Rowing Manual

Power Options
You can operate the FrontRower using your hands only, your feet only, or your hands and feet together.  A pair of swivel mounted power handles delivers hand power to the oars.  A pair of pedals delivers leg power to the oars via ropes and pulleys.  Additionally, a pair of shaft handles are located directly on the oars shafts, and can be used for special maneuvers.

Power Handles
Power is delivered to the oars by a pulling motion on the power handles.  Power should be applied through the fingers loosely hooked around the grip.  It is not necessary to touch the handle with the palms of the hands.  A tight grip will shorten your stroke and tire your forearms.  The power handles are also the connection point for the pedal ropes.  The handles are properly installed when the rope attachment end is down. 

Pedal Operation
The FrontRower has two pedals, one for the left oar and one for the right.  You apply foot power by pushing on them with your feet.  There is no need to pull back on the pedals with your feet, so there is no need to strap your feet to the pedals.  For normal operation, you push on both pedals at the same time (not alternating like a bicycle).  For steering, you take longer strokes on one side.

Blade Work
Feathering and squaring the blades is called blade work.  Feathering the blade is turning it horizontal to reduce wind resistance.  Squaring the blade is turning it vertical so that it can push against the water.  With the FrontRower, the bladework is automatic.  You can override the automatic features by gripping the oars directly by the shaft handles and forcing the blade into the position desired.  You would do this when coming to a fast stop, when you square the blades and push them down into the water.  This is called holding water.  You can hold water on one side to make the boat turn sharply in that direction.  Holding water is most effective when the oar is perpendicular to the boat.

The Rowing Stroke: Catch, Drive, Finish, Recovery

The Catch
This is the part of the stroke when the blades enter the water at the beginning of the drive.  With the FrontRower, the catch is automatic.  The blades automatically lower into the water as power is applied.  At the same time, the oars rotate from the feathered position into the squared position.  When using the power handles, you lean forward at the catch, extending your reach and letting the oars swing forward as far as possible.  You should not be leaning back against the backrest.  When using hands and feet combined, you lean forward and push the handles out ahead of you at the catch.  This pulls the pedals in toward you, bringing your thighs up against your abdomen. 

The Drive
This is the part when the power is delivered to the oars.  The power can come from pulling on the handles or pushing on the pedals, or both.  The power from the handles begins at the catch with the torso leaning forward and is applied smoothly throughout the stroke, ending with the torso leaning back at the finish.  Power from the pedals begins at the catch with your thighs drawn up against your abdomen and is applied smoothly until your legs are fully extended.  If using pedal power only there is no need to lean forward at the catch, nor back at the finish, and you will be pushing against the seat back to develop pressure on the pedals.

The Finish
This is the part when the blades leave the water at the end of the drive and rotate into the feathered position.  With the FrontRower, the finish is automatic.  The blades automatically lift out of the water when you stop applying power.  Once clear of the water, they automatically rotate into the feathered position.  Wait for a moment at the end of the drive to let the oar blades lift and rotate.  Forward movement of the boat through the water will assist the oars in clearing (the faster you are going, the faster they will clear).  The waiting period at the finish should be about as long as the period of the drive.  For example:  for a comfortably slow stroke rate of 20 strokes per minute, the drive should take one second, the finish one second, and the recovery one second.  The catch is instantaneous.  A good way to slow down your stroke rate at a given speed is to lengthen the waiting period at the finish.  This is the time when the boat is moving at maximum speed, and the longer the waiting time at the finish, the longer the glide will be between strokes.

The Recovery
This is the part when the blades are out of the water and are returned to the front.  With the FrontRower, the oars are automatically pulled forward by springs as you pull your feet back towards you.  These same springs also feather the oars.  This allows you to row “hands free”, using only the pedals for power and steering.  The springs swing the oars forward at a fixed speed, which is correct for normal rowing with leg power only.  Under certain conditions (such as strong headwinds) it may be necessary to help the springs by pushing the oars forward with your hands.  The oars will only swing forward as fast as the pedals are pulled back toward the rower.  Ideally, the pedals should be pulled back at the same speed as the oars swing forward, so that there is neither slack nor tension in the ropes.  Too much tension will cause the oars to lower and drag the blades in the water.  Too little tension will cause splashing at the catch when tension is rapidly applied.

