How to Rig a Rowing Boat: Tom Bishop’s Practical Guide to Span, Arc, Gearing and Comfort
Why Rigging Matters
Rigging is one of the most overlooked areas of club rowing.
Most rowers spend years thinking about fitness and technique, but far less time thinking about whether the boat is actually set up for them. Yet the rig determines whether the rower can sit comfortably, reach the right part of the stroke, clear the handles, connect at the catch and apply power efficiently.
As Tom Bishop says in his Complete Rowing Podcast conversation on rigging and gearing:
“It’s a key issue that is often overlooked.”
The problem is simple. The erg is adjustable and usually comfortable. The boat is much more complicated. The span, blade length, inboard, gate height, foot stretcher and boat size all interact.
Tom’s starting point is not abstract theory. It is the feeling every rower knows:
“This isn’t as comfortable as being on the ergo. And that’s the problem that you’re trying to fix.”
A good rig does not magically make you fast. But a poor rig can make good rowing almost impossible.
Start With the Boat: Does It Fit You?
Before adjusting span, blades or gates, ask whether the boat itself is roughly right for your body weight.
Tom explains the basic problem clearly:
“If the boat’s too big, then you sit up on top of the water.”
A boat that is too large can feel twitchy and difficult to balance. You may technically have a fast hull, but you get fewer good strokes because the platform is unstable.
The opposite problem is a boat that is too small:
“If it’s too small, you’re probably low in the water with little clearance.”
That can feel stable, but if there is wash, wind or rough water, you may struggle with clearance.
The ideal boat gives you two things:
Minimum wetted surface, reducing drag.
The right height relationship between you, the rig and the water.
Tom’s view is that, if forced to choose, he would rather be slightly too heavy for a boat than much too light for it:
“A smaller boat is preferable to a boat that’s too big.”
That is a useful club-rowing insight. Many rowers assume a boat rated above their weight is safer or more stable. Often the opposite is true. A boat that sits too high may be difficult to control, particularly for developing scullers.
The Central Idea: Get the Correct Arc
Most rowers think first about whether they have enough room at the finish.
Tom thinks first about arc.
The arc is the path the blade travels around the pin or gate during the stroke. In sculling, Tom believes many rowers are simply not getting enough length in the water, especially at the front end.
“The majority of them are not getting a long enough arc.”
His observation is that many scullers are short at the front and then try to compensate by being long at the finish.
Tom is blunt about this:
“I think this is fundamentally wrong.”
Why? Because the most valuable part of the stroke is not behind you at the finish. It is from the beginning, through the pin, and slightly beyond it.
“It’s getting your effort into that bit of the arc that is the key to going quickly.”
Tom’s target is roughly:
60–70 degrees in front of the gate
about 40 degrees behind the gate
That gives a total arc of around 100–110 degrees. He notes that top international crews may achieve more than 110 degrees of total arc, so aiming for around 105 degrees is not extreme.
This is a more useful way to think about rigging than simply asking, “Do I have room at the finish?”
The first question should be:
Can I comfortably get the blade to the right angle at the catch?
How to Measure Your Arc
Tom has a simple, practical method.
He uses a protractor and marks his boat with tape.
“On my stern canvas, I’ve put two little bits of white tape.”
Those marks show where the handle should be when the blade is at roughly 60–70 degrees in front of the pin.
He also puts a mark under the seat area to indicate the finish arc:
“I also put a piece of tape… to get the 40 degrees after the pin.”
This is a brilliant practical tip.
Instead of guessing whether you are long enough, you can physically mark the boat and check it during the outing.
A club sculler could do this in ten minutes:
Put the scull in the gate.
Use a protractor or angle guide to identify 60–70 degrees in front of the pin.
Mark where the handle reaches on the stern canvas.
Do the same for roughly 40 degrees behind the pin.
Row and see whether your actual stroke reaches those marks comfortably.
This immediately turns rigging from mystery into observation.
Why the Front-End Arc Matters
At the very front of the stroke, the blade may not yet be producing maximum forward thrust. But that does not mean the extra arc is wasted.
Tom explains that the early part of the arc helps the blade enter and lock onto the water before the most effective part of the drive.
“You’re not wasting valuable, effective arc in getting the blade in the water.”
In other words, if you only place the blade when you are already near the powerful part of the stroke, you may lose useful drive time while the spoon enters, locks and catches up with the boat.
Tom puts it this way:
“There’s going to be a moment between the blade going in the water and it catching up with the boat.”
That is why good scullers appear to place the blade early. The blade is not simply dropped in and then pulled. It is placed so the rower can connect before the main power phase.
