Rowing Equipment
Shell - A long slender wooden or fibreglass boat with thin walls, used by 1 to 8 rowers with one or two oars each
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Oar/Sweep Oar - Used in pairs, fours and eights, with each rower using one oar. It is approximately
3.8m in length and made of wood or carbon fibre.
Scull Oar - Used in singles, doubles and quads. Sculls are about 3m long.
Gate - Device that holds the oar in place and takes the pressure of the rowing stroke.
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Bow Ball - A rubber ball used to protect the front (bow) of the boat.
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Stern - The rear part of the shell. Rowers sit facing the stern.
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Port - The left side of the boat.
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Starboard - The right side of the boat.
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Cox - A non-rowing member of the crew who commands the crew and sits either in the stern or bow of the boat.
Stroke - First rower at the stern. They set the pace for the rest of the crew to follow.
Bow – Last rower from the stern.
Catch - The entry of the blade into the water
Drive - Begins when the paddle section of the oar engages the water and ends when it leaves the water.
