Rigging 1x to get 70 degree catch, 40 degree finish

[Stelph]

Thought I’d post this here as I’ve been working with my empower oarlock to see if there’s any more optimisation to come from rigging.

Reading around and listening to super users of the empower as well as NK the general advice in a 1x is to try and get 70 degrees at the catch and 40 degrees at the finish - with my current setup (159, 287, 87.5) I’m hitting 66/67 degrees catch and 47/48 degree finish) - so my arc is around the right length but shifed towards the finish

What’s the best way to rig to shift it towards the front? Footplate is currently as far to the stern as it can go (unless I start drilling) so I would guess either move the stern rigger towards the bow or reduce the span and inboard equally and leave the footplate where it is - is that thinking right?

[Remomex]

Without knowing your rowing (technique/style, body dimensions, shell model, and racing category) it's hard to give concrete advice but unless you're super strong and fit I wouldn't bring the span in any more in a 1x - you're nearing 4x rigging at that point. Easiest move is to shift the rigger to bow - unless you have a very specific reason to be where it currently is set. Just consider that the point where your hands overlap and the amount of overlap will change, as well as their position at the finish. Nothing changes in isolation.

You could just row with excessive layback but not enough reach at the front end (could be your height/extremity length, flexibility, etc). Without more context it's difficult to really say what would be best.

[Stelph]

Fairly upright style, in an Aylings/lola - 1m85 with long legs and an arm span of over 190. Due to the technique (where I am often told I should be using more back than I am) I doubt an excessive layback is the cause.

Agree moving the rigger to the bow would probably be ideal, one niggle is the rigger mount with the Lola is a plastic block that is screwed to the saxboard and the rigger screwed to it - it works but it’s infamous for the thread wearing and then the rigger “ejecting” under stress - the previous owner solved this by drilling right through the saxboard so at the current spot it’s bolted to the block and saxboard (going nowhere) but it means ideally I wouldn’t move the rigger and chose to adjust the rig first

[bz]

I will echo Remomex in that it is difficult to make recommendations without seeing you row. But here are some ideas.

Perhaps you could increase the catch angle by getting some additional forward body angle / rockover. Stretching and yoga can help with that. From a rigging perspective, so might raising the seat, adding a butt pad, lowering the shoes, and/or having a shallower footplate angle. Maybe you are not sliding far enough forward at the front end. All of the previous recommendations can also help with that.

Bill Zack

[oldman]

Interesting discussion, which starts with an odd premise. NK recommends 65 to 40 and I think Purcer measured Zeidler and Florijn at 60-30 (looking for correction on that). If you have EmPower I would say the effective arc in/out should be the measure (slip? wash?), not necessarily the overall arc. The other comments are spot on .. not seeing you row makes any reply general guesswork. That said, I would suggest you think about increasing the spread a bit and see how cruising speed changes. If you are hitting your body with the handles, then get out of the water before that happens. It's possible to row too long.

The odd premise (70-40) is accepted and suggestions made (seat pad, shift rigger, change rig). I was wondering what would happen if I posted a question about rowing 80 to 45.

[Stelph]

Perhaps you could increase the catch angle by getting some additional forward body angle / rockover. Stretching and yoga can help with that. From a rigging perspective, so might raising the seat, adding a butt pad, lowering the shoes, and/or having a shallower footplate angle. Maybe you are not sliding far enough forward at the front end. All of the previous recommendations can also help with that.

Good thought on the seat pad, I’d wondered about getting a citrus remix as I currently use a seat pad and read they were good - shoes as low as they can go, runners have wedges to incline towards the bow, fully compress at the catch (need to check how far through the pin I go)

Interesting discussion, which starts with an odd premise. NK recommends 65 to 40 and I think Purcer measured Zeidler and Florijn at 60-30 (looking for correction on that). If you have EmPower I would say the effective arc in/out should be the measure (slip? wash?), not necessarily the overall arc. The other comments are spot on .. not seeing you row makes any reply general guesswork. That said, I would suggest you think about increasing the spread a bit and see how cruising speed changes. If you are hitting your body with the handles, then get out of the water before that happens. It's possible to row too long.

The odd premise (70-40) is accepted and suggestions made (seat pad, shift rigger, change rig). I was wondering what would happen if I posted a question about rowing 80 to 45.

Good point on the 65 - 40, I listened to a few podcasts with Michael Naughton and Greg Benning and I had thought both said 70 degrees, but perhaps it was only Greg - I see on their site it says 65

Slip tends to be 3-4 degrees, wash more like 13-14 degrees