small boats at the HOCR 2014

[zrow]

a couple of thoughts
1. A pretty even mix of the fastest boats, although the same leader.
2. Would it be correct to conclude that the bow wings have no advantage over the stern mounted ones?

M 1x 70+ (C. Cook) Kaschper stern wing
W 1x 70+ Empacher stern
M 60+ Greg Stone Hudson stern
M 50+ G. Benning Van Dusen stern
W 50+ Remmler Empacher stern
M 50+ 2x Van Dusen stern
W 50+ 2x Muri, Bohrer Van Dusen 2x stern
M 40+ 1x Filippi V-carbon side mounted
W 40+ Lisa Weiss Hudson stern wing
M champ. 2x Hudson bow
w champ. 2x Hudson stern
m champ 1x Empacher stern
w champ 1x Van Dusen stern
m club 1x Fluid bow
w club 1x Fluid bow
M masters 1x Van Dusen stern
W masters 1x (Kaplan, Vesper) Sykes stern
M light 1x Emp bow
w light 1x fluid bow

stern wings 13
bow wings 5
side mounted 1

Van Dusen 5
Empacher 4
Hudson 4
Fluid 3
Kaschper 1
Sykes 1
Filippi 1

[eeoyre]

Biggest predictor based on this list is not what boat they row, but how far from the Charles they train. 4/5 VanDusens are from the Charles, the other one is from Narraganset. Throw in Stone, Remmler, Campbell (m1x), McGaffigan (m40+), and maybe even McAdam who's spent some time on the Charles this fall, and you get the idea.

p.s. W30+ was a Sykes, and the M70+ looks like a Kaschper.

[zrow]

Biggest predictor based on this list is not what boat they row, but how far from the Charles they train. 4/5 VanDusens are from the Charles, the other one is from Narraganset.
p.s. W30+ was a Sykes, and the M70+ looks like a Kaschper.

Eeoyre,
Of course you are right. On a course where steering has so much weight, "home ice advantage" is huge.
However, the biggest predictor is how good they are, not where they are from.

The falks you listed do really well in other long distance races year after year.
Just look at the results of the silver skiff Mr. Wolf mentioned in his "hot and not" post the other day.

I was not pretending to run a serious statistical analysis. Look at it from a different angle:
what boat the top guys choose to race in. And I do not think *any* of them is limited in choosing the one they like most

If anything, I was a little surprised by how well the Hudsons did. I was always under impression that their main focus is on the elite big boats (judging by their breath taking USPs). Although I have not tried their latest singles. The last I rowed a few years ago did not work for me.
Evidently Mr. Stone has a different opinion, otherwise he would have borrowed his daughter's boat

[zrow]

p.s. W30+ was a Sykes, and the M70+ looks like a Kaschper.

Thanks! I corrected the first post

[boston_1x]

No... that would be too much of a jump. Knowing a lot of the masters, they don't tend to change their boats as frequently as elites.

[eeoyre]

Locals bias your sample, because VanDusen is in their back yard. If they all lived that close to the Hudson factory, I bet you'd see more Hudsons. (Btw, Mr. Stone's boat is definitely not even close to being their latest model. Circa 2007, I think).

You can probably take the Champ 2x's out of the "choices" equation to some extent, since they were both foreign crews that got loaner equipment.

Agreed with boston_1x, too. I can think of more boats on this list that are 5 years old than 1-3.

Honestly, this just tells you what your options are, you still have to find the boat that fits you best.

[1xsculler]

M70+, Chuck Cook, rows a Sharrow, I believe.

Nobody, not even Gord, claims that a bow wing is faster but putting the force of the oar near the center of the pin, something Wintech did with their stern carbon wing and is common to carbon tube outriggers, may offer a slight advantage because the pin isn't as likely to flex. That's why my favorite rigging on Empachers and Filippis is their carbon tube outriggers which is also the lightest weight rigging except for Van Dusens Traditional carbon tube outriggers.

There is a fastest boat but it will never be proved which one it in, IMHO, because of waves, wind, and all of the other little things that affect boat speed from moment to moment. Like Ted Van Dusen told me when I asked him the best way to go faster, i.e. hull surface prep, waxing, etc., he said he's always felt if you pulled harder on your oars you would go faster.

[zrow]

No... that would be too much of a jump. Knowing a lot of the masters, they don't tend to change their boats as frequently as elites.

With one exception of 1xsculler.
Not only he owns every brand single available on the market, he has also tried... all possible combinations of them!


And I think he is right about the Sharrow. The stern looks very Sharrow. The rigger does not, although it is hard to see

[1xsculler]

To set the record straight, I HAVE (past tense) owned nearly every single available during my nine year sculling career buying them both new and used but I own only a 1990 Van Dusen Traditional lightweight with carbon tube outriggers and a mint condition midweight 1980 Staempfli hanging from our family room ceiling at this time and I didn't usually own more than two or three boats at once. I have configured them nearly every way possible at one time or another. Manufacturers price increases and getting a few good deals has made my boat fetish about a break even hobby. If I had blinders on so I couldn't see the boat while rowing I couldn't tell any difference between a $15,000 Empacher, a $6000 Wintech or my old Van Dusen and my Speed Coach wouldn't show any difference either. Your ischial tuberosities are two points perched on a tiny little seat, your favorite oar grips are in your fingers and your feet press on a foot stretcher (I prefer the Van Dusen FS in whatever boat I row because of the double angle) and that's about it IMHO.
I don't row an old VD because I think it's the best boat for a 70 year old 150# guy I just think it is good as any other for me.

[zrow]

1xsculler, no offense. I sincerely wrote it in admiration of your fearless experimentation with boats and riggers (cars and ergs). I do follow your reports with great interest.

I spent 44 years racing to come to the same conclusion you have after only 9: there has never been a faster boat made than a traditional Van Dusen.
Therefore, mathematically speaking, you are almost 5 times smarter than I am

However, if you blind my eyes, I bet I will be able to tell you which boat I am in.
They all have different temper ...