Coastal Rowing

The clubs and associations practising ‘sliding seat coastal rowing’, are mainly found along the south coast of the UK, and the Channel Islands. Two associations compete specifically in coastal rowing boats - the Coastal ARA (covering Kent and Sussex) and the Hants and Dorset ARA.

The coastal boats used in the UK, can increasingly be catagorised into two distinct classes; coastal boats used by the CARA and H&D associations, and the FISA standard coastal boats or French yoles.

The boat design used by the CARA and H&D is largely similar to the fine boats but is slightly wider and shorter, and has half staggered seats. These boats are suited to rowing and racing close to the shore and wide estuaries.

The FISA standard coastal boats are significantly wider than those used at the South Coast
Championships and are designed to withstand rougher sea conditions. Many clubs and rowers based in the South West UK and Channel Islands are adopting the FISA standard sliding seat boats designed by the French. The boat categories include singles, doubles and fours/quads. The standardisation of the boats has allowed a resurgence in international competition, in particular the World Rowing Coastal Challenge.

The FISA competition course is a triangle with no lanes, representing a total distance of six kilometres. Women race the course once and men go round twice.

Each of the three established south coast associations also hosts its own annual championship. Every other year the competition is held in the coastal boats favoured by the CARA and H&D associations, and in between it is in Olympic class boats favoured by the WEARA clubs.

In 2009 the World Rowing Coastal Challenge was held on the UK mainland for the first time, hosted in  Plymouth.