An Idiot’s Guide to Ocean Rowing: A simple glossary of terms
If you’re new to ocean rowing, all the new jargon may seem a little overwhelming so we have broken it down in this handy glossary of terms.
Aft – anything that is located inside the boat from the middle to the back end. For example, the rear cabin is called the “Aft cabin”
AIS – Automatic Identification System. The AIS is a piece of electronic equipment that transmits the position of a boat so other boats, who also have AIS, are aware of its position. It also transmits information about the identity, course and speed of the boat, and using this information can alert any boats that are on a collision course with each other. It is universally agreed that collisions are bad.
Autohelm – automatic steering system that can either keep you on a heading or steer you to a specific location. Imagine a Sat Nav that actually steers the car to your destination, only the car is a boat and the road is the ocean.
Bearing – a compass bearing is the clockwise angle measurement between a given point and true north on a compass.
Bearings – on an ocean rowing boat the bearings are a part of the wheels on the seats that help reduce friction when sliding backwards and forwards during the stroke. They can often rust due to the salt water and may need to be changed several times during the crossing.
Bow – the front of the boat, also known as the pointy end.
Bow seat – the seat nearest to the bow, or the front, of the boat. Only applicable if there is more than one seat on the boat.
Catching a crab – getting your oar stuck in the water, normally caused by a wave on the return stroke. This can result in losing control of the oar and the oar striking the rower in the legs or chest.
Chart Plotter/MDU – a bit like a Sat Nav display, except instead of road maps it shows navigation charts with information about depths.
COG – COG is a navigational abbreviation meaning Course Over Ground and relates to the actual direction that the boat is travelling over the ground as opposed to the direction that the boat is pointing. For example, the boat may be pointing 237° and appear to be travelling in a straight line, but variables such as wind, current and waves can push the boat in a different direction to the one that you are pointing at.
Daggerboard – a removable or retractable flat “board” that will be deployed towards the bow of the boat, either by slotting through a purpose built hole through the deck and hull or a release mechanism if the dagger board is retractable. The purpose of the dagger board is to enable the boat to have better “grip” in the water, helping to keep the boat pointing in line with the way that you are trying to steer when the wind direction is anything forward of 90° to the boat. The dagger board also helps stabilise the boat, minimising the rocking movement from side to side.
Deck – although not technically correct, it is anything you stand on outside of the cabins and isn’t the footwell. If you say that somebody is “out on deck”, consider it the area where you can get wet without opening a hatch.
Erg – short for “ergometer” which is a fancy name for a rowing machine.
Feather – traditional rowers will “feather their oars”. After removing the oar from the water, the handle of the oar is twisted 90 degrees so the blade of the oar is flat and parallel to the water. Just before the blade goes back into the water the handle is twisted back 90 degrees so the blade is perpendicular to the water. This isn't practised in ocean rowing.
Fender – a squashy rubber cushion between the side of a boat and the dock, or the side of two boats to protect the boat and prevent damage.
Fore – a term used to describe anything that is located in front of the middle of the boat. For example, the cabin at the front would be the “fore cabin”.
Grab line – a length of line running around the entire hull of the boat about halfway between the water line and the deck. This is used to hang onto if a rower is in the water and assist with getting back into the boat.
Hand Rail – a “rail” on either side of the boat above the deck. There can be 1, 2 or 3 “rails” and they can can be made out of, steel wire, webbing or metal.
Hatch – the “door” to a cabin or locker. Can either be opened by using a “handle” and pivoting on a hinge, or unscrewing the hatch cover. All hatches should be completely watertight when fully closed.
Hull – the bottom of the boat.
Jack Stay – a length of line or webbing that runs along the full length of the deck. Used to secure a rower to the boat by clipping on to it via their safety line and harness/life jacket.
Locker – storage area.
Oar – the oar is made up of the handle (part of the oar that rowers hold on to during each stroke) the shaft (the part of the oar between the handle and the blade) the sleeve (a thin piece of plastic around the oar that keeps the oarlock from wearing out the shaft of the oar) the collar (a wide collar on the sleeve of the oar that keeps the oar from slipping through the oarlock, also called a button) the blade (the hatchet or spoon shaped end of the oar).
Oar gate – this is what the oar is held in to allow the rower to pivot the oars on an axis when rowing to provide thrust. The bar over the top (keeper gate) is to “lock the gate” and is secured in place by tightening the star nut on the end after the oar is situated in the gate. When placing the oars into the oar gates, the oar gates should always be pointing towards the back of the boat.
Oar Gate Pin – secures the Oar Gate to the riggers.
Port – the left side of the boat when facing the front (bow) of the boat. An easy way to remember this is port and left both have 4 letters. Port is also denoted by the colour red in navigation buoys and lights.
Pure class and Race class – to be completely honest, we are not 100% sure any more, and as new boat designs are now starting to come onto the market, even less so. The general consensus seems to be that a race class has a larger (or higher) aft cabin than fore cabin, the pure class is opposite. But as we don’t have any classes in the Atlantic Dash, we don’t really care!
Rannoch – brand of ocean rowing boat and ocean rowing boat building company, designed by Phil Morrison.
Rigger – the triangular shaped metal device that is bolted onto the side of the boat and holds the oars.
Rossiter – brand of ocean rowing boat, designed by Peter Bosgraaf
Rudder – a flat piece of material (usually wood) attached to the back of the boat which pivots on a hinge, this is used to steer the boat.
Rudder Reference Unit – a gadget that lets the autopilot know what angle the rudder is at as it turns.
SOG – Speed Over Ground, meaning the actual speed that the boat is travelling
Starboard – the right side of the boat when facing the front (bow) of the boat.
Stern – the very back of the boat.
Stroke seat – the rowing position that is closest to the back end of the boat. The person rowing in this position sets the speed at which everybody else rows
Squall – a sudden increase in wind speed, normally associated with a rain shower. Squalls don’t normally last a very long time but can be quite violent and the wind direction can also change.
Swell – these are the long, rolling “waves” that you get out at sea. They are normally less steep than waves you see at the beach and do not usually have crests on unless the wind direction is opposite to the direction that they are travelling.
VMG – Velocity Made Good is a navigational term meaning the true speed that you are heading towards your destination
Waterline – the level the water reaches on the hull when the boat is fully loaded in the water.
Waypoint – a geographical location by means of a latitude and longitude coordinate.
