What kind of boat do you row?

Mike McGuirk · Post by **Mike McGuirk** » December 19th, 2006, 7:08 pm

Byron Drachman wrote:Hi Mark,

... I wear a lightweight dry pants and dry top ...

Byron

Byron - Tell us more about the dry top and pants. Make, model, etc. Most of the guys I row with in the winter use a 3mm neoprene "shorty" wet suit and I'm not convinced they afford all that much protection. A dry suit would be ideal but all the ones I've looked at would be much too restrictive.

Thanks,
MM

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » December 19th, 2006, 8:30 pm

Hi Mike,

I moved my answer to the thread on cold water rowing.

Byron

Joanvb · Post by **Joanvb** » December 27th, 2006, 8:28 pm

I row a 1997 Van Dusen Advantage 1x. My 4th Van Dusen single...guess I like them!

Empacher 8+
Oh, and Concept 2 oars, of course!

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » January 5th, 2007, 1:26 pm

I row a 1997 Van Dusen Advantage 1x. My 4th Van Dusen single...guess I like them!

Hi Joan,

Is there something special about the Van Dusen that you like?

Is there much difference among a Van Dusen, Husdon, Kaschper, Fluidesign, etc.? I'm interested in this because sooner or later I should buy my own boat. One friend says the Van Dusen is faster than a Kaschper but a little harder to set. Another friend says they're all good and you end up liking and preferring whatever you use.

Thanks.

Byron

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » January 5th, 2007, 1:37 pm

Hi Byron,

The answer to your first question will vary in direct proportion to brand preferences.

As long as the quality of the equipment is fine, and it is in the vast majority of cases these days, "It's the horse, not the chariot.", so I'd be inclined to be more in agreement with your second friends opinion. As for what is harder to set or not, haven't you already seen how subjective that is in your own experience?

coggs · Post by **coggs** » January 5th, 2007, 1:57 pm

I row a Dirigo single. Lots of bad mouthing of their sweep boats can be found on some of the forums, but I really like my single. It's right at the minimum weight despite not being cored below the waterline. Workmanship seems fine and it's darn strong as i found out the hard way. Spaced out and rowed onto a rocky outcrop on the Lake. Figured I was going to sink, but nothing but cosmetic scratches. The tracks are a bit narrow and I have the scars in my calves to prove it. They are my badges of courage. I do feel good about buying from a local (Maine) boat builder.

Due to the negative comments on their sweep boats the pre-owned singles can come pretty cheap. Good news for buyers, but bad for sellers. I'll probably keep mine for a training boat if I ever decide to go for an elite level scull as the resale value may not be worth it.

becz · Post by **becz** » January 5th, 2007, 2:17 pm

Byron Drachman wrote:
I row a 1997 Van Dusen Advantage 1x. My 4th Van Dusen single...guess I like them!
Hi Joan,

Is there something special about the Van Dusen that you like?

Is there much difference among a Van Dusen, Husdon, Kaschper, Fluidesign, etc.? I'm interested in this because sooner or later I should buy my own boat. One friend says the Van Dusen is faster than a Kaschper but a little harder to set. Another friend says they're all good and you end up liking and preferring whatever you use.

Thanks.

Byron

If you have the opportunity to try several types, it would be well worth the trouble. Even used shells (in decent condition) don't come cheap, so you definitely want to be happy with what you buy. As Paul said, from a speed potential standpoint, unless you're looking to eek out that last 0.5 seconds to pip Mahe Drysdale at the line, any make is really OK. But different boats are just that...different. The geometry of one can be different enough from another that you may find one terrifically comfortable, and a different make just not very fun to row. I think this difference is largely responsible when someone claims a particular type is hard to set up, etc.

rowingmad · Post by **rowingmad** » January 28th, 2007, 1:45 pm

i'm a J15W and i row a j16w janeosak quad, a J18W empacher and filipi 8 and a janoesak novice 4!!!!

coggs · Post by **coggs** » January 29th, 2007, 8:36 pm

I picked up a pre-owned Dirigo single at the HOCR a couple of seasons ago. Lots of people seem to tear apart the Dirigo sweep boats as being junk - and they may well be, but I've been very happy with my single. I'm just getting back into sculling after 30 years and have not raced as yet. My skills were such that the boat was not holding me back last season. I may look at getting a new competition single if my OTW times come down anywhere near the way my erg times have this winter. I have a lake at my house and belong to a rowing club. This way I would have to keep car topping the boat between venues. I don't think the Dirigo has a resale value high enough to make the sale worth it - but i still enjoy the boat.

