Subj : Re: Boat speed improvements
To   : rec.sport.rowing
From : Matthew Farrow
Date : Fri Mar 26 2021 03:46 am

On Friday, 8 January 2021 at 17:09:55 UTC, frit...@googlemail.com wrote:
> I'm as frustrated as Carl is about this state of affairs in rowing. 
> Talking from a UK perspective, and as someone who has worked some years for a
 sports governing body. Ever since British Cyling started its 'marginal gains'/
 AIS inspired stuff (A process that started WAY before London 2012 oly cycle,
back last century with Chris Boardman and his Lotus bike and Graham Obree
battling each other for the hour record etc., most UK sports NGBs have been
falling over each other to 'get science'. 
> But rowing, which (in the UK) has the budget, and is a similarly equipment
heavy sport... Nope. Not interested. Just do more 300kg deadlifts. 
> If British Rowing would just put its hand in its pocket and spend a few quid
with a company like BAR (an America's Cup campaign spinoff now doing all sorts
of interesting stuff), it would (certainly initially) pay for itself many times
 over. 
> 
> Re: the comments on aero and oar shafts. Clearly, obviously a low hanging
fruit to be had there. That is one of the obvious places I'd be looking first.
No need to pick whether optimising for squared or feathered. Dead easy to
sleeve the oar shafts in a carbon aero sleeve, connected to the oarlock so it
stays horizontal all the time and the oar shaft just rotates inside it when
squaring and feathering. Get it all nicely PTFEd up so the shaft can turn
easily in it. I reckon max cost would be 0.5kgs per oar. Leave it open at the
blade end so the water drains out. Maybe have a connected short section inboard
 too for total aero! It would work perfectly with existing oars so a low cost
addition, not expensive new kit. An 8+ has got 8 of these horrendous sticks
prodding out of the sides, and up by the oarlocks they are THICK! Into a
headwind the improvement would surely be measureable? Even in no wind it'd be
worth having.
Hi,
How would you suggest ensuring the shroud device does not become load bearing
during the drive? Obviously a shroud is simple, but deflection can be up to
300mm in a soft-shaft rowing oar near the spoon, so I do not believe the
problem is quite as simple as you envisage.
If the shroud stops the oarfrom bending, it will support the load the rower is
applying instead. In this instance, a 0.5kg shroud would undoubtedly break.
Matt
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