I notice more and more rowers enduring over-compression at the catch. Might be caused by longer tracks, or muscle weakness, or a bunch of other things. Regardless, there is an optimal angle that should occur between the upper and lower leg at the catch. That angle is typical somewhere between 48-52 degrees. That depends on […]
What Gives With Rowing Shells?
A new rower wandered around the boathouse, looking at the rowing shells He looked half stunned and he came over and asked, “What gives with these boats?” He didn’t want to know about oars. Or slings. Or anything else. He just wanted to know about the rowing shells. They overwhelmed him. I get it. For a […]
How To Unlock The Secrets Of Your Rowing Shell
Your rowing shell is keeping secrets from you. Important secrets…things you need to know. And there’s a simple way to learn those secrets. Your Rowing Shell’s Hull Identification Number Your shell has a hull identification number (HIN). Its also frequently called the “boat serial number.” The HIN is a 12 character that identifies your specific […]
11 Foundation Rigging Techniques for Rowing Equipment
As long as there has been rowing equipment, there’s been the need for someone to adjust, test, repair, and clean it. Those actions are what we lovingly call “rigging.” Over time, certain rigging techniques have proven themselves invaluable. These techniques are the foundation of rigging, and they make the job easier, simplier, and more effective. Following […]
Getting faster by testing your rigging numbers
If you’ve hung around here for more than five minutes you know that I’m a HUGE advocate of testing rigging numbers. Why Testing Rigging Numbers Is Important I get asked quite often, “Why is testing? Why should I do it?” Fair enough, and I have two thoughts on that. The first: test because you want to […]
Rowing and Lightning
Friend Chris Partridge just posted a thoughtful post about rowing, thunderstorms, and lightning on his blog. It is short, but thoughtful, and worthy of 3 minutes to read. Since this is the season for fireworks (at least in the States) I thought it appropriate to share.
17 Warning Signs That Your Rigging Stinks
If you’ve been at this sport long enough odds are good that you have a handle on your rigging. You’re good with the equipment; you treat it well; and the equipment is there for you when you need it. But how do you really know your rigging is good? You’ll never really know for sure, […]
A new weapon for your coaching and rigging arsenal—Plan B.
Okay, riddle me this . . . what do you do when you have a plan to get something done—and that plan doesn’t work? For instance, you’re driving your trailer full of shells to an important race. The race site is only 1 hour away, you’ve got plenty of time . . . and then your […]
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 […]
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 […]
