Rig Up Your Life Lesson 7: HOW YOU SHOULD RIG
We've covered a lot so far. And if you're like most of the folks that have got this far there is a certain specific question that your dying to ask, 'Okay, let me know. How should I rig? Hold on one second while I go off on a small tangent.
In the first edition of Mike Davenport's books 'Nuts and Bolts Guide to Rigging ', he wrote that one thing that bugged the heck out of him about the rowing world was that there was a serious lack of written material on rigging, especially coming from the manufacturers.
When you bought a boat you hardly got anything to help you with the rigging. People would spend a lot of money, sometimes more than on a new car, and basically the only thing they got was a hardy 'Good Luck!'
Well, we are happy to say, things have changed. For example, Vespoli USA has an Owners Manual that you can download right from their Web site (www.vespoli.com). Concept II (www.concept2.com) has a great site full of information. And there are also other examples (www.durhamboat.com and of course www.rowperfect.co.uk). Yup, some manufacturers have really gotten on the customer service band wagon. The web is really helping a lot. Hopefully, things will keep improving.
Okay, so now back to the question at hand, 'How should you rig?'
Basically there are two ways: the right way and the wrong way. The right way works and the wrong way doesn't. Pretty simple.
Well, what is the right way?
Mike Davenport considers the methods in his books and web site the right way, but confesses, they are not actually his own, he's stolen them and tells us over the past years he's been fortunate enough to hang around and be taught by some pretty smart Riggers and coaches. How did he repay them? He stole their techniques — although I prefer to think of it as inheriting them. But that's okay, most of them inherited their methods from someone else.
Now we would like to pass them along to you.
Now - ready to watch some expert rigging videos?
Thanks for keeping up, now go out and Rig Up Your Life!
We hope you have enjoyed this course and we wish you the best in your rigging and rowing.
Still feel inspired? Buy the Nuts and Bolts Guide book and maybe a pitch gauge to go with it.
The Rowperfect Team
P.S. Thanks for sticking with us. Got any feedback? Email us by replying to this message
Rig Up Your Life Lesson 6: WHERE YOU SHOULD RIG
Rowing is both an outdoor sport and a water sport. Two pretty darn-simple concepts.
And just about every coach, rower, and Rigger that we've ever met is well-versed in both those notions.
So why, why, why is it that so many rowing folks seem to forget these simple concept when it comes time to rig?
We see coaches, athletes, and Riggers who just seem to ignore that we do our thing out-of-doors in what is commonly know as the environment — and they seem oblivious to the fact the environment plays a very big factor in what we do and how we do it.
Let us clue you in on something — as a Rigger, the environment is going to have an enormous impact on what you do — and if you want to rig well you will be best served to keep that in mind.
HOW THE ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS WHERE YOU RIG
The environment — in essence your surroundings — will impact your rigging in basically two ways.
The first way the environment is going to play a factor is by the level of PRE.
'What the heck is PRE?' you ask.
Simply, PRE is short for 'Positive Rigging Environment,' and it is absolutely essential to rigging well. The best way to explain what PRE is to look at it in terms of minimums and maximums. The level of PRE is usually the greatest when:
- The knowledge you have about your rigging is at a maximum
- The mental pressure on your rigging is at a minimum.
- The time you have to do your rig is at a maximum.
- The distractions on you while you rig are at a minimum.
- The tools you have for your rigging are at a maximum.
Seems pretty simple, doesn't it?
Regardless of how simple it may seem, oftentimes the mental environment we surround ourselves with is far from conducive to good rigging. It boils down to this, when the mental environment is positive, when you have control of those five items (pressure, time, distractions, tools, knowledge) almost everyone seems to do a much better job of rigging.
The second way your rigging can be impacted by the environment is by the SRE (yes, I know . . . another acronym).
SRE stands for 'Safe Rigging Environment'. Safety should be a critical component of your rigging, however, often folks (especially Riggers) tend to forget about safety. Some of the things you should look for in a rigging area are: good lighting; protection from the environment–for both your sake and the boat's; and being out of the way so you can work with a minimum of distractions, hassles and aggravations. If you must put your boat in slings outside be cautious of the wind–even a slight breeze can knock the boat over and then you've got major repair work in addition to your rigging.
