Rowing Lingo

SAFETY FIRST
Safety is our primary concern.  To keep us and the equipment in one piece, please know and respond immediately to the following commands:
Ready, All?	(Row or Lift)  The beginning of a command.  If you're not ready, say so!
Hold Water Hard!	Bury your oar square in the water and apply pressure to stop the boat.
Heads up!	Watch out!
BOAT
Shell	A boat for sweep rowing or sculling.
Sweep	Rowing with one oar per rower - as pairs, fours or eights.
Scull	Rowing with two oars per rower - as singles or doubles.
Gunwale	("gunnel")  The upper, outside edge of the boat.
Oarlock	Hold the oar in place.
Gate	Bar that flips down across the top of the oarlock.  Held by a thumb screw.
Footstretcher	Flat board, with shoes attached, to support the feet during the drive.
OAR
Blade	Flat, wide part of oar.  Also, synonymous with oar.
Handle	Part of the oar you hold.
Shaft	Longest part of the oar, between the handle and the blade.
Collar	Plastic strip encircling the shaft to hold the oar against the oarlock.
Tighten Screws	Leaning out carefully, tighten the nuts holding the rigging to the boat and the thumb screw holding the gate.
STROKE
Drive	Pushing with the legs, opening the body, and pulling in with the hands to pry the boat past the oar buried in the water.
Finish	Body laid back in bow, hands near the sternum, oar in the water toward the stern.
Recovery	Moving along the slide from finish to catch, hands first, then body angle, then legs.
Catch	Body fully compressed toward the stern, hands fully extended, oar in the water toward bow ready to start the drive.
LAUNCHING
Hands On	Place one hand on either side of the boat.   If you're not ready to lift, say so!
Inside Grip	With the boat overhead, keep one hand on the gunwale and reach into the footwell to grab the strut beneath the deck.
ON-THE-WATER
Watch the Oars!	Lift oar slightly off the water, if necessary, to avoid hitting an object.  Never pull the oar in and across the boat or the boat may flip.
Set the Boat	If you are not rowing, help balance the boat by laying the blade flat on the water and keeping continuous upward pressure on the handle.   Tilt leading edge upward.
Square and Buried	Oar blade is vertical and completely under water.
Backsplash	Placing the oar in at the catch so that a small amount of water curls up and away from both sides of the blade.
Skying the Blade	Lowering, instead of raising, the hands at the catch.
Hanging at the Catch	Starting up the slide before the oar is in the water at the catch.
Shooting your Tail	Driving the legs without bringing the oar handle along simultaneously.
Check It	Hold water to slow or stop the boat.
Tap It	Take a partial or light stroke, usually to straighten the boat when it's stopped.
Steady State	Rowing at about ¾ power, or just higher than your "comfort zone".
Power 10	Ten strokes at full power.
Spin It	Turn the boat around, usually with ports backing and starboards rowing, using arms and backs only so as not to stress the rigging.
Ratio Shift	Slow the slide relative to the drive.