Glossary
Here are some of the terms used in rowing & canoeing:
Bell boat
Bell boat is a sturdy, double-hulled boat ideal for beginners.
Dragon Boating
Dragon boating is a special kind of paddling - see Other Sports.
Gig
Gig is an older-style boat also ideal for beginners.
Head
Head is a time race with a staggered start.
Repechage
Repechage is a second chance given in international racing to crews failing to qualify for finals in an opening heat.
Sculling
Sculling means each rower has two oars, one in each hand. Competition sculling may have single, double or quadruple rowers.
Shell
Shell means the boat.
Sweep rowing
Sweep rowing means each rower uses both hands for one oar. Competitive sweep rowing has crews of two, four or eight.
The difference between rowing and canoeing/paddling ...
... is that in rowing the oars are connected to the boat and in canoeing the paddles are hand-held and have no mechanical connection.
Canoeing facts:
- In canoeing the paddler kneels or sits and uses a single-bladed paddle.
- Canoes are usually open-topped.
- In kayaking the paddler sits and has a double-ended paddle.
- Kayaks usually have closed tops.
- Competitive events are canoe sprints and canoe slaloms.
- Competition is also divided into flat-water (still water) and white-water (fast-moving rivers) events.
Rowing facts:
- The eights are steered by a cox.
- Both sculling and rowing have light-weight and heavy-weight categories.