ANALYSIS of THE DATA

I hope that some constructive comments will be well taken!
As far as I can see , a some key bits of information are missing, namely (1) preferred Gearing and (2) preferred Stroke Rate and & 3) preferred seat spacing. All of these parameters have a key bearing on the eventual (standard) oar length.
When analysing , rather than dealing with "average" data , perhaps only the data from the most successful Clubs should be used selectively. This would immediately negate the original complaint "that "they" are only winning because they have better oars than us". I am well aware that there are many other reasons for winning including fitness, technique etc. but it would address the starting point of the Survey.

Hi Hugh,

My take on gearing is that for each crew, in each set of weather conditions, there will be an optimal gear, high or low, which they prefer and find comfortable. It's not for me to say what that is, any more than one can tell a cyclist what gear to use. All we can do is provide a range for them to try.

The stronger crews in our club (Ullapool), having two gears to choose from which are 3.0 and 2.8, consistently choose 3.0 for racing despite me trying to get them to try 2.8. Other clubs use gears down to 2.6 so our new design will have gears from 2.6 to 3.0.

I think we need to have oars long enough so that with a gear of 3.0 (the critical case) the inboard is at least 1150 or the equivalent with inboard blocks, in positions 2 and 3. I know you don't think the clashing problem is important but a lot of people have mentioned it to me. I have a long upper body so my reach may resemble a gorilla's, and so I may suffer more than most, but I do think we should design out this particular feature of the boat, which is an unintended consequence of sweep rowing in a boat not intended for that.

The master spreadsheet is only of successful clubs whose oars are reasonably optimised, and do, I think, represent current best practice. The averages are thus taken from the best oars.

Stroke rates of between 25 and 35 seem to be the norm for 2k racing but again will vary and I don't think we need to take a view on this, other than supplying the lightest possible oars.

Agreed we should encourage builders to space the seats as much as they can, to about 1050 centres.