Eton Racing Boats (commonly referred to as ERB) is a manufacturer of racing boats for rowing, based in Eton, United Kingdom. The company was founded by Eton College, who also funded the construction of the Dorney Lake development.
The company ceased trading on Friday 16 February 2007[1]. This sudden end to the company is rumoured to be a knock-on effect from insufficient profits. Eric Sims continues to offer equipment supplies via a separate outlet.
The company website claims that "boats from the Eton workshops have frequently won Henley medals and world championships". The firm also manufactures and sells a range of accessories and other products for the sport, including outriggers, megaphones, coaching launches and pontoons, as well as providing maintenance services.
Boatbuilding has taken place in the area since the 1800s, with composite racing boats introduced in 1994. Since then, the company has developed its range of boats to include eights, fours, pairs and singles, available in a range of colours and different types for training and racing.
There has been some criticism of the service provided by Eton Racing Boats in recent years on internet forums such as Talk Rowing and the rec.sport.rowing newsgroup. The price of the boats and the quality of the build are often brought into question, and the cost of repair work is sometimes criticised.