The Boys of 1936 Boathouse Tour

Fans of Daniel James Brown’s New York Times bestseller The Boys in the Boat, now have a unique opportunity to get an inside look at the legacy of “The Boys.” Join us for a tour through Washington Rowing’s Conibear Shellhouse and the 1918 World War I airplane hangar known to the “Boys” as the ASUW Shell House in 1936.

 Watch Rantz, Hume, Moch, and the rest of the ’36 Husky Clipper come to life in this 90-minute tour highlighting the historical regalia of the champion crew in both locations.

 The tour will include chances to see the lettermen’s jackets of Joe Rantz and Don Hume, the IRA and Berlin Olympic medals of Joe Rantz, the famed Husky Clipper shell, and a look into the training facility and loft of the Boys and famed boat builder, George Pocock.

 Guests will first be led through Conibear Shellhouse, starting with an inside look at the legacy of George Pocock and the latest generation of Pocock Racing shells. We will proceed through the heart of the boathouse, the erg bays, and finally to the Windermere Cup Dining room to stand under the Husky Clipper and imagine the roar of the crowd as the Clipper took gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics race in front of Adolf Hitler.

 Following the tour through Conibear Shellhouse, guests will have the exclusive opportunity to tour through the ASUW Shell House. Built by the United States Navy in 1918, this airplane hangar is an untouched piece of history, recognized by and listed under the National Register of Historic Places. Tour attendees will enjoy the beauty of the ASUW Shell House while listening to stories of the many eras this incredible landmark has seen (including the famed Husky rowing team in 1936 and boat builder, George Pocock) over the past 105 years it has graced the shores of the Montlake Cut.

Due to the unique nature of this tour and the high value of rowing shells attendees will be led through in Conibear Shellhouse, this tour is recommended for ages 13 and up. If you bring a young child, please ensure they are holding your hand during the tour of Conibear and do not touch the delicate equipment of our NCAA and IRA Championship teams.

Please Note: A minimum of 5 people must be registered for a tour 48 hours prior to the tour start time for tour to be held. If this occurs, you may be asked to change to a different tour date  

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WITHIN ASUW SHELL HOUSE  

 -Please be aware of exposed beams and sharp edges of shells in ASUW Shell House that are stored at head height

 -Please be aware of steep ramps, narrow doors, and low head clearance upon entry to ASUW Shell House

 -Please be aware of uneven flooring surfaces within ASUW Shell House

 -Please be aware of shell riggers, sharp edges of shell on bow and stern that are at head height or right above ground level  

-Please note: the Conibear Shellhouse is fully ADA accessible, however, the ASUW Shellhouse was constructed in 1918 with few remodels and is not currently ADA compliant. Although plans are underway to bring the historic uilding up to ADA code (with a working elevator to the loft), we regret to inform attendees the only accessible route to the Pocock loft is currently by staircase.

Host or Publisher Boys of 1936 Tours