How to Single Skull for Beginners

You might be wondering what the difference between rowing and sculling is. These are two types of stroking the water, which not only involves a difference in technique but also in other arrangements. For instance, there is a coxswain in rowing whereas in sculling, there’s none. Ultimately, enthusiasts and athletes choose between the two depending on what they prefer, where they feel more comfortable, and what is more accessible to them. You only use one oar in sweep rowing where there will always be a bow pair and a stern pair. There are instances where there is a coxswain, the leader of the team who is in charge to give blind instructions and make sure everyone does a catch at the same time.You would often see a coxswain in traditional races, events, and regattas. A regatta is a series of races that make up a rowing competition.

It is a common sight to find numbers like 2+ or 2- when referring to how many members a crew has in rowing. The plus sign is indicative of the presence of a coxswain while the minus sign means there is none. When we talk about sculling in all instances, there is no coxswain. Each rower competes with two oars. Beginners can try the single scull wherein they will get introduced to the vessel, the water and how the oars feel when they row it. Sculling consists of 1, 2, or 4 rowers in a crew which is also referred to as the single, double and quad. It depends on the situation when you’re rowing or sculling if you could sweep row on your own. The reason you can’t sweep row alone would be entirely down to the or situation with rowing vs sculling. Because a rower only uses one oar in rowing, another person aboard the vessel would be responsible to ensure that you’re not going around in circles or that the vessel is not moving backwards. To have a better catch and drive, you have to scoop the biggest water that you can.

How to Start

When you’ve chosen between rowing and sculling, you would want to practice techniques from both variations of the rowing sport. You may learn how to do frontstop, backstop, catch, checking, and recovery. The best way to start is to use a single scull, a technique that you could use even if you will eventually become a full-time rower with a crew. In a single scull, you use only one small boat that could only fit one rower. The rower will use two oars, have two riggers and two rudder controls. The first step of course is to bring your vessel into the water and make sure the bow will be facing the current. Next is to check the following: oars are perpendicular to the boat, foot stretchers adjusted to fit your height, and the rigger is over the jetty. The next step is to extend the oars for more stability. You hold both of the oar ends using one hand and then shift your weight by putting one foot in the boat. Once you’re seated, you could bring the other leg. By this time, you could push off the boat to the jetty where you’ll slowly and carefully leave the bay. The next step is to extend your legs, push the oars forward to let it feather the water. Think of following a beat in your head so that you could get to 30 strokes per minute. Recover the stroke by pushing your arms forward then use your core and legs to go forward on the slider and do a frontstop. Initiate the drive by thrusting the spoon of the oar into the water for a perfect catch with your arms pulled back. Do all these drills while looking at your back from time to time to check if there are other rowers approaching. You need to be extra vigilant for any hazards, whatever water form you are treading—be it the river, sea, or an open lake. Why is a single scull recommended for beginners? You can develop the skills and practice getting the muscle rhythm if you eventually want to enter a traditional rowing team with a coxswain. Here, you only have yourself to rely on. Most water sports centers will provide the tools and equipment for a reasonable price point. All you need are warm layers for the rough waters. Layer n clothing instead of wearing thick ones. When it warms up, you could just remove one layer at a time. Remember that no outdoor sport in the world poses no danger. But you can enjoy all of them while ensuring your safety, meaning avoiding accidents and injuries, if you practice vigilance. There are games when you can rely on a coxswain to call the shots. The responsibility of your safety is passed onto them. But if there is no coxswain, people are recommended to look over their shoulder every 5 strokes while traveling to ensure that everyone’s safe, including those you might crash into if you are not being careful. But if there are people you see who are in an emergency position, don’t hesitate to lend a helping hand. Call 911 and arrange for an emergency. Safety precautions include always checking approaching traffic, always keeping to your starboard side, do not take too much time to overtake, stay near the embarkment when you overtake, communicate through words when you help or when something is on the way and would crash you. When the current’s big, approach landing areas as soon as possible. Final Thoughts Are you ready to take on a new hobby? Sculling and rowing are good for your health and are a great sport to watch and participate in. Just make sure to prolong the life of your tools and equipment because it will help you in the long run. If you find it expensive, just think about how costly it will be if you land in the hospital without health insurance. One way to ensure their life is to store them properly in your garage. Free up space by organizing what’s left off your clutter from installing smart storage solutions from FlexiMounts such as overhead storage racks and wall shelves.