Rebel Row Coastal Rowing Boats

Ben Booth is the founder of Rebel Row – he started rowing on the ocean as a child – with a small diversion into flat water rowing, he is now back doing what he enjoys most. He is designing and building a FISA approved coastal rowing single scull.
At the end of these show notes are links to Ben’s videos and instructional blog with Coastal Rowing Technique articles.

Timestamps
02:34 Background in rowing
07:50 Rough Water technique in a rowing scull – read Ben’s blog where he explains a lot
https://rebelrower.com/blog
09:30 Ocean Rowing Technique basics – how to get in the boat if you fall out. This is skill number 1. Finding breakers to practice rowing through
https://rebelrower.com/blog/2020/2/8/re-boarding
11:30 You need a bulldog mentality. Just gun it! Take a glimpse over your shoulder. Know when to stop and de-power at the base of the wave. Throw your weight forward to weigh down the bow.
15:00 Bracing into the wave and surfing it sideways. Amount of zen is high.
21:15 Rounding a buoy is the biggest physiological challenge of coastal rowing.
23:15 Building boats. The FISA class rules are broad – depth, beam, length and weight. This opens up the sport to creative boat design
28:30 Guided tour of the Rebel 1x single scull
– Reverse bow – for piercing the smaller waves
– High flare bow canvas to give lift
– Cockpit as new components
– Seat wheels are wide and slide tracks are convex
– Foot brace is wider at the foot stretcher to give improved ergonomic case.
– Vertical heel cup adjustment on foot stretcher
– No fittings pierce the hull
40:00 Adjustable fin – from the inside of the cockpit. You can put the boat down on a beach after lifting the skeg so no tyres or trestles are needed
44:00 Water drains out of the sides the “Darth Vader” design section. Stern deck is high with no transom
47:00 Try the boat
50:00 A ballast box design will go under the seat to take the boat weight up to FISA minimum of 35kg / 77 lbs
53:00 Youth Olympic Games in 2022 in Senegal includes coastal rowing.
Contact Ben [email protected]

Ben’s videos Whitewater. Here I’m negotiating the endless whitewater of a massive breaker. I made it through this staying upright, but came out the other end with another broken rigger!
https://www.facebook.com/rowcoastal/videos/2557415624487828/

Stern View. This includes a fun end-over-end capsize (sort of a cartwheel in the boat!). These waves were moving very very fast, from 60 mph winds
https://www.facebook.com/rowcoastal/videos/294291274778699/

Bracing. Here I show how to take a breaking wave sideways. Generally, it is considered “unsafe” to take big breakers over the side. With the right techniques, its actually quite possible and a heck of a good time
https://www.facebook.com/rowcoastal/videos/300168640915848/

In the Rip. Caught in a rip current, which dragged my boat underwater, leaving me to row out of it with a submerged boat
https://www.facebook.com/rowcoastal/videos/273709750024020/

through the surf. Beautiful winter breaker
https://www.facebook.com/rowcoastal/videos/427470931020397/
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