BOAT TERMINOLOGY:


Rowing and Sculling

Rowing is the use of one sweep oar per crewmember.
Sculling is using 2 sculling oars per person.

The BOW position is seat No. 1, and in rowing the oar is over the starboard side or
out to the rower’s left. Bow side oars are often indicated with green tape.

The STROKE position is the seat nearest the stern and the oar is over the port side or
out to the rower’s right. Stroke side oars are often indicated with red tape
The stroke rower usually sets the stroke rate and all other rowers follow his timing.
The seats are numbered from the bow to the stern.

A boat with 8 seats is normally rowed (with 8 oars), coxed, and called a COXED
EIGHT and labelled 8+
There is a possibility that an eight-seat boat could be rigged as a sculling boat (with
16 sculls) when it would be called an OCTUPLE and labelled 8X+.

A four seat boat which is rigged to be rowed (with 4 oars) and coxed, is called a
COXED FOUR and labelled 4+
If it is rigged to scull (with 8 sculls) it is called a COXED QUAD and labelled 4X+
Uncoxed boats would be labelled 4- and 4X-.

A 2 seat boat when rowed (2 oars) is a PAIR and labelled 2-
When sculled (by 4 sculls) it is a DOUBLE and labelled 2XA

SINGLE SCULL is sculled by one person with 2 sculls and labelled 1X.