MANNING River Rowing Club is closed indefinitely after three quarters of the roof was torn off during the destructive storm that hit Taree on Saturday afternoon, March 9.
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Insurance assessors are due at the club early this week.
"We'll know a bit more then,'' club committee member and coach Hugh McLeod said.
"We might be able to reopen using the downstairs section, but we could be open this week, this month or in six weeks, we just don't know.''
Mr McLeod said the top section of the clubhouse has suffered extensive water damage and the office and kitchen areas are exposed. He added a number of functions have been booked at the clubhouse - including a wedding this weekend - and alternative venues are being sought.
"We've managed to find another location for the wedding,'' he added.
Mr McLeod also conducts indoor rowing classes at the club. These have also been put on hold.
The club was hosting the Central District regatta when the storm hit. Thirteen clubs were in Taree for the event.
Officials called a halt to the regatta around 2.30pm as weather conditions deteriorated rapidly.
Mr McLeod said all visiting clubs had craft damaged in the storm. Newcastle Grammar was the hardest hit, with 20 boat written off.
"The rowing community is getting behind the club and will lend them boats for the upcoming regattas, including the national championships,'' Mr McLeod said.
Mr McLeod said he'd never seen anything like the ferocity of the storm.
Rowing started in close to perfect conditions on Saturday morning for the two day regatta. However, the second day was cancelled as Manning River Rowing Club members spent the day cleaning the clubhouse and surrounds.
"There was debris all over the carpark and park,'' Mr McLeod said.
Rowers on river when storm hit
SEVEN schoolgirl single scullers were on the river competing in the Central Districts Rowing Regatta when the storm hit Taree on Saturday.
Manning River Rowing Club officials Tony Beeton, Hugh McLeod and a coach from one of the schools, Oden McIntosh raced out in a crash boat to assist them. Fortunately four had made it back to land close to the clubhouse, while the others took shelter on the bank.
"They were all okay,'' Mr McLeod said.
However, boats racing in the weekly Taree Aquatic Sailing Club event capsized during the maelstrom.
"We went to lend them assistance but they were all safe,'' Mr McLeod added.
A coach from the Newcastle Grammar club suffered a laceration when he was struck by debris when the rowing club's roof was blown off. He spent Saturday night in Manning Hospital but was released on Sunday morning.
Taree Police and Taree Fire Brigade were on the scene soon after the storm abated, with police closing the carpark area. A section of the club's roof ended up in a nearby vacant car yard.
This is the second time the clubhouse has been damaged by a force of nature. In 1978 is was smashed by one of the biggest floods here in recorded history.