The rowing’s great on northern Vermont’s beautiful Lake Seymour. Great rehabilitation, great scenery, great fun, too, in a Sea Eagle PaddleSki set up for rowing.

Rose Mini went from injured ex-boater to happy and healthy recreational boater. She credits rowing with her ability to regain shoulder strength and functionality.

Funny how life’s negative experiences can lead to very positive ones. Rose Mini’s story is a great example of turning lemons into lemonade.

“I’ve been a boater since 1985,” Rose told us. “I’d always loved water, the ocean, and fishing.” Getting out on the water was easy for Rose. She owned a 20’ center console fishing boat and lives “right across the street from the Atlantic ocean” in Massachusetts.

“I had no strength, couldn’t handle my big boat.”

Then she suffered a shoulder injury – a torn rotator cuff. “I had no strength and couldn’t really handle my big boat by myself anymore.” That might have been the end of Ms. Mini’s boating adventures. But in a roundabout way, her injury opened the door for her to new and different boating experiences and a whole lot more.

Surgeries, physical therapy…then she started ROWING

“I basically couldn’t function with my injured shoulder,” Rose said. “I had surgery in 2008 and 2009. Then I did a lot of physical therapy and found that rowing is the best rehab exercise I could do for a rotator cuff.”

Rose joined a strength and conditioning program utilized by athletes, police, martial artists, and others who’re serious about fitness. “They have a rowing group and I joined it,” says Rose. “Rowing is high intensity functional movement; it’s metabolic conditioning training. Rowing helped my shoulder. It also helped me lose weight and become more fit.”

Beat half the competitors after just three months of rowing rehab

ROSE GOT HOOKED ON ROWING during her rehabilitation from a torn rotator cuff. Here she’s participating in indoor rowing competition in Boston. “Okay, encouragement is over…I’m about 1700 meters into it and Jane is now ordering me to do another power 10. I give a slight shake of my head and she responds…”Don’t you shake you head at me….GIVE ME A POWER 10!”

Rose’s group doesn’t just row for exercise — they compete with teams from all over the world on indoor, stationary rowing machines. “I participated in competitive rowing in the World Indoor Rowing Championship at Boston University’s Agganis Arena last February,” said Rose. How’d she do? “I did 2,000 meters in 8 minutes and 50 seconds. I came in 16th in a field of 27.” And that’s after only three months of rehab rowing.

She got hooked on rowing

“I ended up loving rowing,” says Rose. “I got into it then discovered the Sea Eagle PaddleSki.” The PaddleSki is a 5-in-1, multi-functional Sea Eagle boat. It can be set up with a sail, with paddles, with a motor, or with rowing oars.

“I googled ‘kayaking’ and found the Sea Eagle website. I was very interested that I could roll up a Sea Eagle inflatable boat and take it anywhere, blow it up and throw it in the water anywhere.”

Then she discovered the Sea Eagle PaddleSki. “I got interested because it wasn’t limited to just one function. I wanted to row, but I liked that it’s big enough I could take people out. I thought ahead to wanting a motor, too.”

“I like that the PaddleSki’s inflatable,” she said. “I can go boating anyplace. The Sea Eagle is a one-time expense, then no more expenses. I inflate and deflate it each time I use it. I don’t have a place to keep a big boat – the PaddleSki deflates and I store it in my house.”

She’d recommend rowing

We asked Rose what she’d tell others who may have the same kind of injury she had. “I’d tell them about my PaddleSki because it’s so easy to do,” she replied. “Kayaking is easy and a great way to rehabilitate.” Of course, with any injury, consult your doctor before beginning any kind of treatment or rehabilitation.

What’s next for Rose, now that she’s strengthened her shoulder, gotten in shape, and has competitive rowing under her belt? “The next thing I want is a paddleboard!”

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