Seating in the Shell
- The Crew - Athletes are identified by their position in the boat. The athlete sitting in the bow, the part of the boat that crosses the finish line first, is the bow seat or No. 1 seat. The person in front of the bow is No. 2, then No. 3 and so on. The rower closest to the stern that crosses the finish line last is known as the stroke. The stroke of the boat must be a strong rower with excellent technique, as the stroke is the person who sets the rhythm of the boat for the rest of the rowers.
- Bowman (or Bow) - The rower in the bow of the boat - When the boat is coxless (i.e. no coxswain), the bowman issues the commands and steers the boat.
- 1, 2, 3, etc. - It is common to refer to the rowers by number. The convention is to number from bow to stern so that the bowman is #1, the person behind him/her # 2, etc. You can also address the rowers by pairs or fours, making "Bow Pair" #1 and #2, "Stern Four" #5, 6 ,7 ,and 8.
- Port - (The left side of the shell when facing the bow.) In sweep rowing, port is the designation of a rower who normally rows with an oar on the port side.
- Starboard - (The right side of the shell when facing the bow.) In sweep rowing, the starboard is the designation of a rower who normally rows with an oar on the starboard side.
- Engine Room - The middle four rowers of an eight, or middle two rowers in a pair (sweep) or a double (sculling). The term applies to those teams who place their largest and/or strongest rowers in the mid-section of the boat.
- Stern 4 - The last 4 seats in the boat.
- Bow 4 - The first 4 seats in the boat.
- Stroke Seat ('Stroke') - The rower sitting nearest the stern (and the coxswain). The stroke is responsible for setting the stroke length and cadence for the rest of the crew, following the commands and encouragement of the coxswain.
- Coxswain (Or Cox, or Cox'n) - The person who sits at the stern of the shell (although this may be in the bow of some “4s”), steers, gives commands, calls the ratings, and urges the rowers on in a race. A knowledgeable coxswain will generally serve as an “on-site/in-the-shell” assistant to the coach. Relatively light in weight, a good coxswain will have as much competitive spirit as the rowers and can make a considerable difference in a race. He/she either sits in the stern or lies in the bow.