Scullers . . . this one is for you!

In sculling span is a very critical measurement. It tells the distance between the port and starboard pins. This is an important dimension of determining the leverage of the boat (how heavy or light it will feel).

Many scullers just stop once they get their span measurement, but there is a need to go one step further. The distance of the pin from the centerline of the boat needs to be equal on both sides.

In other words:

Span is really not very helpful without also knowing the spread.

This short video will explain how to do both. It was requested by a reader (whose name I cannot find . . . sorry). Thanks greatly!

Have a different method, or got a question or comment? You can leave it below.

Row Slow . . . and get more out of life!

I received this question the other day from Casandra.

Hi Mike: I am 2 seat in a lightweight women’s eight…but we have to row in a men’s boats. This is a really basic question; How do we determine where our foot stretchers should be positioned?

Thanks for the question Casandra. Let’s try a detailed view first, then a quick possible solution.

For Really Novice Rowers (Really novice)
For those rowers just starting out, placement of the footstretcher can be a great teaching tool. Often coaches will put the stretchers at a point where the rowers can use the track’s sternmost stops as a teaching device, so that they don’t over- or under-compress. The feet are placed so that the rowers will almost hit the stops just at the catch. If they go too far, wham, and they stop. For good or for bad, it does help teach.

For Rowers Looking For Comfort
In the past many rower’s calves really suffered greatly from the effect of either the seat track or boat deck digging into them at the end of each stroke. One method of relief was for the rower to move the footstretcher greatly stern-ward, to give the legs more room at the end of the stroke. More room, less digging into the calves. Newer shells with adjustable tracks usually don’t present this problem.

Rowers Looking For Speed
More experienced rowers, which it sounds like that might be you, are looking for something different. They are looking for speed. They want to place the stretchers in the correct position to maximize the energy that is put into the oar.

And it is important where they are placed. The reason being is that placement is about the distance the hip of the rower is located, at the catch, in reference to the pin. And the faster the boat, then the further through the pin (greater the distance that the hips are stern-ward).

Rowers looking for speed will tend to place their footstretchers according to either

1. shin angle to water’s surface
2. work through
3. catch length
4. catch angle

Each of those methods become more involved in terms of the mechanics of determining the correct placement of the stretchers.

Down and Dirty
So, with all that written, what should you do?

If you are sharing the boat with a men’s team, or any other group, then I would suggest that you place the footstretchers in a position where your shins are just shy of perpendicular to the water, at the catch. That might be about the best you can expect when sharing a boat, unless it is rigged specifically for you.

If you are not sharing the boat, it is just your team in it, then I suggest that the boat be rigged off of leverage numbers picked for your group. (You can find suggestions here.) From there use work through. Probably for lightweight women you may be looking at a range of 6 to 10 cms, as measured by the method on my numbers page.

Once you have set the feet, do some testing. Have a SpeedCoach? Great, test away. If not, then use a stop watch.

Adjust, test, readjust until satisfied.

(If you are interested in catch length and catch angle I cover those in my book, and the details are probably too lengthy for a blog post.)

This post is another in the Basic Rigging Video series of how to take basic measurements of a shell.

Knowing how long your oar is, and the length of your inboard, are two very important pieces of information that you need to have to rig your shell properly. Without that info you really put your rowing efficiency and effectiveness at risk.

As important as having the measurements is, knowing how to measure them correctly is just as important. Although simple to do, many people have difficulty with getting correct readings.

The short video below shows how I measure both oar length and inboard. The audio is a little low in spots. Still, I hope you find it helpful.

Have suggestions on ways to improve this, or your own way of measuring? Please share in the comment box below.

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.

And so you don’t miss any video posts subscribe to my RSS feed.

Cheers!

Recently Susan submitted this question about oar length:

I just received your “Nuts & Bolts guide…” from Amazon.com I bought the book because I’m getting alot of conflicting feedback about my rigging.

When I learned to scull, it was in a VanDusen racing 1x with club rigging: 160 spread, 289/88 C II big blades. My technique is good, but I’m not very strong (hence the reason why I work technique). I now own a 2004 Hudson LWT 1x. I have not been able to use these same rigging settings on my Hudson. I cannot get to the pin to save my life.

I’ve been playing around with measurements. I still have a 160 spread, but had to shorten my oars to about 287 with an 87.5 inboard on C II smoothies. I’m almost at the pin, but the boat is feeling heavier.

I looked at the chart in Chapter 15 of your book and I have to say that I’m even more confused. I’ve never seen scull lengths over 290. In fact, when I looked at Volker Nolte’s charts (Rowing Faster) and at the recommendations given for Fluidesign, they had me moving the oars shorter, citing a difference between the CII smoothie and big blade sculls.

What’s a good length and does the particular blade type make a difference?

Susan:

A great question. There certainly is a relationship between blade type and oar length. The physics of why can be tedious, but if you would like some insight into how blade shape, design, and length all work together you may want to check out this page.

Back to your question . . . as blade shapes have morphed into new shapes, blade lengths typically have shortened. In your case, going from a CII Big Blade to a CII Smoothie, you should shorten your blade only about 1 cm or so. Now this is based on CII’s testing, and is just a guideline. It looks like that is what you did. Please refer to the chart below for some guidance.

Here is the secret of selecting the correct rigging adjustments for you—testing. Slow, methodical testing can get you where you want to go. I would suggest that where you are now with your lengths might fine, and your inboard seems okay. I would not go any wider with your span (you are at 160 now). I would suggest that you might try testing your work-through.

I have noticed that scullers seem to have difficulty finding the right work-through measurement for them. (This is the distance from a perpendicular through the pin to a perpendicular across the front stops.) Scullers tend to need negative work-through with their hips at or behind the pin.You can make this adjustment on the water by moving the footstretchers. (Please refer to the book for more into on this).

Here is what I would do (on a no- or low- wind day).

1. Set up a SpeedCoach for average pace (the average is taken from the moment you hit “Start” until you hit “Stop”. You can use GPS. More on that in a later post.
2. Row 300-500 meters
3. Take average speed of piece
4. Make slight adjustment to footstrechters
5. Row and average piece again
6. Repeat a few times with small adjustments
7. Compare averages of each piece, noting footstretcher placement

This information should give you some insight into your hip placement against the pin. Also, record how you “feel” after each piece. These subjective evaluations are also important for someone who has rowed as long as you.

Try this and let us know what you come up with.

Readers, anyone want to pipe in for suggestions for Susan?

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.

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