In the ancient days, row boats were used out of necessity, not for sports. They traditionally were an important form of transportation for several civilizations, including the Egyptians and Romans. Row boats were even instrumental in times of warfare. As per Peter A Derow, eventually with time, rowing evolved into a globally recognized athletic activity, which made its Olympic debut at the 1900 Paris Games.
Peter A Derow Sheds Light on Advances in Rowing Boat Design and Technology Over Time
In the domain of rowing, advancements in blade design, the introduction of lighter materials, as well as the proliferation of electronic devices outfitted with sensors have been important to the evolution of the sport. In the infancy of rowing, racing hulls used to be made of wood. After all, it is lightweight and buoyant. Wooden hulls have been a mainstay in competitions until around the 1970s, as composite materials started being used in place of wood. While wood had many beneficial properties, composite materials provided a brand-new way for boat makers to craft vessels. These boats were both stronger and lighter than their wooden counterparts.
Hulls were made using fiberglass decades ago, after which carbon fiber hit the scene. It provided many advantages over fiberglass, like increased strength while also lowering the weight of the shell. Initially, carbon fiber was costlier than fiberglass. Eventually, the expenses went down, and today it is among the most commonly used materials for making shells.
Much like materials used to make rowing boats, their design has also substantially changed over the years. A significant evolution has especially been seen in blade designs. Traditionally, oars used to feature tulip blades. This is a type of blade that featured large scoopers and allowed rowers to grip onto the water. This oar design has certain disadvantages. One could not put much load on them, and therefore it was difficult to get much grip in the water. Over time, blades have become got shorter and fatter, and hence allow rowers to grip onto the water more easily. Computational fluid dynamics research show that as blades get stockier, rowers are likely to get a better grip on the water, and enjoy a better rowing experience.
According to Peter A Derow, in terms of technology, the use of sensors and the collection of data has become common in rowing over the last decade or so. Today sensors are used to capture insights like the speed of the boat, stroke rate of the rower, distance travelled, overall time, and so on. Certain new age technologies can provide insight into the pitch angle of the rowers, the angle of the oars, the depths they go in, the length of the oar as it goes through the water, the angle it comes out, and more. Sensors are also added to the footplates of the boat to check how much pressure rowers are using when they are pushing off. Such data goes a long way in enabling rowers and their coaches to identify inefficiencies and refine technique.