The fame of the Whitehallers and of the American Star spread, and, when General La fayette was leaving New York, in 1825, the Star, fitted with costly carpets and silver-mounted oars, was esteemed the fittest barge to carry him on an excursion down the river. The boat was later sent to him in France.
During the next ten years there was but little racing, though the sport was growing throughout the country, and the New York barges were find ing their way up the Hudson and down to Phila delphia. The Imp and Blue Devil were brought to the Schuylkill in 1833, and in September of that year the two raced from Belmont to Fairmount, a distance of three miles. The Imp won in eleven minutes, according to the old account, which shows the prevailing playful ness in dealing with the times of races. A number of other clubs were organized during the same summer, and in the first regatta given in No vember there were seven eight-oared boats and four four-oars. The Ariel won the fours, while the champions were quite upset in the eights, the Cleopatra winning, with the Devil fourth and the imp last. The rowing spirit grew steadily, and many more clubs were formed in the next couple of years ; their life was not long, but they were the foundation of the present boat clubs of the Schuylkill and of the Philadelphia boating spirit.
Many clubs were being organized in New York, such as the Wave, Gull, Gazelle, Cleopatra, Pearl, Halcyon, Ariel, Minerva, and Gondola, and they, in 1834, formed the Castle Garden Amateur Boat Club Association, with a boat-house at Castle Garden ; this was the first association of the kind in the United States and it had as objects both racing and recreation. Among the mem bers were many of the fashionable young men of the time, and the barge parties from Castle Gar den were reckoned among the pleasures of New York. But they were famous racing clubs as well, and the Wave was known to all oarsmen. It was their custom to have a new boat made every year by Crolius ; and so celebrated were their craft that the discarded ones were bought eagerly in distant cities ; Mobile, New Orleans, Savan nah, and other Southern cities all started their rowing with Wave boats. The Rollins brothers terest at the time and were the first of the famous championship races in singles. In 1837 Roberts,
the champion, challenged any man for a race in seventeen-foot working boats, and he was accepted by Dorlan. The stake was $2oo and the course from Castle Garden to Bedloe's Island and return. Dorlan won the first race and then, a short time afterward, Roberts won. The third race was in 1838, and Dorian, after going a few hundred yards, was taken with cramps ; Roberts rowed on and took the prize. In their last race, Dorlan was ahead all the way, but nearing the finish was run into by Roberts's friends and prevented from finish ing. The referee decided that the race should be rowed over, but it was never settled. It was cus tomary in those days to have your friends out in boats on the course and to impede the other crew as much as possible : the race was not always to the swift — if the home man happened to be the slower.
In 1837, Poughkeepsie gave its first regatta with but one race, and that for six-oars for a purse of $200 dollars. It was now becoming more gen eral to give money prizes instead of the former trophies, and amateurs and professionals contested for them alike. Amateur meant only that the oarsman did not make a business of rowing ; there was no real definition. Several celebrated barges entered the Poughkeepsie race : the Wash were members of the Wave crew and had a con siderable reputation as amateurs. The Gazelle and the Gull were other noted clubs, the beauti ful blue Gull finishing second to the Wave in several regattas ; it was the first barge to row to Philadelphia.
The earliest of the Newburgh regattas, which came to occupy a high place in rowing for many years, was given on June 27, 1837. At this time there were some barges on the Hudson, and that rowing skill, which later gave the upper Hudson men so many championships, was in its infancy. In the race at Newburgh for six-oars were entered the Corsair and Highland Wave of Newburgh and the Gazelle, Gull, Wave, Halcyon, Pearl, and Minerva of New York. The Wave won with the Gull second, the Corsair third, and the High land Wave fourth. The Washington of Pough keepsie started with them, though not entered, and came in ahead. The prizes were sets of colors.