Seat Adjustment
Seat adjustment is analogous to adjusting a car seat.  You can adjust it fore and aft and you can adjust the angle of the seat back.  You make the fore and aft adjustment by loosing the knobs at the front and rear of the seat, sliding the seat, then retightening them.  The numbers 1 through 7 are marked on the main beam for reference.  An average sized adult should start out with the setting around 4 or 5.  Taller adults should have higher numbers, children should have lower numbers.  The seat is correctly adjusted when, as you lean forward at the catch with your thighs pressed against your abdomen, the oars are at their full swing forward.  For most rowing situations the seat back should be in the most upright position.  Adjust the seat back angle by moving the ropes on either side of the seat, making sure both side are in the same position.  Varying the position exercises and stretches your muscles in different ways.  Its ok to lean back and relax occasionally when rowing with your legs only, but don’t get into the habit of leaning back against the seat back while trying to use your upper body.  You need to rock back and forth to get a full upper body stroke. 

Leg Rope Adjustment
For most people, the default rope length will be correct.  You can check the default setting by detaching the handles from the oar collars and pulling the handles forward just above the front crossbar (the piece with the suction cups) at the bottom of the FrontRower frame while the pedals swing back toward the seat.  The default setting brings the handle snap hook screw to 1 inch forward of the front edge of the crossbar.  If you have limited flexibility or a big belly, you may want to lengthen the ropes an inch or two at the most.  This will allow you to lean forward as the oars swing forward, while your feet remain a little farther out in front of you.

Learning the Strokes
First time out:  The first time out should be done in conditions of low wind and current.  Make sure there are no hazards such as other moving boats in the area.

Legs only
The best way to get the feel for the FrontRower stroke is to start out using the legs only stroke.  After boarding the boat, make sure the boat is level and is not leaning over to one side.  Make sure the power handles and return spring ropes are properly connected.  Place your feet on the pedals and your hands in your lap.  Slowly draw both pedals in toward you until your thighs are up close to your abdomen.  Hold this position until the return springs pull the oars all the way forward and the pedal ropes become taunt.  Then push forward with a firm steady motion on both pedals at the same time.  The oar blades will immediately lower into the water and rotate square (the catch).  Continue pushing firmly and steadily on both pedals (the drive) until your legs are fully extended.  Wait a second for the oars to lift and rotate (the finish).  Then slowly and smoothly draw the pedals back toward you, while the oars swing forward (the recovery).  The rhythm should be: drive (one second), finish (one second), recovery (one second).  The catch is instantaneous.  You can steer by taking a longer stroke on one side or stroking on one side only.

Arms and Legs Together
Once you see how the system works, it is easy to add upper body power.  Hold the handles with a loose grip, applying power through the ends of the fingers.  Lean forward (on the recovery), reaching forward with your hands while drawing your legs back against your abdomen.  At the end of your forward reach (the catch), begin pulling on the handles and pushing on the pedals.  Continue pulling and pushing (the drive) and lean back toward the end of the stroke.  Hold the laid back position at the end of the drive for a moment (the finish) allowing the oars to lift and feather.  Note that leg power and upper body power begin at the same time, but leg power ends with full extension of the legs while upper body power will continue with the backward lean of the torso.  This backward lean (called the lay back) will be exaggerated if the seat back is in a reclining position.  For normal operation, the seat should be in the upright position, but a long lay back exercises and stretches muscles differently and can be a pleasant change.

Upper Body Only
To row using upper body only, remove your feet from the pedals and place them off to the side so the pedals can move freely between your legs.  Alternatively, you can rest the backs of your thighs on the pedals.  Rowing with upper body only exercises and stretches your muscles differently and can be a pleasant change during a long rowing session. 

Turning
Minor correction: Take a longer stroke on one side.
Gentle turn:  Stroke on one side only with the inboard oar stationary above the water.
Sharp turn:  Hold water with inside oar.
Sharpest turn:  Hold water with inside oar and stroke forward with outside oar.
Spin around:  Back-paddle with inside oar and forward-paddle with outside oar.

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