No longer the internationally competitivepowerhouses they once were, the maintenance ofHouse crew teams now rests primarily oncharismatic student leaders.

Although each of the 13 Houses has a boat,Currier House currently has no team due to lack ofinterest while Cabot, Kirkland and Dudley teamsare sharing Currier's unused shell.

"Dunster House had a phenomenal turn-out," saidBrigid K. Byrne '99, noting that despite thelarger number of students interested in rowing,"we've been able to accommodate everybody."

Under Boyne's direction, the House crew programhas been updated in recent years, and all 13shells have been replaced with newer, lighterboats.

Once upon a time all you needed to participatein House crew was proof of residence and a swimtest.

Now aspiring rowers must complete acertification process to prove their competencybefore they can row on the Charles.

"The idea was to have fewer but moreexperienced crews, but it's actually produced moreinterest," said Suzie Philips, Cabot crew teamhead and intramural tutor.

Although Philips insisted that rowers takeHouse crew quite seriously, the emphasis is onenjoyment.

"We're out here for fun," she said. "We'regetting up at six o' clock in the morning, so itbetter be fun."

During the past few years, House crew hasresisted a general trend of declining studentinterest in intramural athletics.

And if House crew really does run onenthusiasm, they may win the race for studentparticipants in the long run