For club rowers, this matters enormously. If you are short at the catch and slow to connect, you may be missing the most valuable part of the stroke.
Span: The First Major Adjustment
In sculling, span is the distance between the pins or gates.
Tom’s core point is that most standard boats are set up for a particular assumed athlete:
“Most boats are built for the six-foot young bloke who’s strong.”
That standard setup is often approximately:
160 cm span
288 cm scull length
88 cm inboard
Tom calls this “the standard rig.”
But, as he says:
“Most of us are not that young man.”
Many masters rowers are shorter, older, less flexible, or simply built differently. If their arms and bodies are shorter, they may not naturally reach the same arc as the assumed six-foot athlete.
Tom’s solution is to adjust the span.
If you reduce the distance between the gates, the blade travels through a longer arc for the same movement of the hands.
Tom uses an extreme example to explain the principle. A huge span would create almost no useful arc for a short-armed rower. A tiny span would create a huge arc. The real answer is somewhere sensible in between.
For himself, Tom reduced his span:
“From 160, first to 159 and now to 158.”
That two-centimetre change is small, but meaningful. It helps him reach the target arc at the catch.
The lesson is not that everyone should row at 158.
The lesson is that standard rigging may not be your rigging.
The Problem Span Creates: More Overlap
Reducing span can help you get more arc.
But it creates a new problem.
If the gates come closer together, the handles overlap more near the body. That can make the finish cramped.
Tom explains:
“You’ve suddenly got more overlap of the sculls near your body.”
For some rowers this means they cannot clear the handles properly.
“They get tucked up at the finish.”
The obvious solution is to reduce the inboard. But that leads to the next and most important rigging issue: gearing.
Inboard, Outboard and Gearing
The inboard is the distance from the handle end of the scull to the collar.
The outboard is the length from the collar to the blade end.
A standard example:
Total scull length: 288 cm
Inboard: 88 cm
Outboard: 200 cm
Tom uses a simple ratio:
Outboard ÷ Inboard
So:
200 ÷ 88 = 2.27
Tom uses this number as a practical guide to how heavy or light the gearing will feel.
He explains:
“It’s a good enough model for me.”
The crucial mistake is to reduce the inboard without also reducing the overall blade length.
Tom’s warning is excellent:
“You’re putting the gearing up like going uphill on a bicycle in high gear.”
That is the mistake many rowers make. They want more clearance at the finish, so they reduce the inboard. But if the outboard stays long, the gearing gets heavier. The boat feels harder to move. The rower may struggle to rate, tire earlier, or feel as though they are fighting the equipment.
Tom’s solution:
“If you reduce the inboard, you’ve got to reduce the outboard.”
That keeps the ratio similar.
The rower is now using a smaller rig overall:
Smaller span
Shorter inboard
Shorter blade
But the gearing remains manageable.
As Tom says:
“Everything is smaller.”
This is one of the most useful lessons in the episode.
Shorter rowers do not necessarily need to pull a standard-length blade with a standard inboard. They may need a smaller version of the same mechanical relationship.
A Practical Example: 288/88 to 285/87.5
In the conversation, Ken describes changing from:
288 cm total length
88 cm inboard
to:
285 cm total length
87.5 cm inboard
The result was immediate:
“It’s lighter. I feel more in control.”
That is exactly the point. Correct gearing should make the rower feel in command of the boat.
Ken describes the difference as:
“I am in charge rowing the boat as opposed to the boat rowing me.”
This is how good rigging often feels. Not spectacular. Not magical. Just more controllable.
You can rate more easily. You can stay horizontal. You can get through a long piece without feeling as though the boat has become heavier every minute.
Tom agrees:
“It certainly does.”
The 2.27 Ratio Is a Reference Point, Not a Law
Tom is careful not to make the 2.27 ratio sacred.
“It’s not set in stone.”
Some rowers may prefer a slightly heavier gearing. Strong athletes may manage more load. Others may need a lighter setup.
Tom’s practical advice is:
“It gives you something to compare with.”
That is the right way to use the number.
If your setup feels terrible, calculate the ratio. You may discover that what you thought was a lighter rig is actually heavier.
Ken gives exactly that example. He tried to lighten his blades by reducing the overall length but changed the inboard in a way that produced a ratio around 2.35.
The result felt awful because he had increased the load rather than reduced it.
That is why the ratio matters.
It prevents guesswork.
Club Blades May Limit You
There is a practical problem.
Many adjustable club sculls only go down to around 284 cm.
Tom says:
“The majority of blades… will only go down to about 2.84.”
That may not be short enough for some rowers, especially shorter masters scullers trying to reduce span and maintain a sensible gearing ratio.