With all that information now in hand, let's try to answer the question of the day, 'Where should you rig?'
Usually the most convenient place to rig is inside the boathouse. Usually, but not always. We've seen some pretty crowded boathouses where leaving a boat in slings for more than five minutes causes major hassles. So you have to find the place that suits you best, preferably a clean and safe area.
And from experience, Rowperfect can tell you that sometimes you'll find yourself doing rigging in some pretty weird spots.
From rigging standing in water up to my chest, in a barn, in a Russian Army tent, in a parking lot with the shell on stacks of life jackets, in a hotel ballroom, in a parking garage, in the hold of a ferry boat, and on the top deck of a freighter in the Caribbean — just to name a few.
The lesson here, make do with wherever you find yourself rigging. Just use common sense and be safe — no need to get hurt in pursuit of good rigging.
COMING UP
That brings us to our last lesson, #7. It teaches you all about How You Should Rig.
Rowperfect: lasting, quality rigging gear
The Rowperfect shop has a wide variety of top quality rigging gear that will set you straight for all your rowing needs. Rigging is particularly important and there are quite a few rigging goodies that will help you rig effectively so you can focus on your rowing.
Measuring your pitch takes an incredibly accurate pitch gauge to get right, Casper Rekers' pitch gauge can measure accurately to within a quarter of a degree. It's suitable for sweep and sculling oarlocks.
Does your club have enough spanners? How about bulk-buying 50 spanners ready in 10 and 13mm sizes.
Perhaps you have some of these tools but you're unsure exactly how to put them to use. Mike Davenport's e-book 'The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Rigging' will guide you through how to learn the detail and make best use of your rig.
Just have a peek at the rigging page in the Rowperfect shop and we're sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Best wishes in rowing,
The Rowperfect team
Rig Up Your Life Lesson 5: WHEN YOU SHOULD RIG
Exactly when should you rig your rowing equipment? That is one heck of a good question.
We look at when you should do any activity as determined by two criteria. The first one is when you 'want' to do something. The second is when you 'need' to do it.
In our opinion the 'need' to-do-it aspect is almost always stronger than the 'want' to-do-it aspect — especially in the world of rigging.
This lesson is designed to do one thing and one thing only, that is to present to you the times that you might 'need' to do rigging.
THE NEEDS
There are basically six different times when you may need to rig your equipment. Here are those times.
PURCHASING-RIGGING is the planning and buying of the equipment you'll be using for practices and racing.
PRACTICE-RIGGING is preparing and adjusting your equipment for training practices. This includes rigging to help correct technique problems and also those instances when you might have to adjust or repair riggers, or equipment on the water.
RACE-RIGGING is more involved because you are dealing with traveling, race-day preparations, and those nervous butterflies that makes everything seem like a major undertaking. Specifically, race-rigging is the fine tune adjustments you make to squeeze the last ounce of speed from your boat or team.
PEACE-OF-MIND-RIGGING is simply adjusting your riggers or testing your rigging numbers because you think or feel something may be off.
MAINTENANCE-RIGGING are the steps you take to help your equipment survive longer.
INDIVIDUAL-RIGGING is setting up the equipment for an individual. This differs from practice rigging in that it is more specific to finding the proper rigging for a specific person.
A DEEP BREATH Okay, six different times that you may 'need' to do rigging. Take a deep breath, and don't get overwhelmed. These two points might help.
First. That list may look like an awful lot of rigging. Well . . . it is. But keep in mind that it is not all done at once. In fact, if you look at that list again, you'll notice that those are the times over the course of an entire year rowing season that rigging would need to get done, not just during the same day, or even the same week.
That help at all?
Second. You may actually have to only do some of those items.
If you are in charge of an entire rowing programme, or even just your own rowing, then each of those rigging needs should get done by you. But if you are helping out with a program, for instance as an assistant coach or volunteer, you might only be doing one or two of those items on the list.
Please keep this in mind, our philosophy about rigging is that it should happen in such a way that it occurs in the background — meaning that it happens seamlessly, without taking away from the fun or beauty of rowing.
So, now you have some information to help you answer the question we posed to you at the very beginning of this lesson . . . 'When should you rig?'
