Coastal Rowing Technique
Although the fundamentals remain the same, coastal rowing demands subtle—but important—adaptations that set it apart from flat-water rowing.
Every wave, every gust of wind changes the relationship between the boat and the water. Rather than resisting these changes, coastal rowers should learn to embrace them, adapting their technique to work with the conditions rather than against them.
Flat-water rowers spend years striving to make every stroke identical. They strive for repeatability, whereas coastal rowers must strive for adaptability. The objective is not to produce the same stroke every time, but to produce the most effective stroke for the conditions that exist at that precise moment.
Although the following advice is tailored for modern coastal sculling, the same principles can be applied to any form of coastal rowing.
The Catch
The catch is arguably the most critical phase of the stroke in both river and coastal rowing.
In coastal rowing, however, the priority is on finding connection and stability before power and length.
Connection.
A coastal rowing catch should be light, quick and controlled, making absolutely sure we have connection before applying force. The boat is most unstable just before the catch, so on an inherently unstable sea, finding a clean connection is crucial.
Unlike on flat water, a coastal boat is rarely perfectly level at the catch.
Wind, waves and swell constantly alter the relationship between the boat and the water. As a result, hand heights are ever-changing in order to maintain an effective blade entry.
One stroke may require the left hand to sit only lightly above the right as we might expect on flat-water.
The next may require the left hand to be 40, 50, 60 centimetres higher! In extreme conditions, it may even be appropriate to scull with the opposite hand leading if the sea demands it. This is ok, rather than trying to force the boat into a textbook position, an experienced coastal rower continually adapts to what the boat is doing.
Length is secondary.
Coastal catches are often slightly shorter than those seen on flat water, particularly in rough conditions.
In heavy seas it is perfectly acceptable to row half-slide or even quarter-slide if that allows the rower to remain stable and connected.
Attempting to reach full compression in rough water leaves us vulnerable to rogue waves, delaying blade connection and increasing our risk of capsize.
Patience.
Applying too much force, too early, causes the blades to wash through the water instead of connecting effectively. This is especially true in our heavier coastal boats. The sensation is much like spinning the wheels of a car before they have found grip.
The objective is not to move the oars through the water.
The objective is to move the boat past the oars.
Only once the blades are firmly connected should we begin to apply controlled power.
The Drive
Once the catch is complete and the blades are firmly connected, power can begin to build.
The first part of the drive should feel patient and controlled, allowing the heavier hull time to respond before increasing pressure through the remainder of the stroke.
Rather than attempting to produce maximum force immediately after the catch, the rower should aim for a smooth, continuous acceleration. The pressure builds progressively throughout the drive, reaching its greatest level during the final third of the stroke, when the boat is travelling at its highest speed.
The drive should feel as though the boat is gathering momentum throughout the stroke and into the finish.
The Finish
Send the boat away.
Coastal boats respond particularly well to a strong finish and often a greater layback than is typically seen in flat-water rowing.
The heavier coastal hull takes longer to accelerate and reaches its greatest speed towards the end of the drive, where it's weight carries with it great momentum. Continuing to build pressure all the way to the finish allows the rower to take full advantage of this.
Rather than simply drawing the handles into the body and ending the stroke, the rower should feel as though they are releasing the hull forwards like an arrow leaving a bow. This speed built throughout the drive is then transferred into the run of the boat, ready for the next stroke.
A strong finish and a good layback also helps maintain weight in the bow. When rowing into waves, this can reduce unnecessary bow lift, allowing the hull to slice through the wave rather than pitching upwards and then slapping back down onto the surface, wasting valuable energy.
The Recovery
Hands away.
The blades should be extracted quickly and cleanly before being feathered and moved away from the body, keeping the arms, shoulders and grip relaxed.
Any unnecessary pause at the finish leaves the blades vulnerable to rogue waves. A wave striking a buried or partially feathered blade can quickly upset the balance of the boat or even stop it dead.
Let the boat move.
We must remain fluid throughout the recovery, The hips should stay loose, allowing the hull to move naturally beneath the body rather than resisting every roll and pitch.
Once the hands are away, the body pivots smoothly forwards from the hips, maintaining a light grip on the handles and relaxed shoulders throughout.
Soft hands.
Arms and hands should remain relaxed during the recovery.
Keep a slight bend in the elbows, allowing the arms to act as natural shock absorbers. When the blades inevitably meet an unexpected wave, relaxed arms absorb the impact, while rigid arms transmit it directly into the body, increasing the likelihood of losing control of the handles or even dropping an oar.
Ratio
Unlike flat-water rowing , there is no "correct" drive-to-recovery ratio in coastal rowing. The best ratio is one that maintains boat speed while allowing the crew to stay relaxed and technically consistent.
Wave height, wind direction, boat speed and race format all influence the ideal rhythm but overall, coastal rowing generally uses a smaller ratio than flat-water rowing. Spending too long on the recovery simply allows the heavier boat to slow down, increasing the load required at the next catch.
If the rower is moving along on a wave, it may be that the ratio at that moment is actually very large, it might be that our recovery lasts 5-6 seconds and the extreme speed of the boat mean our drive is a fraction of second!
Conversely, when we find ourselves rowing into a dreaded headwind/swell or against a strong tide, it may be that our ratio is actually inverse! We sometimes find ourselves spending longer during the drive phase and having to "rush" the recovery to simply keep the hull moving against the conditions.
The best ratio is therefore the one that maintains boat speed in that moment.
Stroke Rate
Stroke rate in coastal rowing varies enormously depending on the conditions.
However, compared with river rowing, higher stroke rates are generally more efficient, A river sculler might comfortably complete long endurance sessions at 18–20 strokes per minute because a fine boat continues to run efficiently between strokes, whereas a coastal boat slows much more rapidly.
At very low stroke rates, each catch becomes progressively heavier, increasing muscular fatigue and reducing efficiency.
For this reason, long steady-state training is often better performed around 22–26 strokes per minute, although the optimal rate will always depend on the sea state.
In racing, stroke rate should generally be as high as can be maintained while preserving effective technique. The aim is to keep the boat moving continuously—to "tap it along"—rather than relying on fewer, heavier strokes that allow the hull to lose momentum.