​Boat Orientation --Port: Left side of the boat, while facing forward, in the direction of the movement. Usually the side the stroke seat (8) is rowing from in a sweep boat. --Starboard: Right side of the boat, while facing forward, in the direction of the movement. Usually the side the bow seat (1) is rowing from in a sweep boat. --Bow: The forward section of the boat. This part of the boat crosses the finish line first.  --Stern: The rear of the boat; the direction the rowers are facing.​ Boat/ Rower Positions --Seat Number: Refers to the rower's position in the boat counting up from bow to stern. In an eight, these are counted as the bow seat being 1, then 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and finally 8 in the stern. 8 seat is also referred to as 'stroke' seat. --Bow Pair: The pair of sweep rowers in bow of the boat. This would be seats 1 and 2 in an eight or a four. The bow pair has the most effect on the set of the boat. --Stern Pair: The pair of sweep rowers in the stern of the boat. This would be seats 7 and 8 in an eight or seats 3 and 4 in a four. The stern pair is responsible for setting the rating and rhythm for the rest of the crew. --Coxswain/Cox: Person who steers the shell and coaches for the crew on the water in a sweep boat. Boat Balance/ Steering --Bow Ball: A small rubber ball attached to the bow of each shell. Used as a safety device and for determining which crew crosses the finish line first during a close race. --Skeg/Fin: The fin attached to the keel of the shell that helps stabilize and maintain a straight course. --Rudder: The rudder attaches to the skeg and is controlled by either the coxswain to steer a sweep boat by attached cables or by the toe in a sculling boat. --Toe: Sculling boats may have a steering device. The bow or stroke seat can steer the rudder by changing the direction of their foot. Boat Construction ​--​​Deck: The part of the shell on top of the bow and stern that is covered with fiberglass or thin plastic. --Gunwales: The top rails of the shell. Pronounced 'gunnels.' --Hull: The body of the shell. --Keel: The center line of the hull. --Rib: The u-shaped structures in the boat to which the hull and riggers attach.  Inside the Boat --Seat: Molded seat mounted on wheels that the rower sits on. The seat rolls on tracks which allow the rower to generate power with their legs. --Tracks/Slides: Rails that the rowers rolling seat roll on. Also called slides. --Foot Stretcher: The adjustable footplate with built in shoes which allows the rower to adjust their position in the shell relative to the oarlock. --Rigger: The triangular shaped metal device that is bolted onto the side of the boat and holds the oars. --Oarlock: The u-shaped lock at the end of the rigger that attaches the oar to the shell. The oarlock allows the rower to rotate the oar between the squared and feathered positions. --Gate: The bar across the oarlock that keeps the oar in place. Sweep Boats --Eight (8+): A sweep boat for four rowers, always with a coxswain (like the diagram above.) --Four (4+ or 4-): A sweep boat for four rowers. Can be with (+) or without (-) a coxswain. --Pair (2+ or 2-): A sweep boat for two rowers. Can be with or without a coxswain. --Straight: A coxless sweep shell. Only for a pair or a four. Referred to as a 'straight four.' --Bowloader: Refers to a type of boat (usually a four) where the coxswain rides lying down beneath the bow decking. Most racing fours are bowloaders. Sculling Boats --Octuple (8x): A sculling boat for eight rowers. Must have a coxswain. --Quad (4x): A sculling boat for four rowers. --Double (2x): A sculling boat for two rowers. --Single (1x): A sculling boat for one rower. Parts of an Oar --Handle: Part of the oar that rowers hold on to during each stroke. --Shaft: The part of the oar between the sleeve and the blade. Comprises the majority of the length of the oar. Also called the loom. --Sleeve: A thin piece of plastic around the oar that keeps the oarlock from wearing out the shaft of the oar. --Collar: A wide collar on the sleeve of the oar that keeps the oar from slipping through the oarlock. Also called a button.  --Blade: The hatchet or spoon shaped end of the oar.  Oar Sizing ​--Outboard: The length of the oar measuring from the bottom to the tip of the blade.  --Inboard: Length of the oar measuring from the button or collar to the handle.  --CLAM: Acronym for Clip-on Load Adjusting Mechanism. A CLAM is a device that snaps on and off the sleeve of an oar to quickly adjust the inboard rig.