BOATS

Shells are made of carbon fiber or honeycombed fiberglass.  All sculls are shells, but not vice versa.  People who have two oars in the water are called scullers.  You can row by yourself with two oars in a single (1X), with one other person in a double (2X), or with three others in a quad (4X).  People with only one oar are sweep rowers.  The normal configuration of a sweep boat has oars alternating between right and left, or starboard and port sides of the boat.  Sweep rowers come in pairs (2), fours (4), or eights (8).  They may have a coxswain, in which case they are called a pair with coxswain (2+), or a four with coxswain (4+).  The coxswain is the on-the-water coach who also steers the boat.  Pairs and fours also come without coxswains (2-, 4-).  The eight always has a coxswain (8+).

STRATEGY

Continuous motion:  Rowing motion should be a continuous, fluid motion.

Synchronization:  Rowers strive for perfect synchronization.

Clean catches of the oar blade:  A lot of splash means the oars aren't entering the water correctly.  The catch should occur at the very end of the recovery, when the hands are as far ahead of the rower as possible.

Even oar blade feathering:  As the blades are brought out of the water, they should move horizontally at the same height, just above the water.

Consistent speed:  Shells move the slowest at the catch, quickest at the release.  A good crew times the catch at the right moment to maintain the speed of the shell.

Stokes per minute:  Stroke rates vary from boat to boat depending on the number of rowers and sizes of athletes.  At the start, the stroke rate will be higher - 40 to 44 stokes per minute for an eight, 36 to 40 for a single.  The rate will settle at the middle of the race to 32 to 36 for an eight, 28 to 32 for a single.  Finishing stroke rates can go as high as 46 for Olympic rowers.

OARS

Oars move the boat through the water and act as balancers.  Sweep oars - 12' to 13' long, are approximately two feet longer than sculling oars.

THE STROKE

The whole body is involved in moving the shell through the water.  Although rowing looks like an upper-body sport, strong legs are really more important.  There are four parts to the rowing stroke:  Catch, Drive, Finish, and Recovery, and they all flow together in smooth continuous, powerful movement.