About Rowing
Welcome to the ultimate "team" sport - each person rows his/her seat, but it has to be in synch with the rest of the crew or the race is lost. It's as much about concentration as as it is about strength.
There are a number of different boat sizes and configurations. In rowing you will be exposed to a new world of terms and phrases... read below to learn about What to Wear, Boat Terms, The Stroke, The Team and Commands :
What to Wear
Rowing will take place rain or shine and the only reason not to row is 12knot winds or lightning. It can be cold and wet, it can be hot and exhausting. It is essential that all students have the following :
- A reusable water bottle
- a warm change of clothes on land
- socks
- a good pair proper running shoes (we run in warm up)
- water shoes (we will walk the boats into the water)
- compression/spandex shorts - loose gear will get caught in the slide
- polypro shirt – wicks the moisture and keeps you warm
- a windbreaker and warm hat
- where possible avoid cotton on the water – it will get wet and heavy
Boat Terms
Boat Sizes signify the number of rowers (8,4,2,1).
With coxswain(+), without coxswain (-) and sculling (x).
Symbols following the number denote:
Sweep Rowing with one oar | Sculling Rowing with two oars |
coxed pair 2+ coxed four 4+ coxed eight 8+ uncoxed pair 2+ uncoxed four 4+ uncoxed eight 8+ | single 1x
double 2x
quad 4x
octuple 8x coxed single 1x+
coxed double 2x+
coxed quad 4x+
coxed octuple 8x+ |
Bow – the front of the boat as it moves in the water (rowers row backwards and face the stern)
Stern – the rear of the boat
Cox Box - a device which amplifies the coxswain's voice and reports stroke rates and times
Rudder or skeg
- the steering fin on the bottom of the boat in the stern
- controlled by the coxswain in a coxed boat or an oarsmen if not.
Rigger – Apparatus on the side of the boat to provide leverage for the oar
Oarlock – the latch to hold the oar to the rigger
Slide - the tracks in which the seat moves back and forth
Port – the left side of the boat looking to the bow
Starboard– the right side of the boat looking to the bow
Oars – the equipment used to propel the boat
Blade – the face at the end of the oar which pushes the water
The Stroke
The stroke is one repeated fluid motion broken into the catch, the drive, the finish and recovery Take a look at
Triton's Technique Document. There is a great video with excellent comments on
youtube.
Catch – the position where the blade is dropped into the water, rower is all the up the slide with legs compressed
Drive - Part of the stroke where the rower pulls the blade through the water using legs, back and arms to propel the boat.
Finish – the position where the blade comes out of the water and rower is sitting in a layback position
Recovery - Part of the stroke where the rower slowly moves up the slide with arms forward, then body forward and finally compressing the legs to the catch position
Squared – when blade is perpendicular to the water
Feathered – when blade is parallel to the water
The Team
Stroke person (aka stroke or 8 seat in 8+, 4 seat in 4+)
- sternmost rower sets the pace and rhythm
Bow person (aka bow or 1 seat)
1 seat (bow), 2 seat,3 seat, 4 seat, 5 seat, 6 seat, 7 seat, 8 seat (or stroke)
- the names of the rowers from bow to stern
Stern pair – 7 and 8 seats
Bow Pair - 1 and 2 seats
Ports - rowers with port side oars
Starboards - rowers with starboard oars
Coxswain
– the person who calls the commands/drills and motivates the crew. The coxswain sits facing
the bow and can be sitting in the stern (stern-coxed boat) or lying the bow (bow-coxed boat).
Coach - the person chasing the crew in a launch and yelling instructions
COMMANDS
On Land (carrying the boat):
Opposite riggers - stand opposite the riggers
Lay Hold - get a good hold on the side of the boat (usually boat is upside down)
Get an Inside grip - when boat is on water or in slings right side up, get an inside hold
To the waists, ready..... - prepare to bring to waist height
To the shoulders, ready.... - prepare to bring to shoulder height
UP - raise the boat to said position
DOWN - lower the boat to the said position
To high heads, ready... prepare to bring the boat high above the heads
ROLL - when a boat is in the water or on slings it needs to flip over as you lift it to high heads or vice versa as you bring it from high heads down to waist level before putting into the water or slings.
Walk it forward - walk the direction evreyone is facing
Back it - take is back a few steps
Weigh 'nuff - stop immediately
Sidestep to (the boathouse, water, etc) - move the boat sideways towards destination
Swing (bow or stern) to (the boathouse, the water, road etc) - turn the boat so the bow/stern moves closer to the destined point.
At the Dock:
One foot on the edge, get an inside grip - preparation when at high heads on the dock
To the waists, ready, ROLL - roll towards the water and hold at high waists
To the water, way out and in - when lowering the boat to the water, the boat needs to be held with the far side higher than the near side and out over the water to prevent the damage (the coxswain should help potect the skeg.
Count down when ready - whenever the crew has self checking to do the coxswain calls for a count starting from bow ("1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8") in order to move to the next command.
Starboards/ports hold - starboards/ports hold the boat steady
Ports/starboards, roll out your oars - put the port/starboard oars on the water
One foot in and down - one hand holding the oar, the other on the gunnel, place one foot onto the step-in-board in the center and seat yourself. At all costs do not step on the hull/skin of the boat.
All hands on the dock and push off in two........one, two - on the count all rowers push the boat away from the dock. Oars resting on the dock should be raised till on the water.
On Water:
Weigh enough – stop rowing immediately
Ready - preparation call
Ready at the finish/catch - preparation call to sit ready at finish or catch position
Row – all move together with stroke and row
Ports (or starboards) to row/starboard (or port) to back – command to turn the boat
Tie in – put feet in shoes or clogs and tighten
Untie – take feet out of shoes or clogs
Check it down – square the blade in the water and bring the boat to a stop
Hold water – square the blade and drop it in the water to keep the boat from moving
Scull bow/stern to.... (boathouse, dock, destination) - special technique to move boat sideways.