Module 5 - History and nature of rowing

Introduction:

All forms of manual boat propulsion are considered rowing. “Rowing” is the art of propelling a boat into
the water by facing the stern of the boat using a long paddle called “oar”. Rowing is a universal activity,
practiced since early human history wherever suitable bodies of water have existed. For centuries it was
the most common and dependable mode of transportation over water, until the advent of sails and later
the invention of the steam engine. Rowing today, therefore, primarily a form of sport and recreation.

All forms of manual boat propulsion are considered rowing. “Rowing” is the art of propelling a boat into
the water by facing the stern of the boat using a long paddle called “oar”. Rowing, method of moving a
boat

On this lesson focused on the history of rowing which is very significant in survival at sea.

History of Rowing:

In ancient times, boats and rafts were propelled by paddles, poles and rudimentary downwind sails and
were used as major mechanisms by people for transportation and livelihood. By devising a way to attach
his paddle to a fulcrum point on the gunwale, man incorporated leverage in his strokes and began using
longer paddles (oars). By taking the stern of his craft and bracing his feet, he could use his back as well
as his arms to increase the power of his stroke.

The development of rowed boats is generally attributed to the Egyptians. In fact, the first recorded boat
with oars appears in a relic of an ancient stone walls erected in Egypt sometimes between 3,300 and 300
B.C. For thousands of years, sail and oar powered sea borne war, exploration and commerce were
powered by sail and oar. Even when ships too large to be ineffectively propelled by oars, rowing was not
entirely abandoned.

In the 18th century, English bargemen on the Thames River began racing their craft as an outgrowth of
their occupation. For years they had been racing each other for potential customers, turning the activity
into a profitable sport on which betting thrived and giving birth to competitive rowing (Brown, 1991).
The Cambridge University Boat Club, founded in 1829, held the first Oxford-Cambridge Boat race.

Dogetts Coat and Badge race considered The oldest rowing competition in the world, was named after
Sir Thomas Dogett who was a popular artist in Great Britain during that time
To promote and propagate rowing competition throughout the world, the Federation Internationale des
Societes de Aviron (FISA) was founded in 1892.

1900 - Rowing was first introduced as an Olympic sport.

1904 - Rowing was first played the Olympics for men only.

1908 - Rowing was first played in the Olympics for women.

FORMS OF ROWING

Sculls – each rower manipulate one oar, held with both hands. This is generally done in pairs, fours, and
eights.

Sweep Oar - each rower manipulates pair of oars (or sculls), one in each hand. Sculling is usually done
without a coxswain, in quads, doubles or singles.

Rowing categories:

Men and Women

1. Quad Sculls - four scullers

2. Double Sculls - two scullers
3. Single Scull - one sculler
4. Eights - eight rowers and a coxswain
5. Coxed Fours - four rowers and a coxswain
6. less Four - four rowers without coxswain
Module 6 - Facilities and Equipments
Facilities and Equipment’s in rowing is very important, if we have to ensure that students have the
opportunity to participate in physical activity, we see to it that this facility and equipment is available
and safe, so that the student has the opportunity to practice before they play into an actual activity.
When you have the facility but you lack the necessary equipment to reinforce the development of your
skill, it will also greatly hinder your goal to develop your skill to the fullest.

Rowing also enhancing and improve skills, it provides benefit physically, mentally, and alertness. It
motivates students and enables them to learn better understanding on how to navigate rowing boat as
form of survival craft at sea.

Understanding facilities and equipment’s:

Facilities – these are fixed structures or place designed to accommodate certain activities in rowing. The
most important facility is the body of water that is free from obstruction, like large ships or boats and
rocks that will hamper the action of the boat in the water.

Equipment’s – These are movable tools used in certain activities.

