A post yesterday on Row2k got me thinking about this. Rowing equipment can go wrong at any race, and it certainly can at the BIG races, such as the World Championships or the Olympics.

Sometimes the results of those equipment failures can be small, such as a short equipment delay or a restart of a race.

Other times they can be devastating, such as this example. A high-tech, wonderful shell can certainly be stopped dead by a 49 cent fastener.

If you have a chance, check out a rowing coach while her race is coming down the course. It might look like she is holding her breath.

Now you know one reason why.

The fasteners (nuts and bolts) on my rowing shells used to worry me a lot. In fact, they kept me up at night.

Why?

Because I was never sure that they were tight enough.

Why should that bother me?

Well, two reasons. First, not tight enough and something comes apart—like a rigger at the 500-meter mark. It has happened, and races—some BIG races—have been lost because of it.

Second, too tight and something gets broken (like the boat).

In an attempt to sleep better, I observed coaches to see what they did.

I found that most just guessed. They put a wrench on, turned it a few times, and that was that. That system didn’t help my sleeplessness.

Continue Reading »