Left: Sea Scouts, Nelson. Nelson Provincial Museum, Kingsford Collection: 163300. A large crowd on Boathouse slipway with the Sea Scouts. Below: At the Port, Nelson. Nelson Provincial Museum, F N Jones Collection: 321410. View from top of smokestack of Power House, looking south along Wakefield Quay and Rocks Rd towards Tahunanui. The remains of the saltwater baths are in the foreground.
A century of recreational use
Alec Woods is another stalwart of the Boathouse. As an early member, a lifetime Nelsonian and a historian, he’s driving the heritage considerations on the rebuild team. Alec was right behind the idea of taking over the building from the Rowing Club and Sea Scouts; and he loves the way The Boathouse represents more than a century of use for waterfront recreation. Alec has plenty of stories of the building in its ‘golden years’ when the Sea Scouts kept their clinker-built cutters in the main room and the Rowing Club slung their skiffs in the roof space. (Incidentally, a storm early in the 1900s floated those clinkers as the water rose around them.) Back then the scouts and rowers raised money by selling fish and firewood, plus hosting Saturday dances with bands and crayfish suppers. The dances were so popular hundreds of people would pack into the venue. Alec has his own theories about the appeal of Boathouse membership: “A lot of people appreciate heritage buildings but don’t actually live in one; a lot of people like the idea of enjoying the sunset from the waterfront – but they don’t live there; and a lot of people – especially those who are new to Nelson – just like the sense of community. Joining The Boathouse is a very cheap way to achieve all of these ends.” Live music is still a big drawcard at The Boathouse, and for members there are Friday night gatherings, open use every Sunday, a key for entry at other times, use of club-owned dinghies and paddle-boards, and a big discount on event hire. When The Boathouse reopens in spring, she will be significantly better than before. Chair Annie Henry says that as well as the kitchen upgrade, improvements include more capacity to the beer-lines, reconfiguring the office and storage area, and reverting to the old-style ‘gangway’ entrances, which are more stormproof than a deck. The focus is to get the building open, to give members access and to get the business going, Anne says. The side ramp with its boat storage shed can come later. For more information on The Boathouse, becoming a member or donating towards the rebuild, check out theboathousenelson.co.nz or follow on Facebook. 46
Timeline 1876:
Nelson Rowing Club formed.
1906:
Current building erected by Nelson Rowing Club.
1924:
NZ Scout Association buys the building and Iron Duke Sea Scouts move in.
1920s:
Sea Scouts and Rowing Club flourish with The Boathouse as their base.
1940s-60s: Golden years of Saturday night dances. 1985:
Sea Scouts sell to what became The Boathouse Society Ltd.
1997:
First staff member employed.
2002:
Café opens to the public.