The Boats: 

• "Captain"/"Purritano"/"NoName" - Eight (8+): A shell with eight rowers and a coxswain. The plus sign next to the number refers to the phrase "with" meaning, with a coxswain. This is called a sweep boat.  

• "Patriot"/"NoName1"/"NoName2" - Four ((4+): A shell with four rowers. 4+ means a four with (with a coxswain). This is a sweep boat.  

• "USA"/"Sokol"/"Goodfellas " -   Quad (4x): A four-person boat where each person has two oars (can be with or without a coxswain). This is a sculling boat.  

• "Gator"/"Aventador" - Double (2x): A sculling shell with two rowers, each with two oars.  

• Single (1x): A shell with one rower. 

Sculling: A boat in which each rower has two oars, a single, double, quad or sometimes an octuple 

Sweep: A boat in which rowers have one oar each. 

Gator Double (2x)   &   Aventador Double (2x)

How Are Modern Boats So Lightweight?

One thing you may not know about modern rowing boats is that the oars are hollow. Yep, this is one way to minimize the total weight of the boat.

Modern rowing boats are mostly built from a fiberglass composite material, while other boat parts are made from PVC or other types of plastic to help keep these boats as light as possible.

Rowing boats must meet the physical demands of the rower and not crack, break, come apart, or otherwise succumb to stress fractures or swell when introduced to water.

Today’s rowing shells are superb examples of modern technology and how far we have come using different types of materials!