Equipment

Racing Boats
Built for speed, these boats come in a range of sizes from singles to eights. A new single is about 26 feet long and only weighs about 27 lbs.

Touring Boats
Newer on the scene, these come in single, double and quad models. Touring boats are designed with recreational use in mind and are broader, heavier and sturdier than racing shells.

Viking Boat (Church Boat)
These Finnish-built 14 seat boats made their first appearance in North America in 2005. They are made of wood and are great for introductory and open-water rowing.

Sweep and Sculling oars
These essential tools of the trade are made from lightweight carbon fibre, most often with a hatchet-shaped blade.

Materials
Composite materials such as carbon fibre and kevlar are preferred by boat manufacturers because they make boats cheaper, lighter, stiffer and easier to repair.

Manufacturers
There are four rowing boat manufacturers in Ontario, all based in the London area; Fluidesign, Hudson, Kaschper and Levator.