A KINEMATIC MODEL TO PERSONALIZE BOAT SETTINGS IN ORDER TO TARGET A GIVEN RANGE OF MOTION IN SCULLING

Abstract

The boat settings is a complex topic in rowing as many parts of both boat and oars can be set. The amplitude of the rowing stroke, one main parameter of performance in rowing (Smith & Loschner, 2002), is directly affected by these choices. Surprisingly, the scientific literature is very poor on this subject and boat and oars settings are mainly based on rowers' and coaches' experiences (Nolte, 2011). Most of the time, all crew members have the same settings, while they can display various segment anthropometries and joint flexibilities. Therefore, this study aimed to implement and validate a numeric kinematic model to individualize boat settings in order that scullers can reach given catch and finish angles. For that purpose, it is possible to adjust both inboard of the rigging (boat) and spread (oar) lengths. The inputs of the model should be measured using simple testing that can be performed by coaches and athletes.