Which is faster sculling or sweeping

So light, stiff bike frames are good in terms of speed hence the rise of carbon fiber, aircraft alloy, and titanium frames , except that they create a very bumpy, uncomfortable ride, so stiffness has to be balanced against other optimizing factors.

Isn't it the same, at least to some degree, in a rowing shell? I've rowed in old 8s in which it felt like a great deal of our energy was being absorbed like a shock-absorber by a floppy hull that had lost its rigidity.

So don't side forces or torque or flex play at least some role in all this? You don't lose force through frame flex, but you do gain a degree of confidence from a stiffer frame. So, if your technique allows, all of that stored energy is returned as you reduce the load as you transfer from one leg to the other.

Nor am I particularly familiar with the urban myths that may tell cyclists what matters even when perhaps it doesn't.

But I lay no claim to cycling expertise! But there you have it. I'd thought we were trying to compare like with like! Now we're comparing floppy old eights whose poorly made joints are opening up with brand new kit. And then relating that to modern bikes. OK, if it really is a string bag, then the ability of each sculler to keep their own bit level must help. But that's far away from your original bet, isn't it? Reckon I've earned my pint! Cheers -. I also suggested that a shell designed with sufficient strength to support sweep rowing would be strong enough to support sculling because of the reduced lateral stress from the symmetrical forces applied by sculling rigging.

I see several online references agreeing with that statement and I have drawn diagrams of the static internal forces in sweep and sculling rigging that convince me of what seems obvious. I hope that is agreed before going on to the follow on questions that arose from that start point Why is sculling faster? Is it primarily because the rower can apply more force or because that force can more efficiently generate forward motion?

I see in summary of the responses to why sculling is faster so far: 1: Sweep rowers are better than scullers. That doesn't seem to be a reasonable argument for why the consistent results at peak performance where sculling race results are significantly faster than sweep boats. I suggest that is not a significant reason why the fastest times are for sculling boats 2: Possibly the most significant issue is the approximately 1.

That I believe is one of the biggest factors in the performance difference. The increased area and therefore reduced slip in the water is a major factor. Seems like that could even up the disparity. I believe the sweep oar having a shorter angular range should actually be more efficient in in that respect the oar being more efficient in the mid range closest to perpendicular to the hull. Sweep stroke rates are slightly faster than sculling stroke rates because of that.

Peak force applied I would assume is similar to sculling. But the average force that can be applied is less due to the non linear body movement and asymmetrical pull. I think those 4 areas cover the differences.

If anybody has links they would like to share that help explain and particularly visualize the issues involved I would appreciate it.

Thanks Martin. In fact I saw the opposite. Did you read it the wrong way round?! Unfortunately, this statement, which I copy from the above reference, is a load of armchair drivel: "With the smaller boats, specialist versions of the shells for sculling can be made lighter.

The riggers in sculling apply the forces symmetrically to each side of the boat, whereas in sweep oared racing these forces are staggered alternately along the boat.

The sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle these unmatched forces, so consequently requires more bracing and is usually heavier - a pair 2- is usually a more robust boat than a double scull 2x for example, and being heavier is also slower when used as a double scull.

Boats are allowed one false start; any more and you are out. A restart is called if a boat suffers a mechanical failure, such as an oar splitting, before it has travelled m. The lanes, though marked by buoys, are optional.

Rowing takes two forms: sculling, in which the rower has two oars, and sweeping, in which the rower has just one oar, held with both hands. Sculls are raced with one, two or four rowers, called singles, doubles and quads. Sweeps are raced with two, four or eight rowers, called pairs, fours and eights. In straight or coxless craft, the boat is directed by the steersman, a rower who has the rudder cable attached to a shoe.

Men compete in all of these boats, with an additional category of lightweight men no one heavier than 70kg in the coxless fours. Women compete in all boats except the coxless fours and have a lightweight event no one heavier than 55kg in the double sculls.

Sculls go faster than sweep boats with the same number of rowers, and the more rowers a boat has the faster it will be. Single scull. Length: 8. Events: men and women. The difference in WR-times between the double sculls sculling and the coxless pair sweep is 11 seconds, equivalent to a velocity difference of 0. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate if differences in Prower between both rowing styles can explain for the difference in shell velocity.

Differences between kinematics were also investigated. Data were compared using paired sample t-tests. A rowing ergometer was modified such that it enabled both sculling and sweep rowing movements. Due to equipment limitations, only the last phase of the stroke was investigated.

In this phase the legs are extended and the rower only uses the back and arms. In boats without coxswains, one of the rowers steers by moving the rudder with his or her foot.

The eight is the fastest boat on the water. A world-level men's eight is capable of moving almost 14 miles per hour. The pairs and fours with coxswain are sometimes the hardest to recognize because of where the coxswain is sitting. Although the coxswain is almost always facing the rowers in an eight, in pairs and fours the coxswain may be facing the rowers in the stern or looking down the course, lying down in the bow, where he or she is difficult to see.