1. Oar – a device for boat propulsion.

Parts of the Oar

2. Rowing Boat (Shell) – Refers to the boat used in rowing. The type of shell varies with the
category of rowing for which it is used. The different types of shells include the single sculled
shell, shell for doubles, coxed fours, quadruple sculls, coxswain less pairs, coxed quadruple sculls
and eights.
 3. Oarlocks – a lifting used to hold the shaft of an oar in place when rowing.

Types of Oarlock

Close Oarlock – used by novice rowers to prevent the oars from slipping out of the oarlock as the stroke
is performed.

Gated Oarlock – adjustable oarlock used both advance and novice rowers.

Open or U-shaped oarlock – used by advanced rowers with refined movement execution.

4. Life Jacket – Personal flotation device designed to keep a person’s airway clears of water
whether the wearer is conscious\or unconscious
5. Bailer – equipment used to remove the water, which enters the shell during rowing.
Module 7 – Rowing Terms

Terminology plays an important role in the understanding of contexts and specialized texts.
Understanding the intricate terminological details of the technical and scientific contexts helps students
comprehend what the main message of the document, and it helps specialists to transmit the content
more effectively.

Terminology helps students realize the meaning of the whole context, it also develops interests in the
formation of new words and terms. The most important part of learning how to maneuver a boat or ship
is the understanding of the different terminologies used in rowing and its function.

Understanding your language means better knowledge and competency in the exercise of the
profession.

Terms Related to Steering Operation and Propulsion

1. Arc – the path of an oar blade during the pull through.

2. Back – to move the boat backward by moving the face of the blade turned to face the bow.
3. Bucket – allowing the body to come forward too soon during the recovery portion of the stroke.
4. Buck the Oar – bringing the body forward to the oars at the end of the pull through rather than
bringing the oars to the body.
5. Catch – placing the oar in the water to begin the pull through; also known as taking the water.
6. Crab – trapping an oar in the water at the release.
7. Feather – turning the blade to face parallel to the water on the recovery portion of the stroke.
8. Finish – the portion of the pull-through of the oars just before the release.

1. Knife-in – to take a catch with a blade under-square, allowing it to dive deeply into the water.
2. Layback - the rowers’ backward lean (towards the bow) at the release.
3. Puddles - are swirls or disturbances left in the water when the oar blade emerges.
4. Rate - number of strokes per minute.
5. Recovery – the portion of the stroke between the release and catch.
6. Release – the portion of the stroke at which the blade is lifted from the water.
7. SPM – Stroke per minute

Terms Related to Oar Parts:

1. Blade – the thinnest part of an oar

2. Flare – a gentle curve on top of the sweep.
3. Grip – the rubber or plastic sleeve over the inboard end of the oar, held by oarsmen.
4. Loom – the shaft of an oar or scull.
 5. Sleeve – the covering of the loom that prevents wear at the oarlock.
6. Sweep – the widest part of an oar.
7. Throat – a portion of an oar in which the loom and the sweep connects.
8. Tip – the endmost part of an oar.

Terms Related to Boat Parts

1. Aft – all parts of the boat from the amidships extended towards the stern.
2. Amidships – the centermost part of the boat.
3. Bow – the forward end of a boat.
4. Bow Seat – a seat used by bowmen rowers.
5. Cockpit – the area where rower sit in the boat.
6. Deck – the floor of the boat or ship.
7. Double – a boat sculled by two oarsmen.
8. Draft – the portion of the boat from the waterline to the keel.
9. Forward – all parts of the boat from the amidships extended towards the bow.

1. Freeboard – the portion of the boat from the waterline to the deck line.
2. Gunwale – the topmost portion of the boat, which extends from stern to bow, both starboard
and port side.
3. Keel – the backbone of the boat.
4. Keel line – an imaginary line at the center of the boat running from bow to stern.
5. Leeward - the side of the boat against the wind.
6. Lifelines – are grab lines or ropes attached from the bow to stern.
7. Outrigger – a framework that places the oarlocks outboard of the hull.
8. Port – the left side of the boat when facing forward.
9. Starboard – the right side of the boat when facing forward.
10. Stern Seat – a seat by stern man rowers.
11. Tiller – a frame attached to the rudder held by coxswain for steering.
12. Windward – the side of the boat facing the wind.