Tom went further. He had shorter blades made that could go down to 279 cm.
Why?
“I thought I’d try it. Got to try it. And blow me, it worked.”
This is a very Tom Bishop line, and it captures his whole approach to rigging. Do not accept the standard answer blindly. Try things. Measure them. See whether the boat improves.
The Trade-Off With Shorter Blades
Shorter blades are not automatically easier in every respect.
Tom points out that with shorter equipment:
“Everything’s happening a bit quicker.”
The angles are more acute. The entry and finish require more skill. The rower may need more kilometres to develop the quickness and deftness required.
So the message is not “shorter is always better.”
The message is:
A shorter, lighter rig may suit many club and masters scullers, but it still requires skill.
Crew Boats: Should Everyone Have the Same Rig?
In a perfect world, no.
In a fixed crew, Tom says the ideal would be to rig each seat so each athlete achieves the same arc.
“In an ideal world, yes.”
That would mean adjusting span and blade length to match the rower’s body.
But club rowing is rarely ideal.
“In a club crew, in club equipment, it’s impractical.”
Most crews use the same oar lengths, same spans and same general setup. The result is that rowers with different bodies may produce different arcs.
A shorter rower may move the foot stretcher closer to get finish clearance, but then struggle to reach the same front-end arc as taller crewmates.
Tom describes the problem:
“You get a mismatch in the length of the stroke.”
The athletes then work around it. They adapt. They compromise. But the underlying rigging mismatch remains.
Tom’s own solution in some crew boats is to match another rower’s foot position and accept a compromise at the finish:
“We let the finish go.”
Another option is to adjust backstops, but Tom suggests that may be a worse compromise.
His third option is more radical:
“I take my own sculls into the crew boat.”
That allows him to keep a similar foot position to taller crew members while using shorter sculls to achieve the arc.
This is a fascinating point for clubs. Matching oar lengths may look tidy, but matching effective arcs may matter more.
Foot Stretcher Position: Comfort at the Catch
Once you have the span and blades roughly right, the foot stretcher should help you reach the catch comfortably while preserving the efficient arc.
Tom’s principle is simple:
“You want to try and keep the arc that is efficient.”
He wants to be able to sit at front stops in a position where he can place the blade with control.
“If you can do that… you have the greatest control.”
This is a better way to think about foot position than merely asking whether you have room at the finish.
A good foot stretcher position should allow:
Comfortable compression
Controlled blade placement
Proper arc at the catch
Manageable clearance at the finish
Tom describes the process as trial and adjustment:
“I juggle with that until I’m comfortable.”
That is exactly what most rowers should do. Adjust. Row. Observe. Adjust again.
Feet Height: Stability Versus Power
Many modern boats allow the shoes to move up and down.
This adjustment is often overlooked.
Ken raises the issue that, with age, it can become harder to reach a good catch position if the feet are too high.
Tom’s Tideway answer is practical.
“The lower your feet are, the more stable you will be.”
On rough or turbulent water, lower feet can help you take more good catches. That matters more than theoretical perfection.
On flat water, higher feet may allow a more horizontal drive:
“You’re going to push more parallel with the water.”
In an ideal world, that should be better. But only if the water is reliable enough that you do not miss catches.
Tom’s guiding principle is one of the most useful in the entire episode:
“Which position is going to give me the most good strokes?”
This is the right question for masters rowers, Tideway scullers and club athletes.
Not: what is theoretically perfect?
But: what lets me take the most good strokes over the whole piece?
Tom explains:
“It’s not one stroke, it’s not 20 strokes, it might be 150 strokes.”
That is a powerful way to think about rigging. The best rig is not necessarily the one that produces the single most powerful stroke. It is the one that helps you row the best average stroke again and again.
Seat Pads and Stability
A seat pad can help a rower get more comfortable at the catch.
But it also raises the body above the water, which can reduce stability.
Tom notes:
“It makes you more comfortable at front stops.”
But:
“It’s slightly less stable.”
It also affects gate height. If you raise your seat, you have effectively changed your relationship to the handles and gates. You may need to adjust washers accordingly.
This is why rigging changes should not be made in isolation.
Raise the seat, and gate height changes.
Reduce span, and handle height may feel different.
Shorten inboard, and gearing changes unless outboard changes too.
Everything interacts.
Gate Height: Low Is Quick, But Clearance Matters
Gate height affects how far the blade has to travel before entering the water.
Tom explains:
“A low set of gates means the distance the blade’s got to travel… is shorter.”
That can be good. A lower gate can make the entry quicker and more direct.
But clearance still matters. You must be able to extract cleanly, clear the water and avoid being cramped at the finish.
