Head of the Weir River Race 2009

If you have neither seen nor entered the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s annual Head of the Weir River Race, this is your opportunity to share in the excitement. The best places for viewing, on October 31, are at the starting point at West Corner in Hull, the bridge on George Washington Boulevard, the tip of Hull’s Sunset Point, and the Windmill Point Boathouse, at the finish line. For those wishing to enter, the fee is $20 per person.

The Hull Lifesaving Museum's 22nd Annual Head of the Weir River Race is a celebration of the estuary at the height of its fall beauty and the fabulous array of the region's open water rowers. As many as 60 boats jockey for position racing out the narrow estuary and onto open water, traveling from West Corner (on the Hingham/ Hull/ Cohasset line), past Bumpkin Island, across Hull Bay, to the museum's Windmill Point Boathouse at Hull Gut. A highly contested 5-½ miler, the Weir draws coxed youth and adult rowers in gigs, single and double livery and workboats, currachs, and ocean shells, as well as experienced kayakers. In the "head of the river" format, boats kick-off the starting line at one-minute intervals, and times are collated at the finish to determine the race winners. The Weir is an exceptionally exciting race and a great spectator event, featuring over 150 of the region's finest rowers from all over New England and New York. 2009 will introduce a new prize category to the race: the oar and sail award for boats with knock-down sail rigs. Once the race is underway, the best spectator views are from the bridge on George Washington Boulevard (10-20 minutes after the start), at the tip of Hull's Sunset Point, or at the Windmill Point Boathouse finish line. However, don't miss the excitement at the starting point in West Corner. Spectators should show care crossing the road on George Washington Boulevard, watching for fast moving traffic.

Registration, required for all participants, will be 9 - 10 am at the race starting line behind the Hull Public Works building at the Hull Town Line on Route 228. The coxswains' meeting is at 10:15 am, and race start at 11 am. All coxed boats must contact the race organizers before the day of the race. There is no parking available at the race starting line; the put-in for trailered boats is at Nantasket Pier, one mile from the starting line, where car and trailer parking is available. For more information or questions about participating, call Ed McCabe, the Hull Lifesaving Museum's Maritime Program Director or Lory Newmyer, Executive Director, at the museum (781-925-5433) or check out the museum's website: http://www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org/