gsedun · Post by **gsedun** » February 4th, 2007, 1:28 pm

My club uses:
8+:Empacher(Hudson is better), Hudson(awesome), Dirigo(pieces of junk)
4+: Empacher(we found it in the dump, our clubs most successful shell)
4x:Hudsons(really really good), Empacher(really nice boat), Kaschper(piece of junk)
2x/2-:Hudsons(only boats worth mentioning that we use, all others suck)
1x:Hudsons(awesome I love the new ones we got), Wintechs (total pieces of junk compared to Hudsons)

The nice thing about where i row is that we get the Canadian mens national team rejects. We are like their little brothers in a way we get the boats they grow out of.

So Hudsons are the best

Rockin Roland · Post by **Rockin Roland** » February 10th, 2007, 1:31 am

Last Sunday I raced in a four and a pair. Since then I've had four training sessions in a single scull, two sessions in an eight and one in a double scull. I stroked all these boats and enjoyed the variety of rowing skills gained from rowing them.

As you can expect I've had no time for erging with all this time spent on the water. I do feel sorry for all you North American folk that are snowbound and have no option but to crank away on those ergs. You can loose so much rowing form from not rowing on the water for so long. Nothing can replace time spent on the water as it doesn't take long for your technique to go rusty. Blade work starts to get tardy so you have to keep working on it all the time.

All the boats I rowed in were Sykes boats except for the single scull. Very stiff and fast boats that can take a lot of abuse. We use C2 sweep oars which are real nice when you load them up but on the downside the handles rip the skin off your hands. We only use Croker scull blades because C2 sculls are crap. That's why hardly anyone seems to use them. It's a pity because C2 sweep oars are excellent.

One of the schools that share our sheds recently received delivery of a Wintech eight and quad. Although they look pretty, feel light and nimble, they are about as stiff as a wet noodle.

Can't wait until the next rowing session tomorrow. I guess I'm now addicted to that feeling of boat run and the sound of bubbles underneath. Keep cranking those chains in readiness for your first row in Spring.

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » February 10th, 2007, 10:24 am

Hi Roland,

By any chance are we identical twins, separated at birth? Those are pretty much my thoughts. I find three things that help me keep yanking on the chain, going nowhere.

1) I have the ergometer set up next to a large sliding glass door next to the backyard, so I can at least see the outdoors.

2) I can work on things and tell myself that all this will help me when I get back on the water

3) I do almost all my workouts with Xeno. His DVD's are fabulous. His enthusiasm and good humor keep me going, and his workouts are easier to do if I'm suffering with someone else (Xeno or Xeno and Lucas.)

What puzzles me is someone who comes to the boathouse on a nice day when the water is flat and then just uses the ergometer. Should these people even be loose in society?

How is this for frustration? The first warm day after a cold spell you go to the river but the river is still frozen.

Byron

Rockin Roland · Post by **Rockin Roland** » February 10th, 2007, 11:47 pm

Byron Drachman wrote:
What puzzles me is someone who comes to the boathouse on a nice day when the water is flat and then just uses the ergometer. Should these people even be loose in society?

How is this for frustration? The first warm day after a cold spell you go to the river but the river is still frozen.

Byron

Byron, it sounds like you are just as addicted to that feeling of rowing on the water as I am. The only difference is that each winter the gods of nature are not so kind to you to deprive you of your water. I suppose the erg is the only thing that helps keep your sanity during this period.

However, during summer there will always be plenty of less fortunate rowers than us, that can only row sweep, that have no no option but to do an erg on a lovely warm day. It seems insane but if you can only row sweep and can't scull then you can only go out if you have a crew to row with.

There is always a certain number of masters and club sweep rowers hanging around rowing clubs because there's no one around that suits their rowing profile to row with. It's almost the same as walking into a singles bar full of desperate and dateless people.

Kangaroo · Post by **Kangaroo** » April 3rd, 2007, 3:21 am

Well, we have quite a few different manufacturers, but these are the boats that I row in:

1x - Severin
4+ - John Waugh
8+ - John Waugh

Jake Lamb · Post by **Jake Lamb** » April 15th, 2007, 4:56 am

I typically row in:

4+ - Resolute
8+ - Resolute
1x - Wintech
2x - Kaschper

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What kind of boat do you row?

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