COMING UP
We suggest you file all this information away for a bit while we look at a different aspect in Lesson #6, 'Where should you rig?'
Rig Up Your Life Lesson 4: WHO SHOULD RIG
Over the past few lessons we've discussed quite a few items. Now its time for a critical question. Let us ask you this,
'Who should rig your rowing equipment?'
The simple answer to that simple question would be,
'You!'
A simple answer, yes. But maybe not the best answer.
Let's look at it from this perspective. When your car is broken, who should fix it? Twenty, thirty, fifty years ago the answer was, you, the person who owned the car. Cars were simple enough, and many people had the time, desire, and energy to fix a car when it broke down.
Things are different now.
Cars are as complex as many computers, heck, they even contain computers. And people are usually too busy, too stressed, or too tired to try to fix a car even if they could figure it out.
Well, the same sort of thing is happening to rigging and rowing equipment. A lot of equipment is becoming more and more complex. Just look at oars today — adjustable handles with a multitude of blade shapes and handle sizes to choose from. And most rowers/coaches are too busy, stressed, or tired to take on the task of rigging.
However . . .
That doesn't mean that NO ONE should do it. There is rigging that still should be done.
Unfortunately, one thing we've noticed happening more and more frequently in the world of rowing is that a lot of important rigging isn't getting done. Or is only done only at those clubs well-off-enough to hire a full time boat person or manager.
Boats are degrading well before they should for lack of attention. Athletes are rowing with poorly rigged equipment, and are getting hurt needlessly. And equipment is traveling on our highways often in an unsafe manner.
We understand why this happens, but it shouldn't. Because the benefits of rigging well are worth the time and effort (especially the safety benefit), and the down-side of poor rigging is sometimes a heavy price (see image).
So, now, back to the question of the day,
'Who should rig your rowing equipment?'
We come back to the answer of 'you' again but with this perspective. If you cannot rig your equipment, be responsible enough to make sure it gets done, by someone.
In school and university programmes the task of rigging usually falls upon one of the coaches, or a designated Rigger or Boatman (often a parent). This situation works well because athletes tend not to have the knowledge, experience or objectivity to rig correctly; although we've seen one or two rowers who were wizards at rigging.
Once you get outside a well-organised programme it's not so clear-cut who does the rigging, but like we said, it still has to get done.
In a situation like this get the same people to always do the rigging to ensure consistency — that is, if they can do a good job. In club programmes, work schedules can cause big problems and it is often very hard to get rigging, especially good rigging, done. But it still needs to be done.
Consider appointing a rigging coordinator at your club – someone who will be in charge of getting the rigging done.
Regardless of whoever ends up doing your rigging, they need to have three things: a dose of common sense, a willingness to learn and conscientiousness in their work.
And remember, it needs to get done.
COMING UP
Well . . . that's today's lesson. As promised, short but important.
Lesson 5 is on When You Should Rig. See you then.
Rig Up Your Life Lesson 3: WHY SHOULD YOU RIG
Let us ask you this: 'Why should you rig your rowing equipment?' Can you list a few reasons? How about three? Five? (There are even more than that!)
REASON : COMFORT
Ever take a long drive while sitting in a car seat that just didn't fit very well? How about writing an essay paper with a pen that is too big? Or talking on a phone where the cord is way too short? (Remember those days when phones had cords?)
If you've ever endured any of these things, or have done anything else with a piece of equipment or with a tool that didn't fit right, then you have a pretty darn good idea of what it's like to row with equipment that is not adjusted correctly.
- It can be terribly uncomfortable.
- And when it's uncomfortable, it's inefficient.
- And when it's inefficient, it's discouraging.
- And when rowing is discouraging, well . . . it misses the mark.
When you rig, the comfort of the rower has to be of prime concern. Okay, we know that rowing is a tough sport and we like that image, and Martha Stewart has no real place in our sport. However, when people row, especially long distances, the equipment has got to be as comfortable as possible for the rowers because if it's not, then all but only the truly masochistic rowers will survive.
Simply put, rigging can help rowing be more comfortable.
REASON : SPEED
For rowing coaches, speed is our Holy Grail. It is that elusive item we seem to spend hours, days, weeks, months, and years chasing.
