The Courtney Cup

An ongoing rowing competition inspired by Courtney Chaplin’s love of boating and rowing.

The rules!

The Cup is open to anyone and everyone, and the rules are simple:

The race is from the abutments, around the red bell buoy (or the middle green can for youth groups), and back again
You time yourself, either from the boat or from someone on land
Timing begins and ends when your bow crosses the end of the abutment farthest from the docks
Groups of any size may participate in any rowboat - if you don’t have a boat, talk to Tony or Louise!
Enough PFDs for the whole team need to be in the boat and worn by kids under 12. Talk to us if you need PFDs
Our St. Ayles Skiff “Bridge” can be used by any group with 4 or more team members, but you must talk to Tony or Louise before taking the boat out
You can take as many tries as you like! Your best time will be used
To be entered, you need to tell Louise your team name and time by August 5th, the day before our launch

In summer evenings on Islesford, Courtney could often be found rowing between the Cranberry Isles with his three children, fishing, exploring, and practicing together in their two-station Whitehull, “Lightning.” Courtney was one of the biggest supporters of Boatworks’ Row-a-Thon events, helping to plan the course and practicing for hours in preparation. He believed in the value of traditional skills, and the community that can be built around them. He was also an incredible rower and fierce competitor who wanted to win a race around the island. The Courtney Cup is inspired by his enthusiastic spirit and love for all things on the water.

New for 2023: The 2 teams with the fastest times will race LIVE head-to-head on the morning of the boat launch!

The Winners

Year	Team Name	Time
2021	Team B-Row-Mance	17:38
2022	By Hook or By Brooks	17:42
2023	You?	??

Maker's Night

Too young for our boat building programs? Kids 4 and up can join us weekly for Makers Night, where they learn shop safety and tool basics by creating fun crafts.

Learn more

Community Events

Music jams, lecture series, our morning coffee club, ladies night and more, we have events for all ages and interests. All our events are free and open to all.

Learn more

Summer Youth Boatbuilding

We offer three different levels of programs, teaching kids from 7-17 the fundamentals of boatbuilding. Working together, we [launch a new boat] at the end of the summer.

Learn more