designing a fast rowboat

We thought we did, but we couldn't see the safety boat, just the other crew going tight around the point! Was a great day, hats off to you and Penny.

I get the feeling it's going to be very tough on Saturday! My crew rowed for the first time together as a six only last Sunday, so we're completely green. Only Alan is experienced. We'll still give it a good go though. We're already talking about trying to stick together as a crew for the next year and having a real pop at top ten. That might change after Saturday though!!

One of the things I liked about your boat, Keith, was that you had clearly put some science into it, instead of our way which appears to be.... erm, the rowlocks go about... there! s)

 

Ah, you are forgeting i built Dauntless, Proud mary, Renown & Leigh ho!
There was quite a bit of sitting in the boats swinging an oar mounted on a rowlock clamped to the gunwales with g cramps! plus reading the accumalated knowledge on this thread.
As for the GRR the worst bit will be from half a mile from the start for the first half hour, make damn sure you are wearing a waterproof & carry big bailers, reckon you will need them, try not to drink the river water, Good luck!
For anyone thats interested the boats all carry GPS trackers so the race can be followed online as it happens or speeded up afterwards, http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

 

I was speaking only after watching our guys convert Leigh-Ho into a randan configuration. No science at all!

I came on here because I wanted to find out about the engineering behind building these things. My team and I were wondering about what could be done to make a boat like Dauntless quicker, without turning it into a different class of boat; things like...

Slightly lengthening the boat
Smooth hull (non simulated-clinker)
Stiffening the hull (the new boat has fibreglass bulkheads as seats, which stiffen the boat and have allowed them to make it lighter overall, however these make the rowing positions too cramped imo!)
Swivel mounted seats
Different stretcher assembly

etc...

Dauntless is already a quick boat, hence a 43 minute handicap on Saturday, but I thought it would be an interesting project over the next 12 months to look for every opportunity to gain speed

 

Dauntless was a cut & shut built from a sawn in half Hanningfield skiff like Renown, Leigh Ho & Zev, she was built by eye in my front garden & was not very fair, with several wonky plank edges especially below the waterline. Taking a mould from her was a waste of time & money as it produced a boat that was worse due to shrinkage & distortion.
Her stern was too hollow on the waterline & she drags a big stern wave at full speed, best i ever got from her was a short burst of 6.2 knots on GPS. Contrast this to the welsh longboat that is quicker despite being 2ft shorter.
She was actually lighter than her original 18ft configuration despite being 8ft longer.
I would think you are on a hiding to nothing trying to make her smooth as it would take a lot of filler (heavy) lengthening her again you arent going to add enough to make it worthwhile. Best enjoy her as she is.
If you are interested give me a ring & come see the designs i have been working on.

 

I was thinking of an entirely new boat, just along the same lines as Dauntless, so it would be great to come and see your designs, thank you

 

The great river race results are up on the website,http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/text_files/GRR 2011 Provisional Results.htm, First home were a couple of dragonboats closely followed by a Celtic longboat which took 2hrs 26m 22s.
An Oughtred Acorn Skiff was 9th a Cosine wherry was 11th & LTRC Men were 13th in Renown an 18ft skiff (sister ship to my boat) Dauntless 59th
Zev with her crew of ladies came 119th overall in 3hrs 17m 9s.
The race was as bad as it can get with a strong headwind very rough wind against tide conditions in places and torrential rain. Well done to all.

Watching from the bank they were still pulling hard at the finish. For me what summed up the spirit of the race was a six oared Thames cutter that landed next to our boat, they had a severley disabled lad at no 3, they had strapped him in his seat on the thwart. He was carried from the boat to his wheelchair by two of his crew mates having rowed the whole way. The look on his face was an absolute picture of joy & triumph.
Stupendous effort, well done.

 

disabled rower

Keith, Wow! that post made my eyes tear up. What a great testimony to his courage and the community of rowers that can accomodate a disabled person competing on a level playing field. I'd like to see some of the boats that you and Manchester Pete are discussing, sounds as if you've paid your dues in boats designed and built.

 

Thanks, at that moment my camera was in my hand & i wanted to snap a photo, it felt like it would have been intruding on a real personal moment so i didnt. Cest la vie! I did seem to remember there must have been a bit of dust blowin round & got in more than a few eyes.

 

It's Keith whose done all the design and build. I'm a total novice having only rowed since March. It's Keith's boats I have been rowing though, and Keith's boat my team rowed 2:44:05 for the 21.6 miles of the river race.

The river race is an amazing thing, highs and lows. Keith's story about, plus a boat rowed by a team of British servicemen who have lost limbs in action. Then lows like the poor girl who firemen had to cut the boat from under her after being struck by an
Oar before the race even began.

I'll see if I can post some pictures of Keith's boat that we rowed.

 

Dauntless

The boat that Keith built, Dauntless, powering past Traitor's Gate at the Tower of London. This is only 4 miles into the race, and just before the heavens opened. I'm at cox.

She's sitting a little low in the water perhaps, but that's because there are 4 200lb+ crew in there, including me!

 

what?

I'm puzzled. The picture of Dauntless is a little small to see well, but it looks as if there are 4 at the oars, M.P. coxing, what is with the person in the bow? Is he rowing? I can't see.

 

Dauntless

The Great River Race is a 'traditional' rowing boat race organised by "The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames". Since traditionally, such boats were used to carry passengers up and down the Thames, the race rules require every boat to carry a passenger, and a cox. It is allowable to swap round, so as you see, we have four rowers and two non-rowers. Every 20 minutes, we swap positions. Each rower therefore rows for 40 minutes then has a 20 minute break. Need it over nearly three hours racing!

The pic I've attached here is Keith's shot of the finish line. I have reduced it so it loads ok, but if you would like to see the originals, pm me and I'll email them.

I'm at number 3 this time, by the way!

 

races

We've got two races coming up here. Oct. 9th is what is laughingly referred to as the East Coast Championship. How they came up with that is a mystery to me as it's a small gathering and there is no method in place to determine a championship so it is a lot of foolisness. There is one new twist to the day. There is to be a second sprint race that will be handicapped to come up with an over all champion for the day. The second is The Weir River Race. It will be much larger with maybe 100 boats. It is a staggered start with boats leaving at one minute intervals. It is mentally tough because you don't know how the boats are doing that started 10 minutes behind you. We won our class two years ago simply because it was so rough that a lot of boats didn't finish and we toughed it out to finish in really difficult conditions. We had to stop and bail out once and still had 3" of water slopping around that threatened to swamp us. I was soaked from head to toe, but totally enthused just to have been able to finish.

 

A couple of things that might be of interest;

Photos of a Bangor Packet. I have always like the plans of this boat; http://learntosail.net/bangorpacket.html

And this guy has 2 pr of Marcon oars for sale at $100 . A great price for you guys on the east coast. scullerbill@gmail.com

 

I always liked the look of the Bangor packet lovely looking boat.
I now have a confession, As a lifelong fixed seat rower, i always regarded sliding seat as a bit too rareified for me, but last Sunday i got in a sliding seat sculling boat for the first time & liked it, (boat is a grp mondego single, great little boat) yesterday i did it again. Worse than that i cant wait to do it again. Is there any hope for me?