LAWRENCE — The spring rowing season got off to a roaring start Saturday, as about 50 oarspeople converged on the Abe Beshara Boathouse and stroked for more than 300,000 meters. That's just about 200 miles, a trip as far as Portland, Maine, and back.

The rowers, mostly teens with some adult team members participating, didn't go out on the mighty Merrimack River. Although spring has sprung, water temperatures are still frigid.

Instead, all of the rowing was done on the 18 rowing machines or ergometers on the second floor of the boathouse, located at the end of Eaton Street in South Lawrence on the Merrimack.

The purpose of all that rowing, according to Ellen Minzner, new executive director of the Greater Lawrence Community Boating Program, was to raise money to buy a new eight-person racing boat. The program now has three eight-person training boats and five four-person racing boats.

Minzner, who has competed in five world championship competitions for the U.S. Rowing Team and won gold medals in 1995 and 1995, estimates they may have raised as much as $8,000. Each participant obtained pledges for his or her rowing effort.

The money raised will also be used for scholarships, she said.

Each participant logged 8,000 meters on an ergometer. That's just short of five miles.

Among those logging that distance Saturday were four, 15-year-old Andover High School freshman girls, who are members of the Greater Lawrence rowing team.

They're looking forward to races of 1,500 and 2,000 meters this spring. Come fall, the races will expand to two or three miles.

These races, of course, will either be on the Merrimack or other bodies of water.

So what are the attributes of a good rower?

"Determination," said Carmen Antohi.

"A positive attitude," said Hannah Osborne and Tori Kulungian.

"The ability to focus and strength," said Lauren Walsh.

The Greater Lawrence team, which boasts rowers from Andover, Methuen, North Andover, Haverhill and Salem, N.H., high schools, competes against the Essex Rowing squad, which is from the Merrimack Valley, Community Rowing of Boston, and other teams from Somerville, Malden, Newman Prep and New Hampshire.

Also helping to raise money were Dimitri Roumeliotis, 16, an Andover High School sophomore, and Travis Goodrum, 14, of Methuen, an eighth-grader at St. Michael School in North Andover.

Dimitri has competed on the Greater Lawrence team for five seasons and hopes to row on a college team, possibly for Northeastern University. He rowed his 8,000 meters in 32 minutes, 37 seconds.

Was he satisfied with that time.

"Yes," said Dimitri, who calls rowing "the ultimate team sport."

Travis did his workout in 39 minutes, 8 seconds. He said he was "kind of satisfied."

Will he ever close the gap on his friend Dimitri?

"I hope so," he said.

Minzner said she plans to start a Sea Scout program at the boathouse. While Sea Scouts are affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, both boys and girls will be permitted to join the local program, which has already been designated as Ship 2.

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