Coastal and ocean rowing
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Coastal and ocean rowing is a type of rowing performed on the sea. Due to the harsher conditions encountered at sea, the boats are wider and more robust than those used on rivers and lakes.
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[edit] International Competition
The sport of Coastal and Offshore Rowing is thriving across Europe, though at present most British sea rowing is "traditional" fixed seat rowing and competition is of a regional nature. France is leading the development of modern sliding seat sea going boats, "Yoles", and National Competition here is well established with FISA, the Worldwide regulatory body for rowing encouraging the expansion of the sport to other countries.
As the FISA World Coastal Rowing Challenge is becoming established the use of the French Yole is gaining in popularity and most European countries are beginning to adopt this standard class. From 2007 the competition will be renamed as the "FISA World Club Coastal Rowing Challenge" thus opening the event to all Club rowers without pre-qualification and acknowledging Coastal rowings very participatory nature. FISA is further committed to endorsing sea rowing traditions by encouraging rough water competition requiring seamanship and navigation skills in addition to fine technique .
[edit] North America
However, in North America the sport of "open water" rowing relies on typically longer, lighter and faster boats while sharing an emphasis on safety. Safety is ensured through the use of positive flotation , and self-bailing capacity, supplemented by rower's seamanship skills. North American boats do not conform to the minimum standards established by FISA, because they are too long and do not weigh enough. Open water racing in North America is very popular in New England, California, and Washington. One very active open water rowing club is Sound Rowers and Paddlers [1], and this club sponsors races from February until October around Puget Sound, Washington. Open water racing in the San Francisco area is supported by the Open Water Rowing Center in Sausalito. The preeminent open water race in New England is the Blackburn Challenge.
[edit] Great Britain and Ireland
The Cornish Pilot Gig Association is by far the largest British sea rowing group and preserves a tradition using both original and new boats made to a closely controlled specification. The CPGA has seen a huge continuing growth over the past decade or so and new boats are constantly being built to satisfy the demand. The Cornish Gig has been adopted by rowers in the Netherlands and there is a successful Gig club in Wales.
Celtic Sea rowers in Wales and Ireland have adopted modern designs of fixed seat boats, loosely based on the Irish [Currach][2], which itself is still used by sea rowers in both countries.
The annual All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships involves upto 350 crews each year and is believed to be second in size only to the Cornish Pilot Gigs World Championships in the Scilly Isles. The New Celtic Design boat which was introduced only 4 years ago is gaining in popularity and is used as a bridge to link the various Irish classes of boats from the East Coast skiffs, the Cork yawls, the Kerry 4 oars, Wexford/Slaney cotts to the Antrim gigs.
Other groups thrive throughout British coastal regions: from the Shetlands in the North, Whitby and Scarborough on the North Sea; Seine boat rowers on the Teign, to the Channel Islands where following some forty years of design development using ply, they are importing superior pairs and singles fibreglass boats from France! Plywood quads continue to be built in Guernsey as the French fibreglass designs are sluggish in comparison.From 2006 Fisa dimensions are followed in hull design.
Competition thrives, whether a League system, or "one off" Challenges. The 22 mile London Great River Race is the major British event for traditional boats attracting up to 350 crews, but there are many regular events throughout the long March to October season. A similar event takes place in Cork, Ireland every year, the [Ocean to City][3] race is 15 nuatical miles traversing Cork harbour. In 2006, 150 traditioanl boats completed the event.
The Welsh Sea Rowing Association, for instance, organises a total of 21 offshore and estuary events each year. These range from 5 mile league races to the 90 mile Celtic challenge rowing race, an epic Irish Sea crossing.
The annual Interceltic Watersports competition features, amongst other events, sea rowing using both traditional and modern craft. This has greatly helped in the development of open water competition amongst rowers from the ten Celtic nations and Welsh rowers now compete across Europe, representing GB in France, Italy, and Spain.
[edit] Australia
Surf boat rowing is very popular in Australia and New Zealand and to a lesser extent South Africa. Usually associated with Surf Life Saving clubs surf boat crews are trained in life saving skills as well as learning to be competent oarsman. The Australian form of the sport attracts wide media coverage and is often featured on mainstream sporting shows in the summer months. Surf boats are 4 oared vessels with pointed bow and sterns. The boat is steered by a sweep who stands in the bow and uses an oar like rudder to control the boat. During competition surf crews start on the beach and row through the surf to then proceed to a certain number of turning points (often referred to as the can). Crews then race back to the beach. As the boat nears the beach oars are raised and the boat is literally surfed a shore. Surf boat races are conducted on a weekly basis through out the Australian summer. Hundreds of boat crews take part.
[edit] Netherlands
In this country there is a very vivid scene of "sloeproeien" which means rowing in lifeboats and Navy instruction longboats. This sport also means that traditional (original, old) boats are being preserved, restored and used in rowing races. As all boats are different, there is a system for correcting the time with a C-value to obtain more honest results.
