The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-09
NrCKALLs on AMERICAN ROWING.
English Oarsmsn Approves Of swivel Row
lock, but FInds Many Faults.

Vivian NlCkalls, one OF the foremost oars
men in England. contributed a remarkably
pithy article to the Field Of September %
on "The Ammerican oarsman and his boat"
and points out some glazing faults OF rowing
as practised on this side OF the pond. TN
the other hand, he saw a few points Tor Eng
lishmen to learn from the Americans, stch
as the adoption Of the swivel rowlock; ana
he predicts that as soon as the Yankee learns
how to get a bevel on" his blade. to row
himself out and to have the proper kind OF
a boat under him. the Englismen will meet
defeat. Another point admired by Nickalls
was the rapidity with which the Americans
shot their hands away and this free action
was commended to the Britons as a point
worthy Of imitation. Said Nickalls:
Il would draw the English oarsmen 8 atten-
ton TO two features connected with the
American varsity boat that to my mind
seemed worthy of our adoption. The first
was swivel rowlocks. We are told that
there il nothing new under the face OF the
sun. and swivel rowlocks are not unknown
in England. They were tried by the LONDON
Rowing Club as far back as 1872, but were
voted a failure. They we're a failure. how
ever, only because they were not properly
fixed. Again, the crew Of MaGdalen College
Oxford, we're using swivel rowloCks in 1892
hut the varsity mems happened to be MADE
Of bad metal and in due course twisted IN
consequence. A little later my brother and
myself used the little tried invention with
great success when rowing together IN a
pair. and also in 1895 and 1895. when rowing
in the four of the London Rowing Club.
Since then the London has used a modified
form of the swivel rowlock, called the Lowe
which, | believe. has been found 70 be a great
Improvement on the old fixed rowloCk.
The dominant reasons why swivel row.
Iocks are not counted a success outside the
United States are because a crew by their
! use run the risk of not finishing together
for that rattle that one hears at the end OF
the stroke, with oars in the rowlocks, with
which We are all familiar. Is not present 70
guide the men rs 20 when they are IN tnnS,
and that there is a jar at the END or the NfokP
that places a small amount Of pressure on,
the boat progress D esisti are Something
more than tolerable in the face OF the seNtrai
ad vanta ges gained by the ADOPTION OF sWlNei
rowIocks. A few OF the advanta ges are that
the finish of the stroke If. easier, the water
can he caught quicker, the stroke can ne
slightly heightened. the hanGs Sd a nc t go
row without fear of suddenly shooting the
button Of ones oar out Of the string
THE second thing about the America n boat
that struck me as being lust fine was the
length OF the slides. These were longer
than any ] have seen this SIDE OF Ihe Ao on H.
English slide. Now, ! firmly believe IN an
oarsman feeling his back stop. N0twlth
So lr1 too Strongly to copy their Yankee
cousins and bring their stretchers up a good
two inches toward the rigger, ana 80 iehGlnIn
nccessi'ate the use Of swivel rowloCks, otner-
wise there would be the danger OF frequently
American oarsmen have. fear. eth
much to learn about the gentle ART OF ROWING;
FOR instance it was most rIdlcIIOus Sno 20
for the Harvard crew TO start tnelr, race WIN
Cambridge with a stroke OF IS TO the mlnlite
and then suddenly. and almost immediately,
To droD to 70. The Americans were q IaSt
rew-indeed, faster than the Gam9ridEe;
but the cr fetal 3lgndsr On P PSSE 1ther t DID not %
know how to race and this is one OF the, several
things American oarsmen have still TO learn.
Another. not less IMPORTANT, is nov 10 ger
the very last ounce out OF themselves. II
has been noticed times out or numDer thaC
American osTsme and pe Ssrr u row Where Te' the mis-.
take ia made. Were they to do SC. they say
they would be 'ft for tickling for days after,
ward. What stuff and nonsense'e BUT lt is
a science not easily mastered and perhaps
altogether beyond the blum, YANKEE
to acquire a full knowledge OF your powers
and a science only mastered by rowing Your
self blind a few times before the day OF tht
worthy OF mention in which the American
fails. He cannot catch the water smartiy ",
and in time WITH the rsTt OF the crew. io'
The reason for the first named fault is no
far TO find; the much criticised oarsmaI
feather. In other words. he has as yet Il
realize that he should turn his hands wher
they are Just over the Stretcher. mat ]
the remedy for the fault, and to a, large eX
tent for the other two mentioned, 10 Doot
But before America attempts to perfect her
he eausiiy dinlcult art Of building an eight
for though she knows something about row
ing. what she knows OF the latter. art Is %
viously of little OF, no value. All ianke,
boats are very similar TO the hideous; badly
constructed craft that we, saw at Putnel
few weeks back; ! Tim 0niy pp66tsn se of
are 1xed TO a strip or pine. running from
bow to stern. which in turn Is fastened I;
occasion that the boats are used the nail
holding the skin to the ribs invariably, start
owing TO the great strain that Is placed nP0}l
them Again, on account OF this deplorabI
Arrangement of the seats. small pieces o
wood have to be tackled everywhere ,insid'
the boats, in criss-cross fashion. to add tn,
~ need hardly mention that in every Eng
lIsh built eight the, seats are fixed TO IN
NIX theirs 70 the same place IL they woult
| only discard the > inch wheels on which tnei
! slides run. in favor of the much smaller whee
-. boards Of the Yankee Fights are but from
} tbrpe-eights to five eights or an inch in thick
ness, and this undoubtedly constitutes an
other weak point in the build of the American
boat; aud vet another is the abnormal thin
{ ness Of the skins of the vessels-that is. alb
! normal when compared with the outer cover
I inRs on English Fights.
T at is no PNaWReratiOn that n child OF
J could almost pNl IVA wee nSl JhTolRn ore %
I these slender American SKINS. and n tn
> craft were used much on a tideway tn
owners would quickly see the disadvanta9
= Of 40 slight o covering Moreover, never al
l eight wa built in the United Stat7s that wa
1 not very 'hlnff' III the bows on her entry, o
, with absolutely correct waves NJ displace
: mPnt. Indeed, to obtain an idea OF tn,
70 renrraI appearance OF m American eiRh
! vou have only to cut m IL yoUr minds eyO
P the first two feet Of thar beautifully shapel
vessel huilt ~ Sims n fow weeks back, an,
IOl and behold, there il tho hideOus wench.
? I'm pdditior TO the faults ! have alread,
% poirted out, Won notice that she IS not sum
, ciently fat bottomPd. and that the steeraR
} tx Of n marvellous shane and twice as larg
as ia necessary. The truth ia the America
boat builders FIRST ann Is for lghtresS. an
r 10 nttain this end he sacrifices all that
I essential 10 good and effective rowing. bu
/ stiffness and strength IN particular, tn
final result il that American oarsnlen ar
' nut ahOat IN cookie shells. In conclusion
y may however. say thai once. America hA
: learned 10 build such an eight IA Claspe
q | md lirna lnrl. nll and hnl naramnn hA Y