Eton Racing Boats
Encyclopedia
Eton Racing Boats is a manufacturer of racing boats for rowing
, based in Eton
, United Kingdom
. The company was founded by Eton College
, who also funded the construction of the Dorney Lake
development.
The company ceased trading on Friday 16 February 2007http://www.etonracingboats.co.uk/. This sudden end to the company is rumoured to be a knock-on effect from insufficient profits. Eric Sims continues to offer equipment supplies via a separate outlet.
The company website claims that "boats from the Eton workshops have frequently won Henley
medals and world championships". The firm also manufactures and sells a range of accessories and other products for the sport, including outrigger
s, megaphone
s, coaching launches
and pontoons
, as well as providing maintenance
services.
Boatbuilding has taken place in the area since the 1800s, with composite racing boats introduced in 1994. Since then, the company has developed its range of boats to include eights, fours, pairs and singles, available in a range of colours and different types for training and racing.
s such as Talk Rowing and the rec.sport.rowing newsgroup. The price of the boats and the quality of the build are often brought into question, and the cost of repair work is sometimes criticised.
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, based in Eton
Eton, Berkshire
Eton is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, lying on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor and connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The parish also includes the large village of Eton Wick, 2 miles west of the town, and has a population of 4,980. Eton was in Buckinghamshire until...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The company was founded by Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, who also funded the construction of the Dorney Lake
Dorney Lake
Dorney Lake is a purpose-built rowing lake in the United Kingdom. It is located at grid reference near the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and near the towns of Windsor and Eton, close to the River Thames. The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College, who have spent £17 million...
development.
The company ceased trading on Friday 16 February 2007http://www.etonracingboats.co.uk/. This sudden end to the company is rumoured to be a knock-on effect from insufficient profits. Eric Sims continues to offer equipment supplies via a separate outlet.
The company website claims that "boats from the Eton workshops have frequently won Henley
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
medals and world championships". The firm also manufactures and sells a range of accessories and other products for the sport, including outrigger
Outrigger
An outrigger is a part of a boat's rigging which is rigid and extends beyond the side or gunwale of a boat.In an outrigger canoe and in sailboats such as the proa, an outrigger is a thin, long, solid, hull used to stabilise an inherently unstable main hull. The outrigger is positioned rigidly and...
s, megaphone
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
s, coaching launches
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
and pontoons
Pontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
, as well as providing maintenance
Maintenance, Repair and Operations
Maintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken...
services.
Boats
Criticism
There has been some criticism of the service provided by Eton Racing Boats in recent years on internet forumInternet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s such as Talk Rowing and the rec.sport.rowing newsgroup. The price of the boats and the quality of the build are often brought into question, and the cost of repair work is sometimes criticised.