6-11-98

Contacts:
Larry Cooney, Recreation Services, (515) 294-4980
Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778

ROWBOAT WITH SPECIAL DESIGN TO BE LAUNCHED FRIDAY, ANNOUNCES RETURN OF CANOES, BOATS TO LAKE LAVERNE

AMES, Iowa -- The launching of a donated cardinal-and-gold-colored wooden rowboat at 3 p.m. Friday, June 12, on Lake LaVerne will announce a new service by Iowa State University's Department of Recreation Services.

Beginning in the fall semester, ISU's Outdoor Recreation Center will have canoes and other watercraft at Lake LaVerne for student, staff and public use. Times and dates when the boats will be available are to be determined.

"We previously provided rowboats and canoes for use on Lake LaVerne," said Larry Cooney, director of recreation services, "but the interest diminished and we offered new and different recreational programs. It's been a few years, so with the donation of this rowboat, we decided to make the boats available again at the lake."

The special, Cyclone-colored rowboat was designed and built by Bob Cramer, an ISU civil engineering graduate. Cramer is the owner of The Rowing Co., a boat manufacturing business in Maple Plain, Minn. Funds to purchase the boat for ISU came from another ISU graduate, Frances Craig, Elgin, Ill.

The boat is called a "cosine wherry" because it's a lightweight craft designed using trigonometry. Its special design makes it stable in water and allows it to flow smoothly.

The boat is valued at about $5,000. Cooney expects it will used to give people rides on the campus' 2.8 acre lake.

During special campus events, like Veishea, homecoming or parents weekend, the boat will be available for informal or structured recreation and supervised by recreation personnel. More than 18,000 students, staff and off-campus persons use watercraft and related outdoors equipment made available by the Outdoor Recreation Center, Cooney said.

-30-

NOTE TO MEDIA:

The launching of the rowboat will be a colorful photo or video opportunity. Cy, the ISU mascot, is expected to row the boat onto the lake from the north shore.

Iowa State homepage

University Relations, online@iastate.edu
Copyright © 1997, Iowa State University, all rights reserved
URL: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/releases/rowboat06.11.html
Revised 6/11/98