The Boats
Boats or shells were traditionally made from wood, but are mostly fabricated from carbon
fibre and plastic (eg. Kevlar). They are 59.7 to 62.2 cm wide, lengths being shown in the
diagrams. A small fin is fitted at the bottom for stability. A rudder is attached to the
fin or the stern (except from sculling boats). A white ball is attached to bow. A
washboard prevents waves from splashing water aboard. Seats are fitted wheels which slide
on runners or tracks.
The Oars
Oars are hollow to reduce weight, attached to the boats by adjustable outriggers. The
shape and size of oars are unrestricted, the average length of a sweep oar being 3.81m (12
feet 6 inches) and of a scull being 2.98m (9 feet 9 inches).
The Stroke
The stroke is made up of the catch, in which oars are placed in the water; pull through or
drive, in which the legs are extended and the body opens up to make maximum use of the
slide, levering the boat forwards; the finish, in which oars come out of the water; and
recovery, in which the rower's body moves towards the stern in preparation for the next
stroke. Oars are rotated onto the feather parallel to the water surface at the finish to
minimise air resistance and to the vertical at the catch to maximise water resistance
The Race
The boats are held by the stern on starting positions and the bows are aligned on the start line. The rower in the bow seat may raise his/her hand to indicate the crew is not ready, up until the time when the starter conducts a roll call of the crews. After the last crew has been named in the roll call, the starter raises his red flag and gives the warning command "Attention", and after a pause, says "Go", simultaneously dropping his flag. In case of a false start, a bell is rung and the starter waves a red flag to recall the crews. Crews are allowed only one false start before they are eliminated. A restart can be called for equipment breakage within 100m from the start. Straying form the line is punishable by the umpire by disqualification if interference takes place with another boat. The winner is the boat whose bow touches the finish line first, monitored by judges and a photo-finish camera. The umpire must raise a white flag at the end of a race to signify that it has been completed in accordance with the rules and that there has been no protest.