What is Rowing?

Learn to Row- Adults Click here
'Learn to Row Junior Summer School' - Click here

Sculling Boats -where each person has two blades

Oct / 8x / octuple Scull (coxed)

Double scull / 2x

Quad / 4x- / quadruple scull

Scull / 1x / single scull

Rowing Boats – where each person has one oar

VIII / 8+ / eight (coxed)	Pair / 2- / coxless pair
IV / 4+ / coxed four	Pair / 2+ /coxed pair
IV / 4- / coxless four

Cox

Apart from a single scull you can expect, as a beginner, to be in a ‘coxed’ boat at our club. The cox steers the boat, issues the commands to the rowers and may also coach. The cox is in charge from the moment the boat leaves the rack and must ensure the safety of the boat and its crew. A cox always wears a life-jacket.

Parts of a boat

Bow	The front of the boat - that is behind you.
Stern	The back of the boat – where the steering bits are.
Slide	The runners that the seat slides on.
Seat	The bit of wood you put your bum on.
Stretcher	The part that has shoes attached to it. This has to be adjusted forwards or backwards depending on how tall you are - and how tall the last person to sit in the boat was!
Rigger	The bits of metal that stick out of the side of the boat that the oars attach to.
Gate	The bit that you do up to attach the oar. Failure to do so will result in disaster.
Blade/Oar	The long thing that you have to put in and out of the water – and pull on – to make the boat go. Also stops the boat falling over – see gate above.
Fin	The bit on the bottom of the boat which must not get damaged or the boat will not go straight.
Rudder	The bit on the bottom/stern of the boat that allows the cox to steer the boat. Even more fragile and important than the Fin.
Cox’s Seat	The most uncomfortable place in the boat – but at least you can see where the boat is going. This is most often at the stern but can be at the bow end of a boat.