COVID-19 generated many ideas how to comply with the social distancing measures. Here just two example. A disappointed ladies crew and a US Club trying to overcome the COVID-19 hurdles.
Rowing While Maintaining Social Distance
Touring 8x, Credit: Seeclub Biel
Kerstine, a friend of mine, masters rower, told me about her Covid-19 experience in her club. The idea: Get the four ladies into an eight, do some rigging modification and off you row.
They started with a theoretical exercise”. Length of the eight (60-62 ft) / Bow and Stern – Cox seat.
Maintaing social distance – it could work. Well, She came back to reality at the club house. The eight was rigged with sweep riggers only. Plus, Kerstine and her crew did not have permission to row the 2017 Empacher. Would the Head Coach allow them to use the racing shell. Tough times need tough decisions: No way. The Coach referred to a wooden 8x, unknown age, shoesizes 12+. 150kg (300lbs).
Says Kerstine: “We could have rigged that old vessel different. Move stern or middle ship riggers to port. It would have worked. Still we were not able to get help to carry the boat to the dock. So I continued to row my single sculler, others went to the gym or used their bike. Fortunately these times are behind us she told me in July.
4 Rowers maintaining social distance Credit: Denver Post
A system developed by The Mile High Rowing club and others showed: Eight feet of distance between every other seat is possible. Putting 4 persons into an 8 could work. Under certain rigging conditions: But you need an eight which can be rigged with sculling and sweep riggers. This is what the rigging looked like: The cox has his seat, the bow and seven are rigged for sweep, third and fifth for sculling wings. Source: Denver Post
