Advice On Sculls

[Chip Johannessen]

A collision this morning in a Pocock double left an aluminum wing rigger snapped and one of my oars broken in half. I was rowing with Concept 2 low-i Fat2's with light blue cellular foam handles which, honestly, I pretty much liked.

However, since I now need to replace them I'm wondering what else is out there. Does anyone have strong feelings about other manufacturers or blades?

Thanks.
Chip

[Jim Dwyer]

Chip:

I had a set of low I fat2 sculls that I really liked and I switched to the
skinny shafts and I like them better. I got the extra soft shafts because I
am a 60+ lwt.

Jim


"Chip Johannessen" wrote in message
news:4f284afa-387d-4c7a...@googlegroups.com...

[Chip Johannessen]

Thanks for the feedback.

According to the website, the skinny's have the same swing weight as the ultralights, i.e. are heavier than the low-i's. Do they feel heavier after the low-i's or do you get used to it?

I'm a 50+ lightweight so maybe have some of the same issues as you. Also, I'm kind of drawn to the rounder Drehers conceptually, but they just look so strange.

Chip

[Carl]

Is "swing weight" a rather nicely user-friendly translation of "moment
of inertia about the pin"?

Re blade shapes:
It is a common fallacy that one's visual opinion of a shape constitutes
a meaningful judgement of the merits of that shape, whether for blades
or anything else.

It's another common fallacy to believe that a more efficient blade (i.e.
one which converts more of your input work into actual propulsive work &
less into moving water & into turbulence in the water), or a blade used
more efficiently, ever could or should feel just the same in use as a
blade used as you'd more normally use it.

So if you change blades be prepared for changes in feel, & to adapt your
technique to allow for the inescapable fact that a more efficient blade
will slip less & thus spend longer in the water per stroke. If you
"cheat" to get the same feel as before, then you'll probably go no
faster than before - or might go slower. Rowing has few free lunches!

Cheers -
Carl

--
Carl Douglas Racing Shells -
Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing Low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
Write: Harris Boatyard, Laleham Reach, Chertsey KT16 8RP, UK
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Email: ca...@carldouglasrowing.com Tel: +44(0)1932-570946 Fax: -563682
URLs: carldouglasrowing.com & now on Facebook @ CarlDouglasRacingShells

[Jim Dwyer]

Chip:

The skinny shafts are a little heavier than the low I shafts but they do not
feel any heavier pushing them away at the finish. They are easier to
balance the boat and they are more durable than the low I shafts. The extra
soft shafts are easier on my body after a long row as well. I would not go
with the Dreher blades unless I tried them out and liked them better than
the Fat blades.

Jim

"Chip Johannessen" wrote in message

news:c402575f-a497-4d95...@googlegroups.com...

[usbrit]

>
>
> Re blade shapes:
>
> It is a common fallacy that one's visual opinion of a shape constitutes
>
> a meaningful judgement of the merits of that shape, whether for blades
>
> or anything else.
>

Currently I don't have my own sculls so I use a pair of club ones. Most of the "club" sculls at the club are Concept 2 with vortex edges which to me just didn't look right. I'm now a convert especially as I tried conventional Big blade sculls then vortex edge in back to back outings and really felt the difference, a real sense of grip as the blade goes in the water.

I will bypass the time I went out with one big blade and vortex edge scull.........

[Nosmo]

The skinny shafts will have less wind resistance, which some people make a big deal over. I do think the advantage is significant if not huge, but then again almost no one talks about the wind resistance of the blades which is also significant. The skinny shafts can be made softer than standard and that may be important for you, especially if you get a large blade like the Fat2's.

For what it is worth, I regularly switch between C2 vortex edge (87/287), C2 Smoothie 1's modified with the vortex edge (87/286) , C2 Macons (87/292), and Dreher Apex AX (87/287). All medium stiffness. I have no idea which is fastest.

I have tried the Dreher EHX, Dreher Apex-R's, Fat2's, and Crokers (not sure which ones). They are all oars. The Apex-R's have a fairly distinct feel as did the Fat2's.

I would not be surprised at all if with a tail wind and flat water I was fastest with a large blade like the Fat2's but with a head wind and in rough conditions I was not fastest with the Macon's--simply because Macon's have less area to catch wind and waves.

Try all the blades you can and get what you like best.
Personally I think one is best off developing the sensitivity to adjust and row well with any type of blade.

[Chip Johannessen]

I was out in a 2x yesterday with a serious rower/coach and found out two things:

1. The wind resistance on the fats at speed and 32spm into even a 5mph headwind felt ENORMOUS.

2. This coach is actually moving away from fats for his junior program (and back to smoothies) because he feels they're too tricky at the catch for beginning/intermediate rowers. Any gains in blade efficiency are lost to boat check.

Despite this theory and my own shoddy technique, I've re-upped with the same thing I had before. Low I C2 fats. They just feel familiar I guess.