Always on
This project successfully funded on 17th September 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Fancy That - a Solent Galley Rowing Boat Rescue!
Havant, United Kingdom
Aim
Please help me to restore a local, historic rowing boat, so I can extend a rowing legacy for people in the community for the future.
Who are we?
Mike Gilbert & his company - Langstone Adventure Rowing - has been supporting the development of traditional fixed seat and modern coastal sculling for over 15 years.
Having started coastal rowing in 1998 with the Langstone Cutters, we then rowed/raced London 2 Paris in 2008 and again in 2010 with Gravesend and Medway Rowing. This was such fun that I moved into coastal rowing coaching in 2011 - first with Adventure Rowing -in the Solent; later the Channel and beyond.
Since then I have introduced 1,000's of people to coastal rowing, through sharing, teaching, adventure rowing, exploring, providing boats, Club Development, coaching and racing. Through community projects like Active Ageing; 'Get Up and Go! This Girl Can or just rowing for pleasure - paddling across the harbour for a beverage.What followed was competing in World Championships in Gigs and St Ayles Skiffs, building St Ayles and developing RowFit programmes for rowers.
I have helped create the 3 Harbours Rowing Network - a collection of 20+ Coastal Rowing Clubs across the Solent. From Dell Quay and the Witterings in the East to Hamble River and Yarmouth in the West.
3 Harbours is now linked to 10 other Clubs beyond - Clevedon, Lower Thames, Brightlingsea, Rowhedge, London Cornish, Appledore, Newhaven and Lewes - I have coached, taught (and learnt) all over the place. 3 Harbours Network Clubs have a series of social & recreational events and leagues serving over many 'new' rowers.
NOW! I need your help - Please help me fund a restoration project for a rare, heritage boat - Fancy That. She is a Solent Galley - one of only 8 left. She is the last we know of and needs a full refit of around £20-£30k. When complete, she will be used by 3 Harbours Rowing Clubs to teach coastal rowing history, current activities and build a future for expanding this most enjoyable, community and regionally active sport.
If all the people I have facilitated to row over the last 20 years gave £25 each - we would be able to restore Fancy That and get her on the water once more. Is my birthday today (6th August ) so go on help me!!
Why are we crowdfunding?
The Solent Galley is the local Club Boat dating back to the 1800's. Most were destroyed or abandoned in the transition to rowing shells, outriggers and sliding seats. It was thought there were just 7 Solent Galleys on the water in use for recreational rowing - some owned by the Pat Sherwin Trust others by individuals. . However, in 2018 an 8th Solent Galley – Fancy That – was discovered abandoned in a garden on the Isle of Wight. More or less intact but in sore need of help… We have tried finding the money from Langstone Cutters and the Heritage Funding but don't seem to fit the categories! So lets try this... If you know me, know Langstone Cutters and 3 Harbours Rowing, enjoy Coastal Rowing anywhere in world in any type of fixed seat boat, and want to support a new initiative to restore an old boat - chip in £25!
How we’ll spend the money raised
I have been working with a local shipwright (Andrew Oliver) to size up the cost of restoring Fancy That to 'rowing condition', and it is about £18,000. It will include stripping, re-copper nailing, some re-planking and replacing missing footrests, floorboards and and rudder. A new set of traditional oars is around £2,500; a new Road trailer so we can take it on roadshows to Schools and Colleges £3,200; launching dolly £1,200 and breathable waterproof cover £1,200. A total of around £26,300. If every coastal rower I have met, taught or enjoys a salt-water row put £25 into the fund - we would be up and running by the end of 2025 with restored boat and on the road!! The finished boat should look like Doreen (shown), and - once our project is complete - Fancy That will be donated to 3 Harbours Rowing Clubs for life.
Community impact
Over the last 25 years the growth in local community rowing clubs has been startling. From the Langstone Cutters Rowing Club with 1 boat and 8 members in 1999, there are now 20 Clubs across the 3 Harbours - with over 30 boats old and new, Clubs vary from 150 to 20 Members, and rowing boats are out with crews every day in Chichester, Langstone and Portsmouth Harbours. It has spread to Sailing Clubs and they have expanded as a result. Interestingly more women than men populate these rowing clubs, providing a unique environment for family and community social networking.
What's missing is a method of reaching out beyond the current 3 Harbours Network and Clubs to new audience - young people, people with adaptive needs and non-sailing communities. A restored Fancy That will be the tool to allow the Coastal Rowing Academy to visit schools and colleges, build a series of interactions across the region to grow coastal rowing for the young & disadvantaged. This energy should then lead-on to links into Cornish Pilot Gigs, St Ayles Skiffs, Celtic Longboats and Coastal Sculling (sliding-seat) classes. The latter is now an Olympic Sport - so there is no telling where this may lead our audience. Using the heritage of Fancy That, the Solent Galleys, the stories they tell and the adventures that can be had... it just needs a push!
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made