Rigging is critical to generating maximum boat hull speed. If it is speed you're after, then you must rig; without it, you may find max hull speed to be very elusive.
REASON : SAFETY
Rowing is about as equipment-intensive a sport as there is. That means that a rower's body is going to be in contact with the equipment.
To be specific, there are four places where the body touches the equipment:
The butt, the back of the calves, the hands, and the feet. These areas make up only about ten percent of a body's surface, but boy, that ten percent is important. I call these places the 'hot spots,' and if there is a problem in one of these areas, it can really mess up your rowing.
For example, little nasties like blisters have been known to stop armies dead in their tracks, and they certainly can make your rowing uncomfortable and inefficient. So can a smashed knuckle. Or even worse, an incredible case of screaming 'boat butt' or janni-bum. [see our ebook on Rowing blisters and skin injuries].
In Mike Davenport's clinics he often relates the story of seeing eight stud-type rowers get off the water after a spin in one of the first boats in the country with adjustable slides. The boat was new and no one was quite sure how to adjust the slides –in this case, they were adjusted about five inches too far toward the stern. With each stroke, the end of the slides jabbed into their calves, and the end product was eight bleeding, limping, and grumbling rowers with slide bites.
Correct rigging won't totally eliminate these types of injuries, but it sure can help reduce them.
REASON : SMART MONEY
Another benefit of rigging is one of which you may not have thought: helping you to make a wise purchase of equipment.
Knowing exactly what you need when you buy something, whether new or old, is critical to a good purchase. And rigging can help you know what you need to buy.
A few of the base rigging measurements that may come into play here would be:
- Boat size
- Specific rigger adjustment (e.g., height, pitch, spread)
- Boat weight
- Shoe size
- Oar length and pitch
Today, most rowing equipment comes with many options. The days of 'making the man fit the boat,' as George Pocock used to say, are long gone. Now the boat, and most other equipment, is made to fit the person rowing it, which means there are plenty of choices. When you start looking at the options available you may get overwhelmed.
Where do you put the coxswain: in the bow or in the stern? What pitch do you want on the oars? What height range do you want on your riggers? What shoe sizes? What color?
The list goes on and on.
Being versed in rigging when you are purchasing equipment is critical to spending your money (or someone else's) wisely.
REASON : HELPING THE EQUIPMENT LAST LONGER
Your rowing equipment represents a big chunk of money. Like most folks, you want to get as much from that investment as possible. Rowing stuff is designed to survive the hardships of daily use; however, even the toughest equipment isn't ready to withstand the hardest challenges of its life, like transits, storage, novice rowers, and abuse from incorrect rigging numbers.
How does rigging make a difference?
It's similar to the air pressure in your tyres. When properly inflated, tyres will last a lot longer. When over- or under-inflated, the tyres wear incredibly fast. And the same goes for rowing equipment. For instance, significantly incorrect pitch settings on a rigger can cause premature wear of an oarlock or of a collar.
Proper rigging can make the difference in rowing equipment lasting two years or twenty years, and who can afford to replace oars, riggers, and shells every two years?
COMING UP
Lesson 4, the next lesson, is about Who Should Rig and we'll get into the nitty-gritty of rigging.
Rig Up Your Life Lesson 2: THE MYTHS OF RIGGING
Rigging is not difficult.
Really, it's not. You may have a hard time believing this, but actually it's easy!
Rigging just appears difficult because there's a lot of confusion and mystery surrounding it.
Some of this confusion may have started with the early coaches who tried to scare people away from working on boats. They would sit around the boathouse, sipping their brews, and start myths about how hard it was to rig. They figured the harder it seemed the less likely people would want to do it, and the more work there would be for them. You see, it was their attempt at job security.
Let's take a look at a few of these myths and maybe help dissolve away some of the confusion.
MYTH : RIGGING INVOLVES MAGIC
There IS a lot of magic in the sport of rowing.
It's a sport that can get into a person's bloodstream and change their life, usually for the better. It's a sport where a crew who shouldn't win a race does because of the chemistry between the rowers. It's a sport where friendships develop and last lifetimes. All of that, to me, is magical.
But I've yet to find anything at all magical about rigging. There are no wands coaches pull out of their bags. There are no magic words. No crystal balls. No rigging Tarot cards. Rigging is about as un-magical as you can get.
