Joining a Club
Most clubs are open to young people from the age of 10 or 11. At this age and until you are 18, you are classed as a junior. The Amateur Rowing Association (ARA) is the national governing body for rowing in the UK. There are more than 500 clubs affiliated to the Association. To find your nearest club you should contact them for advice, [See Information].
Charges
All clubs charge an annual subscription. You can expect to pay around £35 for a year's membership as a junior, but this amount will vary according to the club you join. For your membership, you get access to the clubs equipment, coaching from a qualified club coach and a chance to enter competitions.
Award Scheme
Some clubs run a proficiency scheme, developed and sponsored by the ARA. The scheme is centred around Watermanship Skills and is open to all juniors - boys and girls. There are different disciplines within the scheme including technique, speed, strength and aerobic capacity. You work towards a certain level within each discipline under the guidance of a coach.
All-Year Training
It isn't always possible to get out in a boat in the winter due to the weather, so many clubs offer indoor facilities all year round. These include the use of indoor rowing machines and training equipment. If you can't complete your proficiency award on the water, you can take some parts of it indoors on a rowing machine.
The use of rowing machines has developed into a sport itself and there are now competitions for indoor rowing.
What to Wear
During practice sessions, you can wear tracksuits or shorts and a vest, and possibly a cap, depending on the weather conditions and time of year. In competitive events, members of the same crew wear the same team clothes (shirt and shorts and any additional garments) in the clubs colours. Light trainers with a good grip are suitable to wear on your feet.
Rowing Shells
Rowing boats that are used for racing are called shells. There are two types:- Scull Boats: two oars are used, one in each hand
- Sweep Boats: rowers use one oar with two hands
There are different types of scull and sweep boats going from a single scull (one rower) to an eight (eight rowers). Boats vary in length from about 18 metres (60 ft) for an 8-oared shell to about 7 metres (24 ft) for a single scull.
The Shell
All boats have long, streamlined, light shells, with a wooden or carbon fibre framework. A small fin is fitted at the bottom for stability. A rudder is attached to fin or the stern (except on sculling boats). A washboard prevents the waves from splashing water aboard.
The Seats
The seats for the rowers are fitted with wheels to slide backwards and forwards on runners or tracks.. Footboards for the rowers' feet are fixed to the boat's bottom.
The Oars
Oars are used by the oarsman to propel the boat through the water. They are hollow to reduce weight. Oars vary in length and width. A sweep oar is about 3.8m long while a scull oar is just under 3m long.
Oars are connected to the shell with an oarlock. This is a U-shaped piece of metal or plastic that is fixed to the shell. The oar is put into the oarlock (the oarsman holds the narrower end; the broad end is in the water). A bar over the U-shape on the oarlock snaps shut so that the oar is secure. Once the oar is secure, the oarlock stops the oar accidentally slipping into the water, even if the rower lets go of the oar. The oarlock is mounted on a pin and it swivels as the oar is pulled through the water.
In competitive rowing, the blades of the oars are often painted on both sides in the clubs' colours.
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