Boats for the FrontRower™
Canoes
If
you already own a suitable canoe, you won't need another boat.
Modified canoes can make
excellent touring rowboats. A typical tandem
recreational canoe is a good size and shape for two
people paddling. It will move efficiently at the power levels two
paddlers can generate. One rower (using a FrontRower rowing station) can generate as much power as
two paddlers. This means that you can bring a
passenger along and expect the same performance as two people paddling.
Rowing alone, you can expect even better performance, and cruising will
seem almost effortless.
Not only will you have more power, but with a pair of oars it will be much
easier to turn and to track perfectly straight. And you will have
significantly more stability, because you sit low and in the center of the
boat, rather than high up and in the ends.
Some canoes make better
rowing boats than others. You can find our
recommended canoes
listed here. The modifications needed to convert a canoe
are minimal and involve repositioning the crossbars and gluing flat
mounting pads into the bottom. See
installation drawing and
Maximum
beam limits.
Conventional row boats
Conventional rowboats are
designed for their own specific propulsion systems.
But some can be adapted for the FrontRower™.
Oarlock-on-gunwale boats are usually around 4-1/2 feet wide, which may be
too wide for the FrontRower. Racing style sculls
with outriggers are usually too narrow. Generally speaking, the
FrontRower requires a beam of between 22 and 37 inches. But some
beamier boats with low freeboard (low sides above the water) may be
adapted for the FrontRower. See
Maximum beam limits.
Some rear-facing rowing
boats that have been successfully adapted are: Adirondack Guide Boat,
Annapolis Wherry, Alden Ocean Shell, Little River Heritage 15, Merry Wherry, Skimmer
Catamaran, Sprite Skiff. You can see pictures of all of these
boats in
the Owner's Photo Gallery.
Odyssey Row Boats
| Our Odyssey series
wooden rowing boats are designed specifically for the FrontRower
rowing system. They are
purpose built for the activities our customers are most interested
in:
- Relaxing and
enjoying being outdoors and on the water.
- Getting high
quality exercise with low risk of injury.
- Pursuing
recreational interests such as fishing, bird watching and
photography.
These boats also have:
- The ability to
handle moderate open water, wind, and wakes from motorboats.
- Efficiency at
long distance rowing speeds.
- Pleasing
esthetics.
- Room for a
passenger, a picnic basket, extra clothing and gear.
|
The
Odyssey 180™
is 18 ft. in length. Optimized for doubles rowing, it also
makes a good solo boat.
The
Odyssey 165™
is 16-1/2 ft. in length. Optimized for solo rowing or rowing
with a passenger. |
The Odyssey 180 and Odyssey
165 are first class "touring" rowboats in the traditional sense of
touring (meaning traveling for the pleasure of the trip). They are stable
and comfortable enough for long distance rowing, and with enough
efficiency to move easily at speeds that will keep things interesting.
These are not racing boats, but will move through the water easier and faster than most
traditional rowing boats. These are boats you sit comfortably inside
of, rather than on top of. They have plenty of freeboard (height
above the water) to keep the things you bring along safely inside, to keep
spray outside, and to increase your visibility to other boats.
To keep initial cost down we
decided to come up with designs which could be easily built by the home
builder. This enables rowers in far away places to own a first class
touring rowboat without the difficulty and expense of shipping one long
distances. We offer the Odyssey rowboats as kits and plans (as well
as finished boats). The advantage of a pre-cut wood parts kit is
quicker build time, and the materials are shipped to your door (at much
less expense that a finished boat). Building from plans takes
longer, but is not that difficult. If boatbuilding materials are
available in your area, building from scratch can be economical and fun.
Being easy to build does not
mean that we compromised on performance or esthetics. Using computer
aided design and analysis (as well as hands-on racing and touring
expertise) we have given these boats efficient under water lines.
And we have given them just enough styling and detail above the water to
draw attention in any boat loving community.
More about Touring
Rowboats
|
Made in the USA
