Hand levels, setting the boat, and the recovery

[Sb13ky]

I have been rowing on the water now for about 4 months. Mostly in a single and double. I am really struggling with the recovery and my hand position. I have my oarlocks at even levels for washers. My coach has me leading with my left hand and my right follows behind. I am having a bit of trouble with this. I see a lot of rowers stack the hands with left over right. Do people accomplish by having one washer lower on the oar lock? I also see a lot of rowers when they tap down at the finish the right hand is lower. I feel like if I do that I can’t get the set of the boat. Can anyone help me understand this? Thanks!

[Tsnor]

think you are talking sculls, not sweeps rowing.

the oarlocks on sculls are set up to allow one hand over the other. I'm a sweeps rower so not the person to talk to, but I am sure the oarlock setup is different. And at least for the scullers at our club its left hand over right hand, not one in front of the other. Then move to a more neutral position once you can. Note thumbs are on the end of the oars, not wrapped around the handle. Good luck.

this may help, but check with your coaches before you mess with the boats rigging.

https://www.concept2.com/service/oars/rigging-concepts

"(Sculling) You can row with your left hand over your right had without colliding at the middle of the stroke.
There is differential in the height of your oarlocks so you can row with your left hand over your right hand, as is customary throughout the rowing community. If your hands tend to collide at the middle of the stroke, or if your boat is constantly down to the port side, you may need to increase the height differential between your right and left hands. This differential commonly ranges from 1.5 cm to 0.5 cm."

[jamesg]

If you're the only one using the boat, you can have the boatman rig as you like. But usually the gate to your left (starboard seen from the stern) is an inch or so higher, since righthanders scull left over right. In any case relax, you'll soon get used to what happens. Being able to take a full force full length stroke with no fear of swimming, takes a little practice even on dead flat water.

Even this bloke has the occasional wobble:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20rSoTo8fQA

[Cyclist2]

But usually the gate to your left (starboard seen from the stern) is an inch or so higher,

Not quite an inch. Rigging charts and my own experience says about a centimeter higher on starboard (left hand oarlock).

It's not purely "left over right". Even with an inch difference, there isn't enough room to do that and keep the boat set. You have to nest the hands slightly. Most coaches teach that the right hand leads the left, but either way is fine.

Most people tend to have the port side (right hand) down, me included. The reason is the left-over-right thing forces the port oar lower. That's why you have to nest the hands - to get the port oar higher. I've mounted a small level near my feet to help remind me to set the boat properly, but after a while and enough practice you'll get the feel for it.

As jamesg notes, even the elite rowers are constantly working on this, so don't get discouraged. There are lots of YouTube videos describing the stroke, left-over-right, oar inboard, hand overlap, tap down, etc. You can get the visual aspect figured out, then apply that to your rowing. It will all click with practice.

Good luck, and have fun!

[pagomichaelh]

From what I've been taught, on the recovery, the left hand leads, and is above, the right (opposite during the drive). I have the washers on the left hand side of the wing 1cm higher than right.

However, from what I've read, German's row opposite. Also, if you scull a single, it doesn't make a whit of difference. Or, if you scull coastal or ocean, you do whatever you need to do to cope with the sea state.

Yeah, I'll still go for an unplanned swim. Our water is around 25*C (cold, it's early spring), so it's not debilitating, and sometimes refreshing, to get dumped out

[Rudernmachtschoener]

From what I've been taught, on the recovery, the left hand leads, and is above, the right (opposite during the drive). I have the washers on the left hand side of the wing 1cm higher than right.

However, from what I've read, German's row opposite. Also, if you scull a single, it doesn't make a whit of difference. Or, if you scull coastal or ocean, you do whatever you need to do to cope with the sea state.

Sorry Sir - the German part is not fully correct. Also in Germany today, left hand leads and is above in sculling. What you probably heard, is what has been taught in East Germany rowing (DDR) until 1990. Actually, East Germany taught the opposite until then, which was quite a challenge upon reunification in "mixed" boats. Has been "unified" since.

So left over right is what is taught in German sculling as well.

[pagomichaelh]

Sorry Sir - the German part is not fully correct. Also in Germany today, left hand leads and is above in sculling. What you probably heard, is what has been taught in East Germany rowing (DDR) until 1990. Actually, East Germany taught the opposite until then, which was quite a challenge upon reunification in "mixed" boats. Has been "unified" since.

So left over right is what is taught in German sculling as well.

Thanks for the correction! I was in Bayern for a few years during partition, but never rowed/sculled.

[Rudernmachtschoener]

Sorry Sir - the German part is not fully correct. Also in Germany today, left hand leads and is above in sculling. What you probably heard, is what has been taught in East Germany rowing (DDR) until 1990. Actually, East Germany taught the opposite until then, which was quite a challenge upon reunification in "mixed" boats. Has been "unified" since.

So left over right is what is taught in German sculling as well.

Thanks for the correction! I was in Bayern for a few years during partition, but never rowed/sculled.

Nice! You should have, there are some very nice rowing locations. Where were you based out of?

[pagomichaelh]

Bamberg, but spent some 60% of my time in the field along the border partition.

Very pretty and pleasant in the summer, can't say the same about the rest of the year!