Life in the Bow Seat

Just received this question from a reader:

Hi. I’m a novice oarsman. I’ve been rowing for about a semester and a half now, and until a few days ago I’ve been rowing portside. However, due to new arrangements, I just started rowing starboard in the bow. In the bow, I realized that I’ve been catching quite a few crabs due to the boat not being set whenever I row.
Is it usual for the bow to feel that way? It seemed like I had to push up the oar handle everytime I bring myself up to the catch. And this caused me a lot of trouble. Any suggestions?

Ahh . . . life in the bow seat. It can be a paradise, or a paradox.

What I mean by this is that often it seems that technical issues, especially one’s related to balance seem to magnify themselves in the bow seat. Whether this actually happens or not does not matter as much as it appears that they do. Especially to the person sitting in that seat!

There may actually be technical rowing issues here (especially if you have been rowing only a few months). However, from a mechanical/rigging perspective (which this site is about) I suggest you do some, if not all, of the following steps:

1. Relate to your coach the issue you just described
2. Have the rigging of your rigger checked, specifically the height
3. Realize that balance is a major component of rowing, and something that rowers, and boats filled with rowers, often struggle with this (hmm . . . patience)

I hope these help some, and that you get to the finish line first.

Measuring the Work-Through in a Rowing Shell (Basic Rigging Video)

Work-through is a very interesting measurement, for two reasons. First, it helps determine the position of a rower’s hips in respect to the oarlock pin. Second, there are numerous ways to measure it.

The following video shows my way to measure the work-through of a rigger.

Hope you find it helpful.

Is Your Waterbottle Sinking Your Shell?

. . . it very well could be!

Casey Baker, who has been featured here before, recently wrote to me about damage to the bottom of shells. He has been noticing it due to the hard Nalgene water bottles that many rowers are using. Casey is currently the Southern rep for Resolute Racing Shells and sees a lot of boats at all the races he attends.

According to Casey what causes the problem is that during practices rowers store the bottles in the bottom of the boat. The bottles tend to roll around and if there is any sand or grit the bottle can cause wear that actually goes through the inner skin of the boat.

This can especially be a problem in wade-in launching situations, and also may be an issue in saltwater programs since salt can act as an abrasive, like sand.

A simple solution that Casey recommends is to put a sock around your water bottle. Another is to get a padded water bottle holder and clip it to the heels of your feet.  Pad it and/or prevent it from moving as much as possible.

Casey (and I)  hope this keeps some of you from needing unnecessary repairs!

Thanks Casey!

Measuring Rigger Height in a Rowing Shell (Basic Rigging Video)

The height of a shell’s rigger is important for two basic reasons: efficiency and comfort. When the height is right both of these components are maximized. When the height is off the rower will either be less efficient or uncomfortable, or both.

I recently wrote on how to do a super simple quick rigger-height check while on the water. The following video is about measuring the height while the boat is in slings (although it can be measured while the boat is seats down if you are adventurous).

The steps to measuring are simple, and so are the needed tools. You can go more advanced with tools, such as with the Active Tools rigging stick (which I like) but a basic tape measure and straight edge is really all you need.

Hope this video helps, and if you have questions or comments please leave them below.

Measuring The Stern Pitch Of A Rowing Shell’s Rigger (Basic Rigging Video)

For the next installment of our Basic Rigging Videos we present how to measure the stern pitch.

Stern pitch is basically the angle the oarlock pin has towards the stern of the boat. Since most oarlocks today come with pitch in them we measure the stern pitch with the oarlock on the oarlock pin. This is done, measured, with a pitch meter.

There are many pitch meters available, and I plan on a review of some of those in a later post, but for this video I use a meter made by Bill Leavitt. Bill has made some very handy rigging tools and is a wonderful coach (since retired). If you have a chance to try one of his pitch meters, I suggest you take advantage of it. They are simple, and work well.

There are a few steps you should take before measuring to help you get the best readings:

1. Put the boat in a safe spot, in good slings, so not to worry about it falling over
2. Make sure the oarlock is clean and not worn
3. Take the measurements in a place where you have enough light, and space, to read the meter and move at your own pace.

I’ve measured the pitch in a wide variety of places, and even with the boat upside down. You can do that (although you probably don’t want to make a habit of it) and get a good reading but it takes a steady hand and experience. If you are just starting out find a quiet place that is has good light, and take your time. Double check your work.

You do not need to worry about the boat being level from bow to stern, it can be at an angle. But for accurate readings the boat should be level from side to side.

The video explains the basics.

If you have questions, please leave a comment, or go to the Submit Question page.

Hope you find it helpful.

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Measuring The Spread In A Rowing Shell (Basic Rigging Video)

If I had to pick the one rigging number I feel is most important to a rower—in terms of the equipment—I would pick the spread.

To me the spread is the foundation that the house is built upon. If it is not correct then regardless of how well the house is built from that point up soon there will be problems, most likely major ones.

For you scullers out there who are getting ready to tune out this post I will say, “Read on!” Scullers need to know how to measure spread also. Although you use span (the distance from one pin to another) the only way to tell if the pins are equal distance from the centerline of the boat, and not skewed to one side or another, is to use spread.

