WITH the OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 88, 5 July 1927, Page 14

WITH the OARSMEN

BY “RIGGER”

PREPARING FOR THE SUMMER

Serious rowing activity is at present confined to work on the plant at the different club sheds. Excellent work has been accomplished by Mr. P. Graham, of the North Shore Club, in splicing damaged oars, thus fulfilling a perversion ot the fairy-tale axiom, "New sweeps for ol From damaged oars handed to him bv the Waitemata and North shore Clubs Mr. Graham recently produced sets of perfectly good practice sweeps, the blades restored by ingenious jointtag, and each shart artistically manufactured, bv means of a deep \-splice, from two that were damaged. TOPICS OF THE MOMENT The Waitemata senior four, and tv • A. Stevenson, are training regulai I>, in anticipation—which in the former case may be somewhat prematuie —of engagements overseas. All clubs should now endeavour to recruit new members. More active rowing men are wanted in Auckland. Too many have drifted to tennis, where tea, cakes and parasols exert a strong influence; but what are they Uur empty pleasures against the solid good-fellowship which exists among oarsmen, the blind, primitive ecstacy of a thrilling finish, and the satisfaction of liquid consoltaion when the race is rowed over again. * * * UNDER THE BLUE AND GOLD The Waitemata Club’s prize-night is to be held on Saturday, July 23. The purchase of another best-anil-best double-sculler has been contemplated, but, following an examination of the present boat, it has been decided that it will still suffice. The craft was purchased from Wanganui Union, after Stevenson and A. White had borrowed it at the Wanganui regatta a few years ago. If a Waitemata crew is sent to Alelbourne in October, there will be no dearth of candidates for the managership. AUCKLAND BUSY The Auckland Club is having a busy winter, and no Sunday passes without yielding fresh evidence that Club-cap-tain Stacey is making every effort to raise the standard of performance among his men. K. Ross, the newcomer from Hamilton, turns out regularly, and handles his oar well. In proportion to active membership, the Auckland Club oarsmen are not less keen than their neighbours of the Waitemata shed. Much attention has lately been devoted to the plant, which is reported to be in excellent condition. It is intended that eight-oar rowing shall next summer be fostered as much as possible. Both the eights, though there is a distinct difference in their ages, are perfectly sound. One of the interesting photographs in the Auckland shed perpetuates the launching of the first eight, many years ago. The ship was poppet rigged. NOVEL BLADE Radical changes in gear or principles are rare in rowing. One interesting innovation that is being advocated abroad, and it to be tried by the Waitemata Club, is the use of oars through the blade of which a small hole, fiveeighths of an inch in diameter, has been punched. The hole is located in the middle of the blade, at the end of the rib, and is said to create an effective suction, hastening the drag of the oar through the water, but in no way reducing the amount of weight that can be effectively applied. HENLEY REGATTA The cabled results of the Henley regatta probably escaped the notice of most Auckland oarsmen. The Grand Challenge Cup (eight-oar crews) was won by Thames Rowing Club from Leander—both river Thames crews. Lee, a Worcester College man, won the Diamond Sculls, beating a Canadian named Wright, who was leading until he fouled a rope mooring the booms. Such are the high traditions of the Diamonds that one might have expected Lee to refrain from taking advantage of his rival’s misfortune. The cableman’s curious reticence did not permit him to send details of the entries, and it is not clear whether or not J. Beresford was a competitor, though the English Press had stated that he intended to defend his title. HARLEQUIN CREW The Harlequin Rugby Club had hoped to enter a crew at this latest Henley, but no news of it is to hand. R. Hamilton Wickes, the famous English threequarter, who paved the vVay for Kittermaster’s great try against the All Blacks, was stroke of the original Harlequin crew, and among the men behind him were W. W. Wakefield and J. C. Gibbs, two famous internationals.

H. A. Barry, who is challenging Major Goodsell, is reported to be in the

CASE FOR SWIVELS

WELL-KNOWN OARSMAN’S VE* Authoritative comments on the vafc, of swivel-rigging, in preference - poppets, has been forwarded - -Rigger” by Mr. Walter Madden, vice-president of the Auckland Rows,.. Association, and formerly a promj. ent oarsman rowing under the 4Vai; . mata Club’s colours. In conn*, tion with Mr. Madden’s which are printed herewith, it is j* teresting to note that the Waitem*Club had thowl and swivel-rigged (in-rigged) 25 or 30 years ago. wv outriggers were introduced, ab<*r 1898. swivel rowlocks were specified J® the first four. Mr. Mauden writes: “In a recent issue of ‘Among Oarsmen,” comment was made i*. garding sviwel rowlocks and that some local clubs had adopted latter in preference to the former, a, to which is the superior your notes expressed a doubt, five of an invitation to thos? ested in the question to offer opinions. With the view of engagfe the attention of coaches and rowitmen generally, to have the utility g the fixed and swivel rowlock for the informtaion of clubs, I forwar the following in support of swivt rowlocks. SWIVEL HANDIER “For general club purposes, for bo*ts with sliding seats the swivel is a cided advantage. The oar is locked in. and is practically part of the boa: steadier, swinging on a pivot as forward or backward as desired. In* thowl the range of swing for the oar is limited, with a tendency to jamb at either end of the stroke. ’ The swivel is much handier in roocb water, especially to the less experi. enced man. If the oar gets caughu

in the water, all he has to do is to let the oar swing:, and pick up time with the next stroke, whereas ir a poppet, when he oar is caught in tht water, there is a great strain :>n bote boat and oar. “For embarking and diae marking, especially alongside skids, oars arc easily inserted into and withdraw from swivels; not so with thowls. “Novices learn more easily and quickly in swivels, which enable a longer slide to be used, while fixed rowlocks limit the length of slide. SCULLERS PREFER SWIVELS “For sculling boats poppets were abandoned many years ago, and swivels are the only rowlocts now used. If there was any doubt in the minds of sculling champions—professionals especially—as to which the superior—thowls or swivels —there would be some of the former in use. “The only reason I have ever heard for the adoption of fixed rowlocks in preference to swivels i 3 that the former have a tendency to induce bette combination in a crew—a very poor reason. What sert of oarsmen art they who require the bump, bump o. the oar, as it slides backwards and forwards in the poppet to keep them in time? “The looseness of the backward and forward slide of the oar in a tliowl b weakness. Looseness and friction are very undesirable in any machinery. “For the guidance of clubs' future activities on the above question, I hope local oarsmen will contribute their ideas through these columns. Mere statement of club regatta success i* hardly sufficient. Waitemata has changed to thowls, although that club’s records during the last 24 years show that its crews have on many occasion* secured first honours at Southern re* gattas when their boats were swivelrigged, while many of their opponents used poppets.” , J