How to Row a Scull Boat
Sculling is better identified as rowing. Crew teams compete at the college level across the globe. Usually these races are conducted with four or eight man boats with each man pulling on one oar and they race from point A to point B on a river, calm lake or channel. Others practice the same sport in one and two man boats. Here is how to row a single man scull boat.
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Instructions
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Place the scull in the water next to a dock. Insert one oar and extend the blade out away from the dock, then lock the oar into the rigging. Fit the other oar into the rigging that is next to the dock and lock it in place. Pull the oar part way through the rigging so that only about 3 feet of the blade is on the dock.
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Carefully ease yourself down on the seat of the scull. Once you have your rear situated and comfortable, draw your knees up, place your feet in the footings and tie the laces. Now push and pull with your legs to ensure that the seat moves smoothly back and forth on the runners.
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Push away from the dock gently and extend the oars out to each side. Allow the blades to lay flat on the water. In this position, they will help stabilize you in the water. Take a moment to get the feel of the boat.
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Draw your knees up to your chest and bend forward to grasp the oars with the blades out of the water. The ends of the oars will now be pointed off to the sides back towards the rear of you. Keeping the oars out of the water, extend your legs all the way and lean back somewhat in the seat and pull your hands close to your body. This is the position of the oars when you have fully executed a stroke. They will be pointed somewhat forward and out to the side.
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Repeat this movement on the seat a few times and get the feel of the boat as you are stroking the oars. Continue until you are comfortable.
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Take the grip of the oar in each hand. With the oar out to the side of the boat, your wrist should be flat and the blade of the oar should be perpendicular to the water. Practice rolling your wrist down and forward. Watch how the blade of the oar reacts. As you roll your wrist down, the blade turns so that it is parallel to the water and the back of the blade is resting on the water. As you roll your wrist up, the blade turns again perpendicular to the water and the edge is at the top of the water again.
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Take your first stroke. Slide forward in the seat and extend your arms with the oars gripped in your hands and the blades parallel with the water. Execute the stroke slowly at first to get the feel of the motion and technique. Your wrists should be in the down position and as you roll them back to the normal position the blade of the oar should turn perpendicular to the water.
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Move your hands slightly up and the blade of the oar should dip into the water. Your movement will be to first extend your legs and then pull with your arms and finally finish as you lean back in the seat at which point your should have completed a roll of your wrists down again. Your wrist will begin to roll about the point you begin to lean back in the seat. Let the boat glide over the water after you complete the stroke. Take another stroke and let the boat glide again. Away you go.
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Tips & Warnings
To stop or slow the boat simply turn the face of the oar over and dip it lightly into the water holding it firmly against your body.
To turn the boat, pull on the oar on the side opposite to where you want to turn. This maneuver is only done when the boat is essentially stopped.
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Comments
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This is all wrong. First of all, you never EVER let go of your oars. Second, gravity takes the blades into the water, you don't force them in. If you let gravity pull them in, the blades will be at the same depth for every stroke. Don't post this crap unless you know what you're doing.
