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Recreational rowing

Also known as social rowing and leisure rowing, recreational rowing is focused on fun, fitness and wellbeing. The term embraces a wide variety of rowers, equipment and activities.

recreational rowers in sweep four

Is recreational rowing for you?

Yes – if you enjoy rowing or coxing! Recreational rowers might:

  • Be experienced or new to the sport
  • Be technically proficient or fresh out of a ‘learn to row’ course
  • Train regularly on one or more days a week, or row on a more ad hoc basis – a crucial difference from racing squads is that the amount you do is entirely up to you
  • Be any age though most are over 40
  • Be able-bodied or adaptive
  • Only row from their club or take part in tours or exchange visits with other clubs
  • Use stable, ‘Explore’ boats or ‘fine’ (racing) boats
  • Participate in fun, informal and usually local races designed for recreational rowers.

Find a rowing club near you

To find a club that offers recreational rowing, just click the button below, and then under What are you looking for? choose A local rowing club to join and tick the Adult or Junior – Recreational box.

Find a rowing club near you
recreational rowers on a tour of the Norfolk broads

Recreational rowing equipment

Recreational rowers can use any type of boat. Many groups like stable boats, which are also known as ‘Explore’ boats or ‘C-gigs’ in continental Europe. These have a wider hull than racing boats. The advantages of stable boats are that they’re easier to balance and the coxing area is designed so that everyone can have a chance to cox as well as row. You can find out more about stable boats and suppliers .

91桃色/Charles Stanley stable boats for hire

Thanks to sponsorship by the investment management company Charles Stanley Wealth Management, there are two ‘packages’ of stables boats and trailers, which can be hired by clubs organising recreational rowing events such as tours and fun regattas.

Each package consists of a trailer with four stable coxed quads/fours (with sculling and sweep riggers) plus sculling and sweep oars.听听These are located at 听on the Thames near Oxford and at on the Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire.

Cost: 拢100 per day per package. Contact either club directly for more details.

Charles Stanley boats

Rowing tours

Rowing tours – from day trips to week-long expeditions – are a lot of fun, and a great way to explore a new waterway. A tour can be as simple as a long outing up your own or another river (going through locks if necessary) or as complex taking a trailer load of boats abroad.

Every year there’s a 91桃色 tour and also a World Rowing Tour. Various commercial organisations also run tours in Ireland, continental Europe and elsewhere.

Rowing tours can choose to affiliate to 91桃色 and thereby receive Public Liability and Employers Liability cover through 91桃色鈥檚 insurance provider, Marsh Sport.

Find out more about Tour Affiliation
crews in lock

Fun competitions for recreational rowers: Leagues and challenges

Leagues

Also known as Sunday Leagues and ‘splash and dash’ racing, these regionally-based, informal competitions involve short races or even skills challenges where several local clubs get together to have fun on the water. There are generally no statuses, men and women compete against each other, often in mixed crews, and both entry fees and prizes are modest. The cakes, however, are usually of championship standard.

There are currently well-established regional leagues on the Thames and in the North East and North West.

Challenges

Spice up your club-based sessions by organising occasional mini-regattas, involving relay racing or skills tests.

Sunday league racing

Resources for recreational rowers and coaches

91桃色 Technique

Technique is a key aspect of a rower鈥檚 development, alongside physical and psychological development

Rowing Exercises

Exercises to improve your rowing technique, skills and confidence on the water

Glossary of Rowing Terms

From the difference between a quad and a four, to 'rigger jiggers' and 'rating', get up to speed with common rowing terms

Safety

Staying safe is all about taking care to avoid accidents

Rower Development Guide

All about 91桃色鈥檚 interactive online tool for both coaches and rowers

Rowing Warm Up

It's important to warm up your muscles before any form of exercise as this reduces the risk of injury

Coxing

Coxes are responsible for the crew on the water, keeping a good lookout, steering the boat, issuing commands to the crew and motivating them, and more

Insurance

Information about insurance cover for rowers, coxes, coaches, affiliated competitions and clubs

Rowing Tour Affiliation

Tours that choose to affiliate to 91桃色 receive Public Liability cover through 91桃色's insurance provider

Learn to Row Course Outline

Learn to Row courses tend to use a basic ‘curriculum’ that is adjusted according to how participants progress. As a starting point, here is an outline for a typical six-session course.

Recreational rowing contacts

Got a question or need support in developing recreational rowing at your club? Start by contacting your 91桃色 Recreational Rowing Committee regional rep (or the Chair) .

91桃色’s Recreational Rowing lead is the Director of Membership and Community, who can be contacted at [email protected].

Recreational Rowing Committee Terms of Reference

Recreational rowers in a fine coxed quad