Concept2 Forum

What kind of boat do you row?
Eight,
Four,
Quad
Pair
Double
Single?
Vespoli
Resolute
Empacher
Kashper
Hudson
Van Dusen
Fluid Design
Or what?

I row a Van Dusen single our double. I love those boats (not that I have much to compare with)

You didn't have "Sykes" in your list of boat manufacturers. All the crew boats that I row in are made by "Sykes" . I love the "Sykes" four that I row in. As a crew we seem to be getting great boat speed out of it. I love the feel of their four in the way it sits and runs through the water.

I row in eights, fours and in my own single scull. My favourite boat class would have to be the "fours". They are a nice size and easy enough to match the work ethics of four similar rowers. I don't like eights for that reason because at club level there always seems to be passengers in the boat not pulling their weight or upsetting the balance.

It's pretty hard at club level to find eight evenly matched guys with similar builds, strength, fitness and technique levels. That's why I much prefer the fours.

I also enjoy sculling but after many years of sweap oar rowing trying to master sculling technique is almost like having to learn to row all over again.

Right now it's almost the middle of our rowing season leaving very little time for serious erging.

1x, I train in a Wintech, altho I really enjoyed racing in Hudsons this summer and hope to buy one as soon as I can.
Wow, Sykes, I tried a 2x made by them this summer, one of the hardest to row boats I've ever been in. None of us at camp could get that boat to set.
I would love to get an Empacher someday, but they are so expensive that I think it will be a long time before that happens.

Afterburner wrote:1x, I train in a Wintech, altho I really enjoyed racing in Hudsons this summer and hope to buy one as soon as I can.
Wow, Sykes, I tried a 2x made by them this summer, one of the hardest to row boats I've ever been in. None of us at camp could get that boat to set.
I would love to get an Empacher someday, but they are so expensive that I think it will be a long time before that happens.

Sykes boats are difficult to set but once set they reward you with super fast speed. As quick as Empachers and other top boats. They are also very stiff and durable.

I have rowed in Wintech's top scull the medallist. It was a heavyweight mold but still made min weight of 14kg. Very responsive and so easy to set. We have a brand new Wintech eight in our sheds that the girls row. Unfortunately it's like a wet noodle. Not a very stiff boat at all.

1x
Peinert 26' on calm days
Peinert Dolphin when its rough

Only vespolis. If I had to choose a "good" eight and a "good" four, I would have to choose the eight, just because a good eight feels really good. I've raced in both, but never a four for anything longer than 1500m. I've always wanted to row in another make boat, but so far that hasnt happened. Empacher would have to be at the top of that list though.

Sykes boats are difficult to set but once set they reward you with super fast speed. As quick as Empachers and other top boats. They are also very stiff and durable.

I have rowed in Wintech's top scull the medallist. It was a heavyweight mold but still made min weight of 14kg. Very responsive and so easy to set. We have a brand new Wintech eight in our sheds that the girls row. Unfortunately it's like a wet noodle. Not a very stiff boat at all.

That was the impression I got of the Sykes, if we had gotten it set (we didn't have much time in it) it would have been fast.
I very much agree about the Wintechs, I've had great experiences with their small boats, but have found their big ones rather disappointing.
I row right now in an International model 1x, altho I've spent a lot of time in the Competitor and Racer as well, they're all well built boats. My favorite thing about them is their toughness, those boats can sure take a hit. (believe me, I've tested this unfortunately)
Hopefully in the future they'll improve so their big boats are as good as the small ones. We shall see.

I still don't own my own boat. Here is the club shell I usually grab unless someone beats me to it:



It's an older Vespoli but still has some life left in it. Our club has a couple of Kaschper singles that are quite old and a little "flexy" but still nice. The first shells I used to use were a Mass Aero, then I switched to a Mass24. Those are nice shells. I finally got up my nerve and went out in a lightweight Kaschper. I thought for sure I would flip, having never been in a long, skinny boat before. I was surprised that it felt more stable than the Mass24. I've been in four different Kaschper singles and they all felt fast and easy to set.

