About RowingRowing is one of the oldest sports and has strong traditions. Rowing allows for the maintenance of physical fitness from youth through to old age. Rowing is a competitive and recreational activity for all, regardless of age, gender or ability.
Arklow Rowing Club offers its members offshore and coastal rowing, two very distinctive types of racing, so you might ask, what's the difference? |
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Offshore and Coastal rowing. What's the difference?
Arklow Rowing Club offers two distinctly different types of rowing designed for the open sea, offshore and costal. In a nutshell if the seat slides, the style of rowing is called 'offshore', while if the seat is fixed the rowing style is 'coastal'.
However, to confuse the matter the world rowing federation (FISA) does not use the term 'offshore rowing', and so many of our rowers race in the Irish offshore rowing championships, and qualify for the world coastal rowing championships. For a full explanation click here.
However, to confuse the matter the world rowing federation (FISA) does not use the term 'offshore rowing', and so many of our rowers race in the Irish offshore rowing championships, and qualify for the world coastal rowing championships. For a full explanation click here.
Offshore RowingOffshore rowing is relatively new to Ireland, however Arklow Rowing Club has a proud history of offshore rowing. Arklow sent its first crews (Eamonn and Peter Kavanagh in the CM2x along with Sadie and Breda Farrell in the CW2x) in the 2004 world coastal rowing championships (Montpellier). In 2005 Arklow purchased its first double and single. In recent years offshore rowing has grown considerably in Ireland and may be recognised as an olympic event by 2024 (Article of interest).
Offshore rowing boats are used to row in extreme conditions around a 4 or 6 km triangular, rectangular or irregular course. The standard boats are singles (1X), doubles (2X) and coxed quadruple sculls (4X+). All offshore boats are sculls (two oars per rower) Crews do not have a fixed lane so compete for position at the start line and can come into contact during the race. Offshore rowers must have a variety of skills due to the nature of the sport. These include steering the best line, being able to judge the environmental conditions to benefit the boats speed and jostling for position at the start line and during the race. In September every year senior rowers compete in the Irish Offshore Championships for the chance to qualify for the World Offshore Rowing Championships (called the World Rowing Coastal Championships). At this event the best club crews from around the world compete against each other. 
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Coastal RowingCoastal rowing is available from many different rowing clubs around the Irish coast. The types of boats and oars can vary greatly from place to place, with traditional wooded boats which have been used, in some areas, for centuries.
In order for these many coastal clubs to compete fairly against each other, crews may also race in a standard 'one-design' boat. In Arklow our traditional coastal boat is the East Coast skiff. The Skiff has its origins in the profession of Hobbling. Hobblers were freelance Harbour Pilots and competition was strong to win the contracts to pilot approaching ships into port and these contracts were won by prospective Pilots rowing and racing out to meet approaching ships to be the first to board and win the lucrative contracts. Not only did the successful hobblers receive payment to pilot the ships into port but they were also awarded the contract for discharging and loading those ships whilst in port. Now a skiff race takes place over a distance of 1,400 m (short course, one turn) or 2,800 m (long course, 3 turns), depending on the race category. Crews are coxed, have a fixed lane (including starting ropes and a turning buoy per crew), and are rowed sweep (one oar per rower). Reference: eastcoastrowing.ie 
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