Rowing Glossary
Clear definitions of the rowing terms you hear at the boathouse, on the water, and at regattas across Canada. Written by rowers who know the sport, covering everything from race formats and shell classes to technique cues and training jargon - with the Canadian competitive context that generic rowing dictionaries leave out.
Race formats
How Canadian regattas, head races and championship events are organized and run.
Regatta
Side-by-side racing at one venue over 1,000m or 2,000m. The Royal Canadian Henley Regatta on Martindale Pond in St Catharines is the largest domestic event, drawing club, university and national-program crews from across North America each August.
Head race
A time trial where crews launch at staggered intervals and race a long course - typically 4 to 7km. Head races run in autumn and give clubs a competitive season once the summer regatta schedule ends.
People in the boat
Seat assignments, crew roles, and what each position is responsible for.
Coxswain (cox)
The non-rowing crew member who steers, calls the rate, and runs race strategy from the stern. In Canadian clubs the cox is often the most experienced tactical thinker in the boat.
Stroke seat
The rower at the stern end of the shell who sets the rhythm and stroke rate for the rest of the crew to follow.
Boats and equipment
Racing shells, blades, riggers and the gear found in every Canadian boathouse.
Rowing shell
The long, narrow racing hull used in competitive rowing. Carbon fibre construction over a foam core, from 8.2m for a single scull up to 19.9m for an eight.
Rowing boat types
All eight standard racing shells: single, double, pair, quad, coxless four, coxed four, eight and octuple. Sweep vs sculling, dimensions and crew sizes.
Scull
A short oar held in one hand. Scullers use two sculls; sweep rowers use one long oar held in both hands. The two main disciplines of competitive rowing.
Cox box
The cox's on-board electronics: voice amplifier, stroke-rate sensor and race timer combined in one unit.
Rigger
The metal outrigger arm that extends from the shell and holds the oarlock. Provides the mechanical leverage for each stroke. Anatomy, materials and rigging adjustments.
Stroke phases
The four phases of every rowing stroke and the blade rotation that connects them.
Catch
The instant the blade enters the water at full reach. The front end of the stroke. Position, timing, common errors and drills for Canadian club and university rowers.
Drive
The power phase from catch to finish. Legs push first, then the back swings, then the arms pull. Where boat speed is generated.
Finish
The end of the drive when the blade leaves the water. Body position, clean blade extraction and what washing out looks like.
Recovery
The non-propulsive return from finish back to the catch. Hands out first, body over, then slide forward. Why a controlled recovery produces a faster overall rating.
Feathering
Rotating the blade 90 degrees on the recovery so it runs parallel to the water surface. Mechanics, timing and the purpose of square-blade rowing in training.
Training and technique
Pace zones, ergometer concepts and technique terms that come up across Canadian rowing programs.
Ergometer (erg)
The indoor rowing machine that measures power output. The Concept2 RowErg has been the competitive standard since the mid-1980s and drives the Canadian winter training season. Watts, splits, calories and drag factor explained.
Catching a crab
When a blade gets trapped mid-stroke and drives the handle back into the rower. One of the most disruptive events in racing. Causes, recovery and how crews at clubs like Argonaut RC train to prevent it.
Erg pace calculator
Convert 500m split to time, watts and calories. Predict erg scores across 2k, 5k, 6k and 10k using the Concept2 formula.
Stroke rate
The number of strokes per minute the crew is taking. Ranges from UT2 base work (18-20 spm) through to race pace (32-38 spm) depending on the event and the program.
About this glossary
Rowing carries more specialist vocabulary than most sports, and Canadian rowing adds its own layer on top - Rowing Canada Aviron rules, Royal Canadian Henley traditions, OUA and U SPORTS schedules, and a competitive structure that blends British and North American influences. Someone arriving at an Argonaut RC practice or joining a Rowing Ontario junior program for the first time will hear dozens of unfamiliar terms in a single session. This glossary gives you clear definitions without stripping out the technical depth that experienced rowers need.
Each entry explains what the term means, how it is used on the water, and - where it matters - how Canadian usage compares with British or American conventions. Where a term connects to the practical side of managing a club, you'll find links to the relevant Row HQ features - regatta entry management, coach tools, session scheduling and so on.
Missing a term? Send it our way and we'll add it. The glossary is built from questions that real rowers, parents and club administrators actually ask.
Run a club? Stop explaining the same things twice.
Row HQ gives every member their own portal with sessions, crew lists, regatta entries and an FAQ that doesn't live in the secretary's head.