Coxswain Intern Learns Leadership andTeamwork at FloatingThe Apple

I have to admit that when I first joined the rowing team of Brooklyn Tech High School I never thought it would change me as a person. As an intern, the experience went beyond basic rowing. I learned more about leadership and teamwork than I ever did about rowing, which I guess shows how much it can influence someone. As the summer began, I was given the opportunity to become a coxswain, once I had my training that is. It’s a very important role and sometimes, a lot falls in your hand. Whether it was steering into waves so the gig would not get bombarded by water or being able to control your crew so the public could get an amazing view of the Intrepid, there is a lot more to being a coxswain than meets the eye. Fortunately for me, the other interns who are usually our crew are also well taught and usually diligent, thanks to Adina Taylor, who has taught us all to be vigilant.

Arno Hovhannisyan
Floating The Apple, Intern

FLOATING THE APPLE: Located At Pier 84 on the Hudson River in New York City

In the spring of 2009, I arrived at Floating The Apple's Pier 84 boathouse fully expecting to see Mike Davis and go for a row with him. Much to my amazement I reconnected with Adina Taylor at FTA and learned that during the winter - November 2008 Mike had passed away suddenly of a heart attack. I'd known him as a friend and neighbor for many years and like me many others who learned to build boats, row boats, navigate the Hudson and volunteer to keep FTA a free place for the community to do as much, would come to the boathouse to learn the same fateful news.

Floating The Apple, Inc. is a tax exempt 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established and founded in 1992 by the late Mike K. Davis. Adina Taylor yet another long time friend to both the community to Mike K. Davis who had already been working with Mike to establish Floating The Apple - has been diligently and selflessly, giving of her time, attention and resources to keep the relatively new FTA boathouse at Pier 84 fully functioning. Student's from local high schools continue to intern and learn boat building while training in the tradition of FTA to become coxswains, adults volunteer and pass on boat building and community leadership skills. I have no doubt that Mike K. Davis himself would be pleased to know that the tradition he championed is still going strong; that the waterways remain open to the public, the boats he built are still being used to offer the community at large a free opportunities to row the Hudson River, learn how to build, maintain and navigate the Whitehall gigs as he had intended.

Thank you Adina Taylor for carrying on the tradition and thank you Mike K. Davis for sticking to your guns to make sure that the public and people like me who otherwise would not have hand this experience can continue to row on up and down the Hudson River.


Cinti Laird
September 1, 2010


Read what student volunteers and student interns have to say about FTA below.
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Natasha Lo, 17

Queens, NY

September 1, 2010

Floating The Apple. This is the place where one hour is worth countless (hours). The experience is great. Rowing is great. I've never served the community with such joy in a long time.

I've only interned for a month (at Floating The Apple). It's dying weather for an outside activity. Was august the really the best choice to row? Never mind that; the best part was learning so much, in a month. From the second day I went straight to work, learned all the roles from taking the boat in and out, rowing positions, to sitting in the coxswain's seat. Learning hear at Floating The Apple is a loft more fun than regular school education.

For anyone who wants to share their memories with the Hudson River, Floating the Apple is the place to go!

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