According to Irish legend, Christopher Columbus did not discover North America.

That distinction belongs to St. Brendan, who did it in a currach.

Currachs (kur uck) have been navigating the Atlantic Ocean since 100 B.C. and this weekend they take Irish Fest by storm in three regattas.

Though currachs are often compared to crew, Irish Currach Club of Milwaukee member Kristen Sheuing points out some major differences.

"As opposed to a crew boat, our seats are fixed, so we are really using the whole body -- pushing up through the heels, legs, core, shoulders and arms," Sheuing says.

Originally used for fishing and transportation between the Aran Islands, currachs seat four people, are 25 feet long and are made of wood, usually ash or oak, and covered with canvas skins. The paddles on the ends of the oar are narrower for navigating in choppy oceans. Also unique to rowing a currach is that the rowers face backwards, while a captain turns his or her head and calls out directions.

Many currach club members have become involved to honor the Irish tradition.

"It is really cool to me that the design is centuries' old -- that this is the boat that has been used in coastal Ireland for a long time," says Sheuing. "Since ours is a racing boat, some modifications have been made -- it is a little more narrow, for example, than traditional currachs -- but the integrity of the boat is much the same."

Others appreciate the athleticism or enjoy the social aspect of rowing. The club participates in eight annual regattas during a season that spans from May through October. With eight currach clubs in the U.S., a majority of which are located on the East Coast, competitive club members do a lot of traveling.

Adding to the competitive spirit is the Irish Fest regatta and Milwaukee's club has set its sights on defending its title. Teams from across the country will be at the Irish Fest grounds from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday to compete in events ranging from one man/woman to four women/men.

The winner gets to drink Jameson whisky from the trophy, so who wouldn't want to win?

Concentration, power, balance and coordination with the other rowers are key to managing the currachs. Keeping four rowers in synch with each other is a challenge, with buoy turns being the trickiest.

"With two oars that span about 25 feet, including the width of the boat, it is very easy to tangle up," says Sheuing. Your oars end up in another boat, their oars are in your boat, and there's a lot of ducking and frantic swinging of oars trying to get untangled."

If that sounds like fun, also check out the two regattas on Sunday. There will be an open regatta from noon to 3 p.m. for anyone who wants to give the competition a try. And a police versus fire department regatta will be held at 3 p.m. to commemorate the Irish community's losses in the 1892 Third Ward fire.

Milwaukee's currach club meets Sunday through Thursday at McKinley Marina and welcomes new members.