Basic Rowing Terminology

Parts and Orientation Of The Boat

• Shell Is another name for the boat and is used interchangeably.

• Port Left side of the boat, while facing forward, in the direction of the movement.

• Starboard Right side of the boat, while facing forward, in the direction of the movement.

• Bow The forward section of the boat. This part of the boat crosses the finish line first. 

• Stern The rear of the boat; the direction the rowers are facing.

• Bow Ball A small rubber ball attached to the bow of each shell. Used as a safety device and for determining which crew crosses the finish line first during a close race.

• Skeg/Fin and Rudder The fin attached to the keel of the shell that helps stabilize and maintain a straight course. The rudder attaches to the skeg and is controlled by either the coxswain to steer a sweep boat by attached cables or by the toe in a sculling boat.

• Deck The part of the shell on top or the bow and stern that is covered with fiberglass or thin plastic.

• Gunwales The top rails of the shell. Pronounced - 'gunnels'

• Hull The body of the shell.

• Keel The center line of the hull.

• Rigger The triangular shaped metal device that is bolted onto the side of the boat and holds the oars.

• Rib The u-shaped structures in the boat that the hull and riggers attach to. 

• Oarlock The u-shaped lock at the end of the rigger that attaches the oar to the shell. The oarlock allows the rower to rotate the oar between the squared and feathered positions.

• Gate The bar across the oarlock that keeps the oar in place.

• Toe Sculling boats may have a steering device. The bow or stroke seat can steer the rudder by changing the direction of their foot.

• Foot Stretcher The adjustable footplate with built in shoes which allows the rower to adjust their position in the shell relative to the oarlock.

• Seat Molded seat mounted on wheels that the rower sits on. The seat rolls on tracks which allow the rower to generate power with their legs.

• Tracks/Slides Rails that the rowers rolling seat roll on. Also called slides.

Positions Of The Rowers In A Boat

• Seat Number Refers to the rower's position in the boat counting up from bow to stern. In an eight these are counted as the bow seat being 1, then 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and finally 8 in the stern. 8 seat is also referred to as 'stroke' seat.

• Bow Pair The pair of sweep rowers in bow of the boat. This would be seats 1 and 2 in an eight or a four. The bow pair has the most effect on the set of the boat.

• Stern Pair The pair of sweep rowers in the stern of the boat. This would be seats 7 and 8 in an eight or seats 3 and 4 in a four. The stern pair is responsible for setting the rating and rhythm for the rest of the crew.

• Coxswain/Cox Person who steers the shell and coaches for the crew on the water in a sweep boat.