JRC History

The history of the Jacksonville Rowing Club (JRC) is rooted in the tradition of two early Jacksonville rowing clubs: the Remex Rowing Club and the St. John’s Few Rowing Club.

Episcopal High School Coach Charlie Platt

The 1973 Episcopal Rowing Team doing a water launch near Downtown Jacksonville.

1986-1987

In mid-1986, the predecessor organization of the JRC was created by a group including Pete Keegan, Brad, Kristen, & Bob Negaard, Mark & Jackie Beckenbach, Gail Ferguson, Brett Williams, and Bob Mustafa. This club was called the St. Johns Few.

In 1987, the St. Johns Few successfully put on the Sunshine State Games out of the Jacksonville University (JU) boathouse, but sometime shortly after that, the St. Johns Few disbanded.

1987: Establishment of Jacksonville Rowing Club

In the late 1987, the St. Johns Few was reorganized as the Jacksonville Rowing Club, Inc.

The club operated out of JU from a lean-to built on to the side of the JU boathouse. Dues and any other income were deposited into an account at JU and expenses paid by JU on behalf of JRC. In September of 1988, Roy Fuller joined the club and took over Treasurer duties, opening the club’s first bank account and taking over the accounting functions from JU. The JRC began to stand on its own.

1988: Building the First Fleet

Somewhere around late 1988, the club purchased its original boats from Bob Negaard. The club’s flotilla consisted of two Wing It singles, one Seashell, one Boston, one Smallcraft, one double Smallcraft and one Laser — for the most part, all recreational boats.

1989: Relocating to Pottsburg Creek

Due to the water conditions on the St. Johns, in early 1989, Pete Keegan and Mark Beckenbach approached Episcopal High School and — with the help of Kurt Logan, State Representative Jim Tullis, and Garnett Ashby — JRC petitioned Episcopal with the idea of building a boathouse on their property on Pottsburg Creek. In mid-1989, JRC moved to the Episcopal High School property. Almost immediately after JRC left the JU property, the lean-to was taken over and expanded by the new Stanton Rowing Program, formed by Steve Hitchcock.

1990: Official Incorporation

JRC was officially recorded as a corporation in the State of Florida on July 3, 1990. At that time, its first official Board and officers were elected.

Early JRC oar design with blue club colors

The new JRC boathouse on the DCF property. (2002)

The DCF site has been a blessing to JRC — though in the early days, there was no way to get boats to the water without wading thru knee-deep muck. Once again, ingenuity and elbow grease to the rescue! Dr. Sanchez-Salazar found a partner in his neighbor, Mr. Peter House, to help us design and build a pier and dock. After several weekends of work; pilings, decks, docks, ramps, anchors – finally the “dock Salazar” was in place!

After a bit of equipment/inventory clean up, the JRC flotilla continued to improve. Two used eights were donated by a local school, another eight was donated by a number of youth parents led by Nancy and Chip Lilly, and a four was donated by a youth parent, Dr. Gene Bebeau.

In addition, JRC purchased a number of singles, doubles, and a four. Finally, the youth and masters working together fundraised to buy a brand new trailer that allowed our teams to bring shells to race sites.

2010s–Present

Over the years JRC has become Northeast’s Florida’s true community rowing club. Our members transit to practice from places as far south as Daytona Beach, St. Augustine and Palatka; from Kings Bay, Georgia in the north; the coastal communities of Atlantic, Neptune, Jacksonville, and Ponte Vedra Beaches, and from numerous inland locations all across Northeast Florida. The JRC Board has also integrated representatives from all the scholastic and collegiate rowing programs in the area since its inception, making it a central figure in the local rowing scene. JRC is also very well-connected in the national rowing community.

Since our founding, we have developed learn to row programs for youth and adults, judge/referee development programs, coxswain clinics, and a competitive masters program; conceived (and initially ran) the First Coast Head Race; produced the Trout River Rowing Festival; and organized a small community youth rowing program, though that was disbanded in 2018.

Today, the JRC provides sculling and sweep rowing for novice and experienced, recreational and competitive adults. No matter what your rowing experience or interests, there is something for you at JRC!

Since our inception, the Presidents of the Club have been: