The Faster Masters Skill Checklist: Where are you on your masters rowing journey?
Masters rowing covers a huge range of ages and abilities. You become a masters rower from age 27 and many rowers stay in the sport long into their 90s and beyond.
Where are you on your masters rowing journey? Find out on the Faster Masters Rowing Skills Checklist below or download it here!
Beginner Skills
Launching
- Safely lifts boat off rack and carry to the water
- Can do a boat safety check
- Adjusts foot stretcher
Rowing Skills
- Understands how to steer left and steer right
- Follows the traffic navigation pattern
- Executes an emergency stop
- Turns in place 360 degrees in both directions
- Backs the boat effectively for 30 strokes
Intermediate Skills
- Can row or scull with oars off the water feathered
- Can do pause drills and keep oars off the water
- Can stroke a boat confidently
- Can follow another rower accurately (hand speeds and slide control) Has experience rowing small boats (1x, 2-/2x) and big boats (4x, 4-, 4+, 8) Can row at a constant rate up to stroke rate 28 for 5 minutes Can maintain a consistent pressure for up to 5 minutes
- Rows with oars / sculls at the correct depth in the water
- Has correct handle grip and can feather (sweep) with inside hand and (sculling) can feather into the fingers
Rigging
- Can de-rig a boat and re-rig it (owns a spanner /wrench / toolbox) Can load a trailer, tie on boats and load oars and riggers
- Can adjust oar gearing (length / inboard)
Coaching / Leadership
- Can suggest a crew lineup and explain why each person is in that seat Can diagnose simple faults and suggest drills for improvement
- Can watch a video and see technique errors and explain what they see Confident teaching a learn to row class / novices
Advanced Skills
Safety
- Makes weather / wind check and can judge the skill of the crew and if they can handle the conditions
- Can toe steer a coxless boat
- Launching & Returning:
- Can launch in rough water
- Can land a single approaching from an angle and docking close enough to get rigger over the dock edge without assistance from the bank
Rowing Skills
- Can row square blades at firm pressure and ratings up to 30
- Do the pick drill from the catch at square blades
- Can steer the boat while continuing to row at firm pressure
- Able to maintain firm pressure at a given rate for 5 minutes or more Can row within a stroke rate range without needing a stroke coach Able to place the oar in the water before pushing the legs at the catch Able to square the oars well before the catch
Rigging
- Can use a pitch gauge to check oarlock pitch
- Knows what to adjust in oar length and inboard to suit different boat types
- Can measure span / spread on sculling and sweep boats
Coaching / Leadership
- Able to draw up a trailer loading diagram
- Confident coaching others from inside the boat.
- Can assess a crew and suggest drills or focus points appropriate to improvement
Faster Masters Rowing sponsor the Victor Ludorum of the British Rowing Masters Championships, providing £1,000 in total prize money to the best small, medium and large clubs of the competition. Find the rules here!
