Rowing 101

NORMAN, Okla. - Rowing requires a wide knowledge of terminology for spectators to understand different aspects of the sport. Educate yourself on some rowing terms and general information so you can become a rowing expert for your next regatta.

Boat Classes:
Weight
L or Lt: Lightweight rowing
Crew Size
1, 2, 4, 8: Number of rowers in the crew
Discipline
x: Sculling Boat
Coxwain
+: Coxed
-: Coxless
Examples:
W4-: Women's Coxless Four
W8+: Women's Eight

Athletes
Bow
Rower closest to the front (or bow) of a multi-person shell.
Coxswain
Oar-less crew member who sits in the stern or in the bows. Responsible for steering and race strategy.
Engine Room
Middle rowers in the boat. Generally the biggest and strongest rowers in the boat.
Heavyweight
Rower weighing more than restrictions for lightweight rowing. Often referred to as Open Weight.
Lightweight
Rower whose weight allows eligibility to compete in lightweight rowing events.
Novices
Rowers who are new to the sport. Often first-season rowers.
Sculler
Rower who uses two oars.
Seat Number
Rower's position in the boat that counts up from the bow. The person closest to the bow of the boat is "bow," followed by the 2, then 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and finally 8 or "stroke."
Sweep
Rower who rows with one oar.

Boats (sometimes called "shells")

Sweep
Each rower has one oar
Eight (8+): A shell with eight rowers. Always with a coxswain because of the size, weight and speed of the boat.
Four (4-) or (4+): A shell with four rowers. Coxless fours (4-), also known as straight fours, are commonly used by lightweight and elite crews. Coxed fours (4+) has a coxswain to steer and are more frequent in club and school rowing.
Pair (2-) or (2+): A shell with two rowers. The Coxless pair (2-) is often called a straight pair while coxed pairs (2+) are rarely rowed by club and school programs.

Sculling
Each rower has two oars, one on each side of the boat.
Octuple (8x): A shell with eight rowers that have two oars each.
Quad (4x): A shell with four rowers that have two oars each. Can be coxed (4x+) or coxless (4x-).
Triple (3x): A shell with three scullers that have two oars each, usually coxless.
Double (2x): A shell with two scullers that are generally coxless.
Single (1x): A shell designed for an individual sculler that is good for skill development, especially beginners.

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