Rowing - Rowing Glossary

Rowing Glossary

Back splash	Water splashed towards the bow of the boat, created as the oar enters the water while still travelling
Blade	The end of the oar that is painted in a club’s or country’s colours. This part of the oar should be just covered with the water when the rower is pulling the oar through the water. Good crews will keep the blade “buried” in the water from the catch to the finish of the stroke.
Blade work	Action of the blade during the stroke, encompassing such techniques as "catch" and "feathering." Used to describe how the rower handles his or her oar
Bow	The front of the boat – the Bow is the person in 1 seat
Bow Ball	A small white ball at the front of the boat. A safety measure designed to protect a rower if a collision occurs
Bow Coxed Boat	A boat in which the coxswain lies down in the front or bow of the shell. The coxswain’s head is just visible
Bow Man	The person seated closest to the bow of the boat. This person crosses the finish line first
Bow side	The right-hand side (starboard) of the boat when facing the bow
Breakage	Damage to equipment; breakage during the first 100 meters of the race is grounds for the referee stopping the race and restarting
Puddles	Whirlpools in the water left by oars during the drive.
Catch	The beginning of the stroke where the oar blade enters the water
Check it	Instruction to put the blades in the water at an angle causing the boat to decelerate quickly
Collar	A small plastic collar around the shaft of the oar to hold it against the gate and keep it from slipping out
Course	A waterway where rowing regattas are held.
Cox (Coxswain)	The person responsible for steering and motivating a crew. They sit at either end of the boat (depending on the boat) and steer with a rudder. All boats with coxes are designated with a ‘+’ (e.g., 4+ is a coxed four).
Cox Box	A speaker system that runs through the boat and has a microphone so the coxswain does not have to yell.
Cox Four	A shell that has four people rowing and a coxswain who steers and calls commands. Each person rowing has one oar. This is a sweep event.
Crabbing	When the oar gets stuck in the water at the catch or finish, disrupting the stroke.
Canvas	Sections at the bow and stern of the shell usually covered by varnished silk, nylon, or shell material.
Double 2X	A sculling event. A shell with two rowers, each using two oars (four oars total).
Drive	The part of the stroke where the rower applies power and pulls the oar through the water.
Dumps	Collapsible, portable frames with straps on which the boat rests between races or during maintenance or washing.
Easy	Command used to mean stop rowing. Alternate terms include "row light" or "paddle."
Eights	A shell with eight rowers and a coxswain.
Empacher	A shell manufactured by Empacher, a German boat builder, often yellow. Known as the Rolls Royce of rowing boats.
Erg Score	A rower's performance on the indoor rowing machine, measured by total time or split time.
Ergometer (Erg)	A rowing machine that simulates rowing motion. Often used in testing for selection purposes.
Feathering	Turning the blade parallel to the water after the drive to reduce wind resistance.
Finish	As part of the stroke cycle, the last part of the drive, using the arms to pull the oar to the body and then out of the water. The end of a race or the final sprint.
FISA	Short for Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron – the international governing body for rowing.
Foot plate	The shoe assembly into which each rower laces their feet.
Four	A rowing shell with four rowers and a coxswain (designated as 4+).
Gate	The plastic swivel that holds the oar at the end of the rigger.
Handle	The grip at the end of the oar.
Head Race	A long-distance time trial race (typically 3–6 km).
Inboard	The portion of the oar from the handle to the button.
International Distance	2,000 meters – the standard race length.
Keel	The centerline along the bottom of the rowing shell.
Kerrs	A rowing shell manufactured by Kiwiskiffs International in Cambridge.
Leg Drive	The leg-powered portion of the stroke, starting at the catch.
Length in the Water	The arc distance the oar travels through the water.
Let Her Run	A command to stop rowing while attempting to keep the oars level off the water.
Lightweight	A weight-restricted rowing category for men and women.
Novice	A first-year rower.
Novice Race/Regatta	Competitions designated for novice-level rowers.
Oars/Oar/Blade	Generic term for sculling or sweep oars, typically made of carbon fibre.
Open Water Rowing	Rowing in natural, open environments like lakes, rivers, or the sea.
Outboard	The part of the oar from the oarlock to the blade.
Pair	A sweep rowing shell for two rowers.
Position	The numbered seat a rower occupies in a boat, starting from the bow.
Power "10" or "20"	A burst of maximum effort for 10 or 20 strokes.
Washing Out	When the oar blade exits the water too early during the drive, reducing power and efficiency.
Quad	A sculling shell for four people, often with a coxswain (4X+).
Rating	Number of strokes per minute being rowed by the crew. This usually varies from 42–48 at the start, 34–40 during the body, and 40–44 at the finish. Smaller shells do not rate as high as eights or quads.
Racing Start	First strokes of a race—typically three to five shorter, quicker strokes to build momentum.
Recovery	The part of the stroke cycle in which the oar is feathered and brought back to the catch position; the rower moves toward the stern on the seat (slide)
Repechage	A second-chance race for crews who did not qualify directly from the heats. Qualifiers from the repechage move on to the semifinals or finals
Rigger	The outrigger fixed to the side of the shell. It holds the oarlock where the oar is placed
Rigging	The process of adjusting parts of the shell, such as riggers, foot stretchers, tracks, and seats. Proper rigging can affect effort and efficiency.
Run	The distance the boat travels during one stroke, measured between puddles. A key indicator of efficiency
Scull	A shorter, lighter oar used in sculling—two per rower. Sculling/Scullers: A rowing discipline where each athlete rows with two oars, one in each hand. Boats are marked with an ‘X’ (e.g., 2X for a double scull).
Seat	The sliding seat mounted on wheels that allows rowers to drive with their legs
Shaft	The long, cylindrical part of the oar between the handle and the blade.
Single	A one-person sculling boat (designated 1X).
Slide / Slide control	Slide: The tracks in which the seat moves forward and backward during the stroke. Slide Control: The rower’s control of their speed during the recovery phase of the stroke—requires significant finesse.
Split	Time taken to row 500 meters; used to measure pacing (e.g., a 2:00 split = 2 minutes per 500m).
	Start: The official verbal start of a race, typically “Attention – ROW!” Starter: The race official responsible for starting the race with commands and flag signals. Starting Gate/Area: The structure used to align boats at the starting line. The shell’s stern is held by a gate holder until the race begins.
Stern	The rear of the boat. Typically where the coxswain sits
Stretcher	Cross bracing in the shell where shoes are attached (foot stretchers). Also refers to storage slings for the shell.
Stroke	The action phase of the rowing cycle. The rower who sits closest to the stern and sets the rhythm.
Stroke side	The left-hand (port) side of the boat.Sweep: A rowing discipline where each rower uses one long oar.