page_title: Glossary of rowing terms
section_title: Equipment / parts of the boat
hierarchical_section_title: Glossary of rowing terms / Equipment / parts of the boat
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Doppelzweier von oben
context_page_description: In competitive rowing, the following specialized terms are important in the corresponding aspects of the sport:
context_section_description: Rigging is how the boat is outfitted, including all of the apparatuses (oars, outriggers, oarlocks, sliding seats, etcetera) attached to a boat that allow the rower to propel the boat through the water. The term comes from an old Old English wrigan or wrihan, which means "to clothe."  It literally means to outfit or clothe a boat. Rigging also refers to the configuration of the boat and settings of the apparatuses. The following terms are often associated with a boat's rigging, along with other often used terms for equipment used in rowing.
  Backstay 
  A brace which is part of the rigger of sweep rowing boats, which extends toward the bow from the top of the pin.
  Backstop 
  The stop mechanism on the seat slides which prevents the rower's seat from falling off the sliding tracks at the back end (towards the boat's bow) of the slide tracks. Also, in the UK, the sliding seat position closest to the boat's bow. As a command, it instructs the crew to adopt this position. (The US calls this seat position the "back end").
  Blade 
  The spoon or hatchet/cleaver shaped end of the oar. Also used to refer to the entire oar.
  Bowloader / bowcox / bow steered 
  A shell in which the coxswain seat is near the bow of the boat rather than its stern. The seat in a bow loader partially enclosed and is designed so that the coxswain is virtually lying down, in order to reduce wind resistance and distribute coxswains weight so as to create a lower center of gravity.
  Bow 
  The front section of a shell; the first section of the shell to cross the finish line.
  Bow ball 
  A small, soft ball no smaller than 4 cm diameter securely attached to a rowing or sculling boat's bow. Primarily intended for safety, but also used in deciding which boat crossed the finish line first in very close races.
  Bow number 
  A card displaying the lane number assigned to the boat for a race.
  Bow rigged
  (UK) The person stroking the boat has their oar on the bowside (starboard or right) rather than the typical Strokeside of the boat.
  Bowside 
  (UK) The [starboard] or right side of a boat. Derives from the tradition of having the bow rower's oar be on the starboard or right side of the boat.
  Bucket rigged
  a way of rigging a boat so that a pair of rowers both row on the same side of the boat, contrary to rigging on alternate sides. Double and triple buckets are possible (variants also known as German rigged, Italian rigged or tandem-rigged).
  Canvas 
  The deck of the bow and stern of the boat, which were traditionally covered with canvas.
  Cleaver blade 
  Modern oar blades that have a more rectangular hatchet-shape. (also hatchet blade)
  Collar / Button 
  A wide plastic ring placed around the sleeve of an oar. The button stops the oar from slipping through the oarlock.
  Cox box
  Portable voice amplifier; may also optionally incorporate digital readouts displaying stroke rate, boat speed and times.
  Coxmate
  A portable amplification device, similar to a coxbox, incorporating a digital readout. Higher models may also have a built in radio and speed sensor.
  Empacher slot 
  A UK term for the clip at the on the top of the bow for holding racing number plates.
  Ergometer (also ergo or erg) 
  An indoor rowing machine.
  Foot stretcher 
  An adjustable footplate, to which a pair of shoes is typically attached, which allows the rower to easily adjust his or her physical position relative to the slide and the oarlock. The footplate can be moved (or "stretched") either closer to or farther away from the slide frontstops. (also "Footplate", "Footchock", or "Footstop")
  Frontstop 
  The stop mechanism on the seat slides which prevents the rower's seat from falling off the sliding tracks at the front end (towards the boat's stern) of the slide tracks. Also, in the UK, the sliding seat position closest to the boat's stern. As a command, it instructs the crew to adopt this position. (The US calls this seat position the "front end")
  Gate 
  (UK) Bar across the top of rowlock, secured with a nut, which prevents the oar from coming out of the rowlock. Also historically used to refer to the oarlock or rowlock. Swivel (US)
  Gunw
caption: The inside of a double scull. Shows the seat, slides, backstops, footplate, shoes and riggers.
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