Super-Simple Height Check for Your Shell’s Rigger

Recently Rob submitted this question:

Hi Mike,

I have a question regarding rigger heights. We are a men’s masters crew and as you would expect there is a wide variance in body shapes and sizes.

How would you set up the boat? Would you work on an average height or set up each individual rower?

For example our stoke is 6 ft 3 inches but the average height would be 5ft 10 inches. From my perspective I am 5 ft 9 with short legs and long body, so I sit quite high in the boat and find drawing up to my sternum at the finish difficult at times. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Rob, good question. Here is what I suggest:

I would certainly have rigger heights set per the person, when you get to the stage of knowing who rows where. Easiest (and best) way is to do a height check when you first launch. Following are those steps:

• Have bow 4 set boat
• Stern 4 go to finish position, blades square in water
• Make sure that the blades are buried as you want the finish to be set
• The outside arm should be parallel to the surface of the water. If the wrist is above the elbow, probably too high. If the wrist below elbow, probably too low.
• Then have stern 4 set, and check the bow 4
• Adjust riggers accordingly, and take a test row.

Yes this sounds super simple, and for the most part it is.

Measuring your riggers in the boat bay works well but it doesn’t account for the crew’s average weight not being the same as the average weight that the builder made the boat to carry. This simple Height Check accounts for that and has proven itself over the year.

Good luck, and Row Slow!