Konrad von Carstein Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Went for a run (well jog then walk then jog repeat to heart attack ) along the canal tonight and the boating clubs were making full use of the canal, then the above question struck me. I'm assuming it's something to do with maximising the effort put in or some such but can anyone enlighten me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Went for a run (well jog then walk then jog repeat to heart attack ) along the canal tonight and the boating clubs were making full use of the canal, then the above question struck me. I'm assuming it's something to do with maximising the effort put in or some such but can anyone enlighten me? Rowing boats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konrad von Carstein Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Rowing boats? Naw the 2 man and 4 man thingys you see at the 'lympics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughesie27 Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Naw the 2 man and 4 man thingys you see at the 'lympics Ah, so that will be rowing boats then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 If it is rowing boats, I'm still not sure, then I think it is only tradition. In other parts of the world people also row facing the bow, but presumably this requires different equipment and technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Root Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Canoe folks face forward. You can get rowing boats that have fancy oars allowing you to face forward in that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughesie27 Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Canoe Rowing Boat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konrad von Carstein Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Ah, so that will be rowing boats then If it is rowing boats, I'm still not sure, then I think it is only tradition. In other parts of the world people also row facing the bow, but presumably this requires different equipment and technique. OK guys, you now know I dont know what they are (a rowing boat to me is what you take a girl out in a lake for a romanic afternoon) these are long thin things! (although I suppose the question is relavant to all these "boats") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Canoe Rowing Boat Very droll. However, those would have to be moving images rather than stills to clinch the argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Root Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 OK guys, you now know I dont know what they are (a rowing boat to me is what you take a girl out in a lake for a romanic afternoon) these are long thin things! (although I suppose the question is relavant to all these "boats") You could call them racing boats or multi-rower boats. Classed as sculls if the rower has and oar in each hand and sweeps for a single oar per rower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konrad von Carstein Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Wish I'd never asked now I think they were sculls as described by Das Root Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 in an attempt to answer your question: Facing backwards allows them to use pretty much their whole bodies to power each stroke. Facing forwards really only lets them use their arm muscles. Thats how I understand it. Might not be right / can probably be explained more eloquently by rowing types, but thats my offering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I P Knightley Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Canoe Is that not a Kayak? Here's a gnu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Jet ski's look less effort and more fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 in an attempt to answer your question: Facing backwards allows them to use pretty much their whole bodies to power each stroke. Facing forwards really only lets them use their arm muscles. You can use your whole body when rowing forward as well. This video shows how: As with many water based things, it's all really a question of tradition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smack Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 A Kanu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 You can use your whole body when rowing forward as well. This video shows how: As with many water based things, it's all really a question of tradition. Not sure what to make of that. Looks so clever but so wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazio Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 If backwards is good enough for Ben Hur it's good enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I suspect the facing the back by rowers may be something to do with being able to watch and get instructions from the helmsman in days gone by Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Root Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I suspect the facing the back by rowers may be something to do with being able to watch and get instructions from the helmsman in days gone by It's Oxford and Cambridge's favourite pasttime. It's just so they can eye up each other's arses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_R Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 THIS IS A CANOE!!! We've had rowing boats, kayaks and a gnu so just to clarify any confusion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasavallan Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 And then we have the coracle, which is propelled by splashing about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 fred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Treasurer Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 This reminds me of that (very) old joke. Q: what 3 things can win by going backwards ? A: tug-o-war team, rowing boat, and Dundee Utd Source: The Iron Age Book of Fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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