The nice thing about spread is that it is also one of the easiest measurements to find. With a regular tape measure you can take your measurement in a matter of seconds, regardless of the position of the boat (guts-up or guts-down).

The following video will give you the lowdown, and here is a quick step-by-step procedure:

1. measure the width of the shell at the rigger position where you desire to measure the spread
2. divide that number by 2 (one reason the Metric systems rocks!)
3. take that number and place the tape on the gunwale at that mark on the tape
4. extend the tape out to the pin
5. find your spread mark where the pin intersects the tape

Give the short video a watch for some tips and to see it in action.

Questions? Leave a comment.

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Cheers!

Nine Different Steps For Improving An Erg Score

Rowing wise man Allen Rosenberg chimed in the other day when asked by someone how to improve an erg score. These steps were taken from that discussion. Although not length, their might be insight in here for you.

1)    Get into the mood: have no hesitancy or recriminations about working the erg. Shed the workaday stuff during the time well before the sitting down.

2)    Fuel up: don’t skip breakfast on the days you workout

3)    Fuel up again: snack 3-4 hours before work time with nuts, fruits whole grains and above all strong tea about 30 minutes before.

4)    Use high-test fuel: make sure your diet is rich in carbohydrates and proteins which, when combined, will release glucose and tyrosine for energy.

5)    Stress free: pay attention to being stress-free immediately before the work by checking  heart rate and staying close to normal resting.

6)    Control your surroundings: make your surrounding clean, pleasant smelling and not too cool or too warm, and make use of moving air using a fan for circulation, make use of pleasant sights and sounds with audio and/ or video tapes.

7)    Be special: treat yourself as someone special. Wear  fresh, clean workout gear.

8)    Get wet: hydrate all day well before the workout. Hydrate after the cool down.

9)    Plan: thoroughly plan workout well ahead so that you can (and  will subliminally think through the workout )

Allen Rosenberg is one of the best known rowing coaches in the world. I hope that he will continue to share his wisdom here. To read more about Allen click here.

Care to share your suggestions about improving an erg score . . . please use the comment box below.

Port vs. Starboard

I thought you might find this article of interest. It was published in the NY Times, in 1922. I stumbled upon it while doing some research. I have forgotten the source. If anyone knows of it, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.

Novel Rowing Test Planned At Ithaca
Cornell Crew Coach to Experiment with Starboard and Port-Stroked Eights

ITHACA, N.Y., April 8, 1922— Which is the more effective type of rowing, starboard or port stroking? Coach John Hoyle thinks a good case can be made out for starboard pacemaking, despite the fact that most of the college crews today are paced by port oarsmen, and he hopes to settle the question by an actual test next Fall.

Seven out of eight men are right-handed, Coach Hoyle estimates, and this gives starboard men the greatest leverage on their strongest arms. This situation, he argues, gives the starboard side of a crew an advantage.

Read more

Rigger Top Stay Question

I received the following question from Jessica:

Mike,
I just finished Nuts and Bolts but couldn’t find an answer to a question that I’ve wondered about for a long time. What’s the right degree of tension to put into an adjustable backstay? It seems like every time I put one on, there is tons of room left to adjust it and get a “snug” fit.

Is there a rule of thumb to follow? Should there be some outward tension from the adjustable bolt to steady it against the hull?

Jessica—great question. Let’s see if this helps.

The top stay is an important piece of a rigger and has a main function of helping to secure the oarlock and pin in place. There are some very formidable forces placed on an oarlock pin during the drive, and the top stay helps the pin from deflecting towards the bow of the boat.

On some sculling boats you might notice that there is no top stay, and that basically is due to lesser forces on the pin in sculling than in sweep rowing.

I suggest that you do the following steps:

1. With the top stay off set the pin/oarlock with the pitch and height desired
2. Put the top stay on, securing it to the boat and to the correct place on the pin
3. Gently snug the top stay up against the pin
4. Tighten up all fasteners, and go row

With the top stay snug it will be able to do its job. One way you can tell if you have done this correctly, and also to tell if your pin may have slipped, is to take the top stay off after the boat is rowed. If it comes of easily with no force needed then you’ve done a good job. If it is difficult to get off, possibly due to the nut or bolt attaching it to the pin being hard to turn, you may have too much or too little tension in it. (Or as I noted the pin might have slipped.) In either case just do the above steps again.

I hope that helps. And readers chime in if you have any thoughts you care to add.

How To Rig For A Different Size Partner (sculling)

When one is big, and the other is small, what should you do?

I just recently received the following email from Patrick, about rigging for different size rowers.

Hi Mike,

I’m wondering, I’m trying to rig a double up for my partner and myself to race in. I’m 5’11” and he’s somewhere around 6’4”. We’re rowing in a Wintech double so the adjustments have been pretty easy so far.
I raised my seat to its highest potential and moved my stretchers about 1/2 in up, but our angles are still off, people have been telling me to move my pins in and his pins out but I am not sure how much is too much or how much is enough.
Was wondering if you could give me some insight on this. Hope to hear from you soon.

Patrick brings up one of the most frequently asked questions I get from rowers who really want to get the most from their equipment: “What if I am a different size from my partner, what can I/we do?” This is not an easy one to answer. However there are some steps he can take to find a solution that may work for you.

Read more

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