Towards optimizing rowing technique

Abstract

An equation is developed (and solved) to describe the speed of a rowing boat as a function of the movement of the sculler's center of mass relative to the boat and the force applied. A method is presented to determine the degree to which fluctuations in boat speed through the rowing cycle affect the amount of power necessary to propel the boat at some mean speed. By changing technique, it is possible to modify these fluctuations in order to achieve the higher mean speed for a given amount of propulsive power. An approximate calculation of the ratio of the power put into the boat's motion to the power lost as water movement in the oar "puddle" suggests that increasing the blade area of the oar will result in improved efficiency. A similarity analysis is undertaken to see if large rowers have an advantage over small rowers in races. Dependence of drag coefficients on scale suggest they do; however, this advantage is very small and would be largely compensated for if boats were made optimally light (in which case the ratio of boat mass to body mass decreases as body mass decreases). Regulations of international rowing fix a minimum boat mass regardless of the rowers mass, thereby discriminating against smaller rowers. Equations are developed to show how stroke rate should scale with body mass for geometrically similar rowers. The ratio of power expended in internal motions to power expended propelling the boat is investigated.