Varsity Oar Coat Stand

A Little Varsity Oar Coat Stand Information

The Art of Rowing

You might think that rowing is simply a matter of muscle. Not so! It is an art that requires much practice to really get proficient. Here's some of the many details that make up the fine art of rowing with oars.

When rowing in a race for example, there are many things to keep in mind.

The goal at the start of the race is to get the vessel moving as quickly as possible. Some boats will "flutter" at the start, taking several short quick strokes. One method some of the finer teams employ to get more power is to use a three-quarter, half, three-quarter stroke combination before settling into their full stroke cadence. The idea is to lift the boat out of the water with the first stroke, keep the momentum going with the shorter stroke and then use the third stroke to accelerate into a race rhythm.

At some point in the race, you will probably hear the coxswain's call for a "big-10." The term refers to 10 longer than usual strokes. The move is used to make a charge or counter one by another boat. Teams might only call one or two in a given race because the maneuver is tiring and too many can be like crying wolf.

In the last quarter of the race boats will head into sprint mode. Coxswains will tell the rowers how much to pick up their stroke per-minute by calling "up-two" or "up-three."

There is a lot of debate as to which piece of equipment is most important. You could say that the boat is most important because without a good hull shape and construction, all the fine rowing skills won't really help win the race. You could say that the rower is most important because without his or her skills, even a great boat or great oars won't win the race. But without good oars, you really are up the creek!

To see a salty sailor rowing with oars, please click here!

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