Terms related to Rowing Categories:

1. Coxed Fours – a boat propelled by four rowers and a coxswain.
2. Coxed Quadruple Sculls – a boat sculled by four scullers and a coxswain.
3. Coxswainless Pairs – a boat propelled by four rowers only.
4. Double – a boat sculled by two oarsmen.
5. Eights – a boat propelled by eight rowers.
6. Quadruple Sculls – a boat sculled by four oarsmen only.
Module 8 - Duties and responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities provides clarity, alignment, and expectations to those executing the work
and keeping it safely. duties and Responsibilities enables effective communications between the rower
and the coxswain. On this this lesson focused on the composition of rowing crew, responsibilities and
duties of rowers and the coxswain.

Composition of Crew:

1.Coxswain - is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of
the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it. In rowing, the coxswain sits in either the bow
or the stern of the boat. The coxswain, seated in the stern, essentially serves as the captain of the boat.

2. Rower - is a person who rows a boat, especially as a sport. rower has one oar, held with both hands.
This is generally done in pairs, fours, and eights. rowers' positions in the boat are based on their skills
and abilities. Each position has certain responsibilities, such as helping to set the rhythm or balance of
the boat.

Duties of Coxswain:

1. Keep the boat and rowers safe at all times by properly steering the boat, Be in command of the
boat at all times.
2. In charge of steering and boat maneuvering.
3. Responsible for group coordination, group safety and take charges of group rhythm.
4. Open this link to have a short example of how coxswain performed the task of being a
coxswain.

Duties of Rowers:

1. Take charge of boat propulsion

2. Serve as lookout for any obstacle that may endanger the group while then boat in underway.
3. Assist the coxswain in maintaining group rhythm.
Module 9 - Safety Measures in rowing

Safety should be the main concern of every individual in everyday undertakings. In as much as human
body parts are not available for sale in the market, a pound of prevention is certainly much better than a
kilo of cure.

Swimming is a prerequisite skill for rowing. An efficient swimming skill can strengthen one’s safety in
deep water in case the boat capsizes. Moreover, it is not only the fear of drowning that should be a
rower’s main concern; there are also other factors that may threaten rower’s safety in the water.
Examples of these are bad weather, too much heat from the sun, fatigue and collisions.

To ensure safety in rowing, the following safety measures must be observed:

1. Know your boat and its capacity and stay within the limits.
2. Learn to swim efficiently in deep water.
3. Always bring a repair kit and a first-aid kit.
4. Be aware of sudden fall of the barometer, changing wind directions, and sudden cloud
formation. These are signs of bad weather.
5. Avoid rowing during thunderstorms.
6. When encountering strong winds; stay low within the boat.
7. Always bring extra oars and oarlocks when rowing.
8. Be sure to leave a message regarding your point of destination, the time of arrival, and when to
return in your port of origin.
9. In case of sudden storm, heed to shore immediately.
10. Avoid rowing in the middle of the day. Cases of heat stroke are prevalent in this condition.
11. Above all, use common sense.
To ensure safety, the following equipment and accessories must be available always!

1. Bailer - to remove water that enters the boat,

2. Flashlights- to help you at night.

3. Whistles - to signal your location in case of emergency.

4. Life jackets or personal floatation device (PFD) - to help you stay afloat in deep water.

5. Very High Frequency radios (VHF) - for communication.

6. Compass - to help you determine your location.

7. Float plan- includes the route to take, the day of the start of rowing, destination, possible stopping
points, and description of the boat. Serve as an important reference in case of emergency.

8. Sweat shirt – to prevent dehydration or immediate body fluid loss.

9. Ball caps – to protect your head from direct sunlight to prevent dizziness.

10. Rowing globes – to protect your hand from injuries as well as to make a firm grip on the grip hand.