Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T03:53:55.210Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Modelling the rowing stroke in racing shells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2016

Maurice N. Brearley
Affiliation:
85 Dandarriga Drive, Clifton Springs, Victoria, 3222, Australia
Neville J. de Mestre
Affiliation:
School of Information Technology, Bond University, Queensland, 4229, Australia
Donald R. Watson
Affiliation:
Victoria University of Technology, PO Box 14428, Melbourne Mail Centre, Victoria, 3000, Australia

Extract

In this article we set up a mathematical model to represent the effects of the forces which operate during the rowing of racing shells. The analysis is conducted in terms of eights, but could apply equally well to fours, pairs and double or quad sculls, and even (with obvious verbal changes) to single sculls. McMahon as well as McMahon and Bonner have previously considered various numbers of rowers in racing shells, and reached conclusions suggesting that consideration of an eight is representative of all possible combinations of rowers.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Mathematical Association 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. McMahon, T. A., Rowing: A similarity analysis, Science, 173, pp. 349350 (1971). (Reprinted in The Physics of Sports, Vol 1 (American Institute of Physics, 1992), pp. 295–296)Google Scholar
2. McMahon, T. A. and Bonner, J. T., On size and life (Scientific American Library, 1983) pp. 4247.Google Scholar
3. Wellicome, J. F., Report on resistance experiments carried out on three racing shells, Nat. Phys. Lab., Ship T.M., p. 184 (1967).Google Scholar
4. Millward, A., A study of the forces exerted by an oarsman and the effect on boat speed, J. Sports Sei., 5, (1987) pp. 93103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Mason, B. R., Shakespear, P., Doherty, P., The use of biomechanical analysis in rowing to monitor the effect of training, Excel, 4 (4) (1988) pp. 711.Google Scholar