enter. The team currently only has 2 eights, 2 fours, 2 pairs and 2 singles that are considered
"competitive quality".
Desired Fleet:
2 Eights
2-3 Fours
2 Pair/Doubles
1 Single
1 Trailer to take equipment to races - the team currently has to borrow a trailer or pay to get to races
Oars for each boat
Rowing Electronics and Timing Devices for each
Rowing shells remain stiff and competitive for roughly 5 years, and the ages of the current fleet are listed below.
Newer shells are used by the faster, more experienced
crews while the older shells are generally used for training novices and in emergencies. Below is a list of currently
used by the team and sample costs for various pieces of equipment on the wish list:
| Type of Boat: |
Approximate Cost New (2009): |
Current Team Equipment: |
| Eight: |
$15,000 to $35,000 |
2007 Resolute midweight 8+ [link]
2001 Vespoli D Midweight 8+ [link] |
| Four: |
$10,000 to $20,000 |
2008 Pocock Hypercarbon Midweight 4+ [link]
2002 Vespoli Ultralight D Midweight 4+ [link] |
| Pair/Double: |
$7,000 to $12,000 |
2007 Pocock K2 Hypercarbon 2-/2x [link]
2007 Pocock K2 Standard Line 2-/2x [link] |
| Single: |
$3,500 to $8,000 |
2009 Hudson Predator Midweight 1x [link]
2008 Midweight 1x built by Ken Germ
1997 Peinert 26 Mid-Heavy 1x [link] |
| Trailer: |
$11,000 |
2007 36' Transporter Trailer [link] |
| Oars: |
$310 per oar |
2 sets of 8 sweep oars (1990's vintage)
1 set of 8 sweep oars (Feb 2010)
1 set of 4 sweep oars (July 2008)
1 set of 4 sweep oars (1990's vintage)
1 set of 2 sweep oars (2008)
3 sets of 2 sculling oars
- all from Concept 2 [link] |
| Electronics: |
$300 to $800 |
3 Nielsen-Kellerman Cox-Box Voice Amplifiers [link]
2 Nielsen-Kellerman SpeedCoach Timers [link] |
There is only one boat in the above list that is within the typical useful, competitive life for a racing shell.
Most of the racing the team does is in four-person boats. The newest shell is five years old and the second boat
that's still used everyday is 12 years old.
The boats not in bold are kept servicable but only used in a pinch due to their age.
Please contact SARA if you'd like to help donate a piece of equipment to the team. We raise funds throughout the
year that allow you to easily donate all or a portion of a new piece of equipment.
Retired Shells
SWEET J:
1995 Vespoli Performer D hull 4+ - carbon glass laminate, stern coxed
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The team named the boat to honor the man who has shaped CWRU Crew into what it is today.... thanks Tim.
Generations of Case Crew oarsmen and oarswomen have plied their oars on the Cuyahoga to the screams of "Sweet Jesus!" and loved every minute of it.
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Members of the CWRU Crew & Alumni worked hundreds of hours
fundraising in order to donate the boat - mostly selling concessions at Cleveland Browns games
and concerts at the old Municipal Stadium. The shell was delivered by Dave
Trond of Vespoli USA to the 1995 National Collegiate Rowing
Championships in Cincinnati. The shell was originally ordered with a light grey hull and navy blue
decks, but Vespoli messed up the order and painted the hull white.
The first four people to row the shell also donated a set of four 1995 Ultralight Concept 2 Big
Blades. Stroke: Tuck Pescosolido, Three: Craig Agricola, Two: Doug Rathburn, Bow: Scott Atkinson.
The Sweet J was sold to First Boat in April 2008 to offset the purchase of the new SARA Hypercarbon Pocock 4+ ultimately christened the Dorothy A. Hudak.
Agnar Pytte:
1986 Kaschper midweight 8+ - fiberglass and wood, stern coxed
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The Pytte was the first-ever shell owned by Case Crew. Then president of the university, Agnar Pytte,
had sons at Princeton and was a fan of rowing. He took an interest in the fledgling club and donated $5000 out of his discretionary budget
for the team to purchase a used 8+ and a set of oars from Villanova. The boat was brokered by Jack St. Clair who was the Villanova coach
and US Kaschper representative. The shell was purchased and dedicated in 1994, and you can see a photo from the dedication
here.
The boat was donated to the Chicago Training Center in April 2009 to help start their inner city youth program.
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Leonard Case Jr.:
1984 Schoenbrod heavyweight 4+ - fiberglass and wood, stern coxed
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The Lenny was originally purchased by Western Reserve Rowing Association from Columbia University, but fell into disrepair
and sat on a rack for years. The team purchased the boat in January of 1995 with a committment to fix it. Craig Agricola,
Amy Kozlowski, Ram Fish and Doug Rathburn spent the entire spring rebuilding it. The money to purchase and repair the shell came
from the Case Alumni Association at the behest of executive
director Roger Cerne. Roger did not want the boat named after him so the founder of the Case Institute of Technology's name was
respectfully placed on the bow. A photo from the dedication ceremony can be seen
here.
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A trailer carrying the Lenny home from the 1995 Head of the Ohio was rear-ended and ripped off the stern of the shell up to the coxswain
seat. The shell was sent to Shoenbrod in Biddeford, Maine under the care of Charlie Dibble to be repaired. The boat was returned to Cleveland
in January 1996 by Doug Teamin of Ohio State. After a number of years of service the shell found its way back to the storage rack
before finally being donated to the Chicago Training Center in April 2009 to help
start their inner city youth program.
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