Bow: Forward section of the boat. End of the

boat which crosses the finish line first (crew

always faces the stern).

Bowman: The person in the seat closest to the

bow, who crosses the finish line first.

Coxswain: The person who steers the shell and

is the on-the-water coach for the crew. Must

weigh at least 110 pounds.

Deck: The part of the shell at the bow and

stern that are covered with fiberglass cloth or

thin plastic.

Ergometer: Rowers call it an "erg." It's a

rowing machine that closely approximates the

actual rowing motion.

FISA: Federation Internationale des Societes

d'Aviron, International Governing Body for

rowing, established in 1892.

"I caught a crab": Rower saying meaning the

blade entered the water at an angle, instead of

perpendicularly. As a result, it caught under

the surface of the water. Most likely to occur

in choppy water and poor conditions.

Oar: Used to drive boat forward; rowers do not

use paddles.

Port: Left side of the boat.

Power 10: A call for rowers to do 10 of their

best, most powerful strokes.

Repechage: Second round of competition which

ensures that everyone has two chances to

advance from preliminary races since there is

no seeding in heats.

Run (or Spacing): The distance the shell moves

during one stroke. Good spacing means the crew

is making the boat work while they are

preparing for the next stroke.

Slide: The set of runners for the wheels for

each seat in the boat.

Starboard: The right side of the boat.

Stern: The rear of the boat; the direction the

rowers are facing.

Stretcher or Foot Stretcher: Where the rower's

feet go. The stretcher consists of two inclined

foot rests which hold the rowers shoes. The

rowers shoes are bolted into the foot rests.

Stroke: The rower who sits closest to the

stern. The stroke sets the rhythm for the boat;

others behind him must follow his cadence.