Rowing innovations from the Charles

Taking a quick spin around the vendor’s area at the Head of the Charles reinforced innovation in rowing is far from dead.

Numerous creatives were displaying some pretty cool stuff, and that in itself made the trip worth the investment.

Below are snaps of several things being displayed. [Drat, I don't have links. Apologies.]

Even though I had a chance to play with most, I’m withholding editorial until I actually get more hands on time.

More thoughts to come.

And you? What did you see?

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11 Timeless Rigging Techniques

As long as people have been rowing there has been rigging.

From those ancient Roman galleys to today’s technological wonders, a boat being rowed  needed someone to rig it.

Over time certain rigging techniques have proven themselves invaluable. These techniques make the job of rigging easier and more effective.

While the following list may seem very basic, these 11 strategies are used today because they really work.

Learn The Correct Way

As with most things in life there are correct methods and wrong methods to rig rowing equipment. To save time, effort, busted knuckles, and heartache—learn the correct ways.

Simple enough.

Of course, once you’ve learned the correct methods feel free to experiment and try shortcuts, but until you’ve got the correct ways down-pat you should . . .

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Secret Rowing Weapon #4: How to trim your shell’s hull

The last post focused on determining if you might have a problem with the trim of your shell’s hull. Here are a few solutions to try if you do have a problem.

A hull that is not properly trimmed is neither as effective nor as efficient as it could be. In essence, energy is being wasted.

Here are four solutions that you can use to trim your hull. Generally speaking, if the boat is out-of-trim it is better to have a hull slightly bow-heavy rather than stern-heavy. The key word there is slightly.

Not everyone will agree with this, but a stern-heavy boat is similar to a coach launch at half speed.  It makes a bigger wake as it pushes through the water—and that means the rowers are paying a price.

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Secret Rowing Weapon #3: Is your hull trimmed?

(This post is cowritten with Casey Baker, from Resolute Racing Shells.)

The trim of a shell is an interesting measurement. Interesting mainly because few rowers pay attention to it. Really interesting because it is a place where you can pick up some quick speed with very little effort.

The trim is how level the boat is when it is sitting in the water. The goal of properly trimmed shell is to have the boat as close to level as possible throughout the entire stroke cycle. All things equal, a properly trimmed boat will be faster than a shell that is not trimmed.

When people are added to a shell the trim will change. And with moving seats, and moving mass, the trim of your boat will even change during the stroke. And significant differences can slow you down.

Many rowers and coaches have placed little if any focus on a shell’s trim. And because of this the trim could be a secret weapon for you.

To utilize your new secret weapon, you should first determine if your hull’s trim is where you need it. Try these two methods to determine if your trim is right for you.

Method #1: Quick Method

Put your boat in the water. Then put your rowers in. Take a 3-foot-long level and put it on the gunwale. Have the rowers come to the catch. Then have the rowers come to the finish, and then sit at the mid drive. Notice the reading of the level in all three positions.

How were the readings?

At the mid drive, was the level centered? At the catch was there a slight stern drop? At the finish, a slight bow drop? If any of those readings were off more than just slightly you might have an issue.

If from this quick test, you think you have a problem, then you should probably adjust your trim (and I’ll discuss that in the next post). If you want more specific information about how severe your trim-issue might be, try this . . .

Method #2: Advanced Method

Get some pinstriping tape, black in the case of a white boat, about 1/8” thick, and make three hash marks with the tape on the bow and stern of the boat just like you would see on a ship. This tape is wrapped around the bow, as well as the stern to show on both sides of the boat.

Make the top and bottom pinstripe 1cm above and below the middle stripe. Also make the middle stripe the longest, like 2” on each side and the upper and lower stripe shorter, like 1 ½ inches. You can set the marks from an empty boat in dead flat water, or with a crew loaded in the boat. The goal is to have the marks give you your indication of trim both bow and stern.

Now put your team in the boat, and have them row. What are you noticing on the trim markers? Significant drop to bow or stern? These markers will not only give you an idea of whether you have a problem, but how significant the issue might be.

In the next post I’ll go over two of the more popular ways to trim the hull in your shell.

Until then, let us know of any thoughts you have. Just leave a comment below.

Secret Rowing Weapon #2: Your bow number

I know, I know . . . bow numbers as secret weapons? Get a grip, right??

I’m serious. A bow numbers can be a secret weapon, if you know how to make the most of them.

They (bow numbers) are one of the most forgotten and abused pieces of rowing equipment. That is, after a shell trailer. The life of a bow number basically sucks, stuck in a box or some nasty place only to be yanked out and called upon to get there (the finish line) first, and then thrown back in the box again.

If you’re in a big race and you lose your bow number—think you might have an issue? You betcha. More than one race outcome has been compromised due to a crew not having a bow number in the right place at the right time.

This video has a few tips to help you make your bow number a secret weapon. Just don’t tell your competitors.

Anything to add? Chime in below . . .

4 Sure Fire Ways To Kill A Power Megaphone, And How To Make Sure They Don’t Happen To You

One thing I am really good at, I mean really really good at, is breaking power megaphones.

Heck, I don’t break them—I kill them.

And I suspect a bunch of you do also.

In this 5 minute video post, I discuss the top four ways I kill megaphones, and steps we’ve taken to reduce the deaths.

What about you? Have a good megaphone story you would like to share in the comment section below?

[I've been asked what megaphones we use, and we typical use Radio Shack's 25 watt model. However, we have had a hard time getting those of late. Here is a similar model from Amazon, that seems to be the exact same make. 25 Watt Piezo Dynamic Megaphone with Detachable Coil Cord Mic (This is an affiliate link.)]

Quick Fix For An Oarlock

Sometimes stuff happens, especially during a race.

In this case the little doohicky on the end of the oarlock gate came off. It did not muck up the race but it certainly could have caused a problem. With only a little time before the next race I needed to do a quick repair.

Here is how that played out.

If you happen to know what that little knob is actually called, I would appreciate it if you would let me know. It’s been really bugging me . . .

Sometimes things (in rowing) get stuck . . .

Sometimes things in rowing get stuck.

To get them *unstuck* sometimes you need more torque.

To get more torque sometimes you need more leverage.

To get more leverage sometimes it helps to have a bigger tool.

Remember, this is just *sometimes*.

Not always.

3 Problems Areas to Watch for In Your Rowing Shell

I made this short video a few months ago, after a rash of problems while on the water.

Little things that were not quite right were taking away from practice time. I note here the three most common ones.

I know there are many more things that can (and WILL) go wrong.

Care to share some of your problem areas with us?

The number one thing to do before you launch your crew to race.

I recently had the chance to ask several cool rowing coaches this question:

What is the most important equipment thing you do before you launch your crew to race?

Here are their responses.

Notice any common themes?

Here is the list of those coaches:

• Ashleigh Genevich, Washington College
• Mike Hughes, United States Naval Academy
• Chris O’Brien, Philadelphia University
• Laura Ratz, University of Delaware
• Nicky Stimpson, United States Naval Academy
• Peter Wells, Williams College
• Dr. Gavin White, Temple University
• Steve Kish, Bucknell University

Classy group. Thanks coaches!

And what do you do? Let us know below . . .

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