MYTH : RIGGING TAKES A LOT OF TIME
Although some tasks in rigging can be time-consuming, not knowing how to rig can take up a lot more time. To show you what I mean, let's talk about a friend of mine. His name is Mr. Starr.
Starr had been rowing a pair for the last year with his partner, Mr. Poe. They had been training very religiously and working hard. One day on the hard, after rowing a mega-mile practice, Starr noticed Poe was acting strange.
'Poe, what's the matter?' Poe wasted no words in his reply, 'Rigger is bad.' (Poe was always to the point.) This prompted Starr to ask a few more questions, which revealed that Poe had been having trouble with his rigger for weeks. Starr, hating to see his friend put out, decided something must be done about Poe's equipment, and quickly.
Although he knew nothing about rigging, Starr spent several days fiddling with Poe's rigger. After each practice Poe would continue to complain, and with each attempt by Starr the rigger would get worse and worse. Finally, one day at the boathouse, Poe complained the rigger made his back ache and that he couldn't take it anymore. Starr, his patience gone with both Poe and the rigger, sat down on the hard in frustration. Poe, obviously in pain, sat down and joined him.
Luckily for our friends, a Rigger named Mortis (yes–Rigger Mortis), who rigged the boats at the local college, was close by and saw their despair. Mort walked down the dock and asked what the problem was. The only reply he could get was,
'Poe hurt and Starr bored.'
Mort, being rather quick on the uptake, put two and two together and figured it must be a rigging problem. Like the helpful soul he was, he offered to check out the boat. But, alas, Mort was a busy person, and when he finally got to the guys' shell, several days had passed by and they had missed the big race they were training for.
So you see, Starr and Poe wasted valuable time not knowing how to rig. What is sad is that this happens a lot in the world of rowing. Knowing how to recognize a rigging problem, and to fix it right on the first attempt–will save you time and energy and possibly prevent injuries. And you may also be a little faster on the water.
MYTH : YOU HAVE TO POSSESS A SECRET KNOWLEDGE TO RIG
One day, a fellow coach was adjusting the rig on a boat. Knowing he was intently busy, I just passed by without stopping to talk. As I reached the door a spanner came flying through the air and bounced off the wall a few feet from my head, quickly followed by,
'What the hell is the secret to rigging this stupid boat?'
Now what do you think had turned this nice, meek, friendly fellow into a spanner-heaving monster? Frustration. He was frustrated because he thought there was some secret to rigging and we weren't letting him in on it.
Let's get this straight right now: there are NO secrets to rigging. NONE.
There is no special, ancient knowledge the Druids have hidden in some primeval caves. You don't have to make contact with the spiritual world to rig.
Rigging is all based on numbers, knowledge, and experience. Everything you need to know about rigging you can learn from books, mortal human beings, and practice.
By the way, I had been looking for that spanner for three months; it was nice of him to return it.
MYTH : YOU NEED TO BE A MECHANICAL GENIUS TO RIG
To be honest, being a certified mechanic would be helpful. So would having a doctorate in physics, owning every tool known to man, and having ten employees to do your work for you.
All of this would be helpful, but none of it is necessary for you to rig.
If you can open a jar of pickles or pour a glass of water you probably have the mechanical aptitude to begin rigging. Add a dose of common sense and the strong need to get the job done correctly and you have all of the basics.
MYTH : YOU NEED FANCY AND EXPENSIVE TOOLS TO RIG
You can get most the tools you need to do a first-class rigging job for under £200. This includes all the special rigging tools you might ever need. That's not too bad when you figure these tools can come in handy around the house, on the kiddies' swing set, or on the car when it acts up.
And finally . . .
MYTH : RIGGING IS BORING
Well, rigging is not a good substitute for many things, like a big bowl of chocolate chip ice cream. I'll let you be the one to decide if it is boring; to me it's not, but to some it may be. If you think you'll get bored when you rig, then try to make it fun. Play some tunes, eat snacks, tell jokes, or pay a sculler to entertain you.
By possessing rowing equipment, you have accepted the responsibility for adjusting it. If you are standing there looking at a broken rigger, or one that needs adjustment, don't freak out. If someone is counting on you to adjust or repair a rigger, relax. If you think your crew might win or lose a race because of the rigging job you did, don't get an ulcer.
