Australian Surf Rowing Boats

[Mark Pearse]

I was prompted to post this as our daughter has just taken up the chaotic & wonderful sport of surf boat rowing. The boats are unusual & interesting, & I'm not sure if the sport is done in other countries. The shape of the boats has become quite particular, to suit rowing out through the surf, round a buoy & back to the beach. It's pretty common for 30-40% of the boats to not finish a race & sometimes worse.

 

The original boats were descended from double ended life boats, & during the 20C became the shape they are now, & even in the 1960s were used to rescue people. These days it is a sport only, as jet skis & surf rescue boards have taken over the rescue part.

 

The boats have a very short & flared bow so they don't nose dive on a wave, & long tapering hulls & a lot of rocker. I imagine most people on the forum are interested in unusual craft, so here's one more. The still photo below shows the hull shape well, & something about what the boats are for, the video shows the fun & chaos of the sport. Incredibly, less people get injured than you would think....it gets pretty wild.

 

summer wishes everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wefalck]

I know from experience what is is like to try to bring a boat off the beach through the surf and I would rather not do it, if I don't have to ...

[Jim Lad]

Nothing like a quiet day relaxing at the beach! 🙂

 

John

[DocRob]

Whew, crazy stuff. I would never set my foot into one of these boats and I´m a surfer. Right now, I´m completely broken after four days of surfing with our son with some great waves here, but the boat thing is (positively?) crazy.

Cheers Rob

[mgdawson]

20 hours ago, Mark Pearse said:

> daughter has just taken up the chaotic & wonderful sport of surf boat rowing.

Which club ?

 

Gotta say the old varnished timber boats were much prettier than the modern plastic ones.

 

Mark

[vossiewulf]

Looks like something I would have enjoyed when I was young and (believed myself to be) fully invincible.

[Rik Thistle]

Mark,

 

It's pretty common for 30-40% of the boats to not finish a race & sometimes worse.

 

I can believe it!

 

The sport looks very challenging but must give an enormous buzz to the participants. I can see it is also a great spectacle so am surprised none of the international TV companies have picked it up, or have they?

 

Richard

 

PS: No life vests, but I suppose everyone out there can swim like a fish 😉

[wefalck]

What would worry me is that the boats are very close and hit each other and the rowers in the water. 

 

I gather life-vests would prevent the rowers in the water to duck through the surf, but on the other hand being knocked unconscious could be fatal ...

 

I would rather watch this from a deck-chair on the beach!

[Rik Thistle]

I gather life-vests would prevent the rowers in the water to duck through the surf, but on the other hand being knocked unconscious could be fatal.

 

Yes, good point. I can see that that a life-vest would be a bit cumbersome and a hindrance in certain situations.  Mark mentioned that jet-skis were used to quickly get to trouble spots. Those things are quick but every second does count.

 

Still, a very interesting competitive sport that I wasn't aware existed. I'll keep my eye out for it in the future.

 

Richard

[Mark Pearse]

That's great to see the interest, I think they are very special craft & a very special sport.

On 12/27/2024 at 1:57 PM, mgdawson said:

Which club ?

 

Gotta say the old varnished timber boats were much prettier than the modern plastic ones.

Hi Mark - she's with Coogee. It's one of the nearby alternatives & actually not great as there's not really surf there, but when there is swell it's nasty large dumpers on the sand. Yes, certainly the cold-moulded ones are nicer, but it's interesting the latest are not much different in shape - 

 

 

18 hours ago, Rik Thistle said:

international TV companies have picked it up, or have they

Hi Rick, not sure but the major surf club meets are a big deal & televised. The boats are just one of the sports.

 

 

19 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

and (believed myself to be) fully invincible

yes the surf is good for that

 

 

I found some photos of the lifeboat style ones, I think this was the original type:

 

Which developed (my guess) to this (note transom, albeit heavy boat with rudder):

And this amazing shot, a clinker boat. The photo shows why the large rocker, trying to keep the bow up:

 

thanks for looking

[Mark Pearse]

18 hours ago, wefalck said:

I gather life-vests would prevent the rowers in the water to duck through the surf, but on the other hand being knocked unconscious could be fatal ...

Hi Wefalck, good points, I've never done it myself so I'm not sure - but they try to dive away from the boats when trouble is coming. 

[Louie da fly]

Great footage, Mark. Good to see the budgie smugglers getting an airing, too . . . 😁

 

Steven

 

PS: I used to live a short walk from the beach at Coogee. Nice memories.