Head Of The Charles Regatta 2015 HOCR Program | Page 14

about rowing/
1 Bow ball

Bow number A card holding the number
assigned to each boat for a race.

3 Oarlock
4 Rigger

Bow seat The rower closest to the front
or bow of a multi-person shell. In coxless
boats, often the person who keeps an
eye on the water behind themself to
avoid accidents.

5 Sliding seat

Winners - Women's Championship Eights
Winners - Men's Championship Eights

Engine room The middle group of rowers
in the boat. In an eight, this is generally
seats 3, 4, 5 and 6. They are generally the
biggest and strongest rowers.

7 Skeg (underneath)
8 Coxswain’s seat
9 Stern rudder

L: 27’-4” W: 30.9lbs
3 SEAT

Double Sculls (2x)
L: 33’-6” W: 59.5lbs

Quadruple Sculls (4x)

Hatchet blade Oar blades that have a more
rectangular shape. (see Macon blade)

Coxed Fours (4+)

Macon blade Oar blades that have a
curved shape. (see Hatchet blade)

BOW
SEAT

2 SEAT

L: 40’-6” W: 114.6lbs
(EXHIBITION)

Lightweight A rower whose weight allows him or her to be eligible to compete
in Lightweight rowing events.

2

3

Single Scull (1x)

Gunwales The top rail of the shell.

Heavyweight A rower who weighs more
than the restrictions for lightweight
rowing.

BOW

6 Foot stretchers

Coxbox Portable voice amplifier; may also
incorporate digital readouts displaying
stroke rate, boat speed and times.
Coxswain The oarless crew member
who is responsible for steering and race
commands; the coxswain either sits in the
stern or lies in the bow of the boat.

1

2 Wash box

4 SEAT

4

5 SEAT

L: 42’-6” W: 112.4lbs

5

Coxed Eights (8+)
L: 57’ W: 211.6lbs

7 SEAT

SOURCE: HUDSON BOATWORKS

Port A sweep rower who rows with their
oar on the left side of the boat.
Sculler A rower who sculls—rows with
two oars.
Starboard A sweep rower who rows with
their oar on the right side of the boat.

STROKE

6

SHELL CONSTRUCTION

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Rowing shell construction has greatly

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evolved since the days of entirely
wooden boats. Today’s boats are
considerably lighter and stiffer, thanks

Sweep A rower who rows with one oar.

to the use of space-age technology

Stroke seat The rower closest to the
stern of the boat, responsible for the
stroke rate and rhythm.

such as aircraft aluminum, carbon fiber

PRESENTED BY BNY MELLON

6 SEAT

and honeycomb construction.

STERN

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FIFTY-FIRST HEAD OF THE CHARLES REGATTA

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