There is no need to get nervous. You can do it, and we are going to help you.
COMING UP
Lesson 3, the next lesson, answers exactly Why You Should Rig.
Rig Up Your Life Lesson 1: WHAT IS RIGGING?
From our wanderings around in the sport of rowing, it seems a lot of people involved aren't comfortable with the rigging of rowing equipment.
Truthfully, we think a lot of people are just downright intimidated by it. We know some souls who believe a rigger has a mind of its own. Once I bumped into a club rower who, instead of adjusting his rigger, went around the boathouse switching riggers with all the other boats until he found one that looked like it worked!
Let's get personal. What about you?
Does your rowing equipment intimidate you?
Do you think it's a Rubik's Cube, a mystical and mysterious puzzle only to be mastered by a chosen few?
What happens when the rigging of your boat needs attention? Do you ignore the problem and hope it goes away? Do you get in there and try to fix it yourself, or do you stand by idly with a puzzled look on your face waiting for the cavalry to arrive?
And what if it's your first time rigging–where do you start?
When your car needs service you can take it to a garage, when the washing machine goes on the blink you call in the repairman, but when there is a rigging problem, who is going to fix it? I want you to look in the mirror for the answer!
 We are true believers that anyone can rig, from the complete novice who has never held a spanner to the absolute klutz who cannot walk up a flight of stairs without tripping.
Mike Davenport, writer of 'The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Rigging' has written books, articles, and taught a wealth of rigging clinics with this thought in mind. 'You should be able to fix any problem with the rigging of your equipment. If this thought makes you nervous, then you're in the right place. Mike has written this guide to rigging for rowing and sculling.
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION
One of the most interesting things to do is ask the participants this question:
'What is your definition of rigging?'
The answers we get are pretty interesting.
The most common definition Rowperfect gets is that rigging is 'just changing or adjusting the riggers on a rowing shell'. When that answer is heard, a little discussion is usually needed with them.
You see, defining rigging in that way is like saying teaching is just writing on a blackboard or that plumbing is only unstopping clogged toilets. There's more to teaching and to plumbing than that. And there's certainly more to rigging.
A lot more.
Part of the discussion is to give them the definition of rigging. And with that, to tell them that a few of the things rigging involves are:
 Determining the best type of equipment for your team or you to row, especially considering body size and the conditions rowed in.- Using your brain to figure out what rigging measurements to use when you make adjustments to the equipment.
- Deciding when and where it is best to make the adjustments.
- Figuring out how to make the adjustments.
- Getting your hands on tools and being concerned about the safety of the equipment that is rowed.
- Checking your work to see if you did a good job.
It is usually at this point that eyes open up and definitions of rigging change.
ART OR SCIENCE?
An interesting aspect of rigging that escapes many folks is that rigging is both an art and a science.
You see, there is science involved in finding the correct rigging measurements to use. And there is science involved in transporting and maintaining the equipment. And there certainly is science involved in storing the equipment.
On the other hand, rigging involves an artistic viewpoint.
There is art in planning how to use the equipment and in buying it and in determining how best to move it. And there is also art involved in making the adjustments.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS RIGGING?
It boils down to this: rigging is a multi-faceted activity, involving a wide range of tasks.
At this point we want to stress this: don't get overwhelmed!
In our series of featured blog posts by guest writer Mike Davenport, the following six lessons will help you get started in rigging. Over the next six lessons, we will be discussing many of those tasks of rigging.
COMING UP
In Lesson 2, we get into some of the myths of rigging. I've found that discussing those myths can greatly help people feel more comfortable about rigging.
Rig up your life - rowing boat rigging for beginners
The Rowperfect team prides itself on helping rowers out in every way possible, so we know you've already taken the first step towards being an amazing rower with our Rig Up Your Life series. 7 lessons over 15 days will have you understanding rigging like a fish understands how to swim, and then it's all about getting out there and testing your new skills.
We'll get you started with a solid understanding of what rigging a boat is, how it affects your rowing or sculling and what to do to make it right for you - so you have a perfect ride!
Watch your inbox closely because the first lesson is already on its way.
See you soon...
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