Tom recommends adjusting washers above and below the gate:
“Try different gate heights.”
There is no universal answer. You are looking for a position where the handles come through at a useful height and your body can remain mechanically strong.
Tom adds an important interaction with span:
“As the span comes in… the gates are lower.”
If you reduce span, you may need extra washers under the gates to maintain handle height around mid-chest.
This is the sort of detail many rowers miss. They reduce span for arc, then discover the handles feel low, without realising the rigging change caused it.
At the finish, if the handles come too low into the stomach, raising the gates slightly may actually improve clearance:
“Raise them up by a washer or two.”
Again, the best answer may not be the lowest possible gate. It is the gate height that gives the best mechanical position for the stroke and finish.
Long Distance Rig Versus Sprint Rig
Many rowers assume there is one correct rig.
Tom does not.
He points out that professional scullers in the early 1900s and 1920s used different boats and rigs for long-distance races and sprints.
For sprinting, Tom suggests that a rower may benefit from:
Slightly higher gearing
Possibly a slightly wider span
A setup that allows higher boat speed over a shorter time
For a long-distance race, comfort and sustainability may matter more.
Tom says:
“The first thing is to get yourself comfortable.”
That comfortable setup will probably work well for long-distance racing and may also work for short races.
But if you are at maximum effort in a sprint and need a little more pace, a slightly stiffer gearing might help.
The key warning is:
“I wouldn’t want to be uncomfortable in the boat.”
That is the balance. You may change the rig for the event, but you should not destroy your ability to row well.
How to Test Rigging Changes
Tom does not pretend this is perfectly scientific.
He is not always on still water. He does not have telemetry in the boat. So he relies on feel, experience and repeated testing.
He says:
“It’s largely self-analysis.”
The important test is not how the rig feels for one stroke. It is how it feels deep into a piece:
“30, 60, 90 strokes in a piece.”
That is excellent practical advice.
A rig that feels good for ten strokes may feel impossible after five minutes. A rig that feels slightly light at paddle pressure may allow you to rate, connect and race better.
When testing, change one thing at a time:
Span
Inboard
Overall blade length
Foot position
Foot height
Gate height
Seat pad
Record the numbers.
Then row enough strokes to know what changed.
A Practical Rigging Checklist for Club Scullers
Use this as a starting process, not a final answer.
1. Check the boat size
Are you sitting too high and struggling to balance?
Are you sitting too low with poor clearance?
2. Mark your arc
Aim roughly for:
60–70 degrees before the pin
40 degrees after the pin
Use tape on the boat to make this visible.
3. Adjust span to achieve the arc
If you cannot reach enough front-end arc, consider reducing the span.
4. Check finish clearance
If reducing span creates too much overlap, reduce inboard.
5. Preserve gearing
If you reduce inboard, also reduce overall blade length.
Calculate:
Outboard ÷ Inboard
Use roughly 2.27 as a reference point.
6. Set the foot stretcher
Choose a position that lets you sit comfortably at the catch while preserving arc.
7. Consider feet height
Lower feet may give stability and more good catches.
Higher feet may give a more horizontal drive on flat water.
8. Adjust gate height
Use washers.
Low gates can be quicker, but you need clearance and a strong handle height.
9. Test in real rowing
Do not judge the setup after five strokes.
Test it after 30, 60 and 90 strokes at pressure.
10. Keep learning
Tom’s final advice is the most important:
“Don’t be afraid to change things.”
Key Takeaways
Many boats are set up for a standard athlete who may not resemble you.
Start with arc, not just finish clearance.
A useful target is roughly 60–70 degrees before the pin and 40 degrees after.
Reducing span increases arc but may create more handle overlap.
Reducing inboard without reducing outboard makes the gearing heavier.
The simple gearing ratio is outboard divided by inboard.
A 288/88 scull gives a ratio of about 2.27.
Shorter rowers may benefit from smaller span, smaller inboard and shorter blades.
Lower feet can create more stability, especially in rough water.
The best rig is the one that gives you the most good strokes, not the best single stroke.
There is no permanent final answer. Keep testing.
Related Complete Rowing Podcast Episodes
Primary source:
Episode 12: Rigging and Gearing Your Boat and Blades — Tom Bishop
Related listening:
Episode 11: An Introduction to Tom Bishop, Olympian
Episode 28: Race Preparation and Execution — Tom Bishop
Episode 53: Preparing for Race Courses and Conditions — Tom Bishop
Episode 61: Adapting Rowing Technique to the Conditions — Peter Haining
Episode 88: The Best Seat in the Boat — Axel Beutelmann
Listen to the full conversations at CompleteRowing.com.