If you're wondering about that thing on the dock, I made outriggers out of some scraps of wood and plastic jugs. They are well above the water and away from the oars so they don't affect rowing at all. They attach with some Velcro strips. This is a cold water measure. I am steady and not planning on flipping. However, anyone can flip a shell. The outriggers make the boat close to unflippable. It would really take something unusual to flip. I don't want to go swimming this time of year (I'm in Michigan), assuming I would survive the initial cold shock.

I also do doubles, fours, a quad, and eights now and then. Most of my rowing is in a single, especially this time of year. I don't find many people to row with me.

Byron

I have a 10 year old Van Dusen lightweight Advantage single that I really like but don't get out in enough. I also have a CLC Annapolis Wherry that I built at the Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine. It's a great boat for cruising out and around the islands here in Maine.

-Don

We row on the following boats (all not very new):
8+: SIMS
4+: wooden Empacher (beautyfull boat!!)
4-: Empacher or Wudy
4x: Empacher
2-: Filippi
2x: Aylings
2+: Aylings (it's not our club's boat)
1x: Filippi. I used to row on a wooden Stämpfli which I loved, but we have now sold it

This year I have competed in all boat classes except the 4+, but the ones I row most are 4-, 2- and 1x.

I have "shell envy"!



Byron, you are amazing ... I was unaware you built a set of outriggers. Are they very heavy? How do they change the set of the boat (if they do)?

Also, have you ever seen any that are sold commercially for cold weather training with more safety?

-- Mark

Hi Mark,

I didn't weigh the outriggers but they are very light. It's essentially a thin piece of wood about six feet long and plastic jugs. As I mentioned, they seem to add a little stability.

Alden sells "stabilizers" for a little more than $300. They attach under the oarlocks. I was going to buy a pair so I called a store in Wisconsin that had some. I talked to a guy on the phone and he said the person in charge of that department would call me in an hour or so to discuss details of the shipment, payment, etc. I knew right then that I wouldn't be getting the Alden stabilizers. After all, guys don't ask for directions and guys don't pass on messages, right? Just as well. I don't want them too close to the water and I don't know how much adjustment you have up and down. So I went to the garage while waiting for the phone call and had my first set built, the one in the photo, in about an hour. I mentioned it to some friends in the boat club and they wanted them, so I made a couple more. I made one with a piece of yellow coroplast (sign material) and another with some larger plastic water containers that I trash picked after the Head of the Grand regatta. The outriggers certainly extend the rowing season. For example, today the river is unfrozen and the temperature is in the 30's. That's a perfect temperature for sculling. I wear a lightweight dry pants and dry top, and the outriggers make the shell close to unflippable. As long as the river is not frozen, I can go sculling. There are no power boats, water skiers, bass fishermen, and other riff-raff this time of year. I just about have the river to myself. It's great fun. A couple of friends are also still sculling. You'll notice the flags are not up. Sometime in October the ducks stop trying to get on the dock. The flags will go back up next spring when they start pooping on the dock.




Do you ever make it to East Lansing? It would be fun to go rowing together, in singles or a double.

Byron

mpukita wrote: Also, have you ever seen any that are sold commercially for cold weather training with more safety?

-- Mark

The adaptive rowing program at the Long Beach Rowing Association has pontoon sets that appear to have been commercially made. Not specifically for cold weather use, but for safety in general.

Bob S.

This is likely the Alden outfit that Byron mentioned. They're designed for adaptive rowers, for example people with lower body paralysis who don't have use of the muscles required to set up a boat.

Kinley wrote:This is likely the Alden outfit that Byron mentioned. They're designed for adaptive rowers, for example people with lower body paralysis who don't have use of the muscles required to set up a boat.

Here is another version by Littlerivermarine:

http://www.littlerivermarine.com/images/acc-amas.jpg

Bob S.