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Scientific Oarmanship.
63

up the strap casily and simultaneously, so as to preserve cven position of body. The legs should open well, and allow the body to trick between them as it swings forward.

13. Jf the body swings true, the oar will keep home to the rowlock ; there should be just sufficient fraction of weight pressed against the button to keep it home ; if it is suffercd to leave ihe rowlock, the carsman tends to screw outwards over the gunwale, and also, when he recommences the stroke, he loses power by reason of his oar not mecting with its due sup- port until the abstracted button has slipped back against the thowl.

44. The pace of recovery should be proportionate to the speed of stroke. If recovery is too slow, the oarsman becomes late in getting into the water for the next stroke ; if he is too quick, he has to wait when forward in order not to hurry the stroke,

15. Too many even high-class oars are prone to omit to keep the oar feathered for the full distance of the recovery, ‘They have a tendency to turn it square too soon. By so doing they incur extra resistance of air and extra labour on the re- covery, and they are more liable to foul a wave in rough water. The oar should be carticd forwards cdgewise, and only turned square just as full reach is attained. It should then be turned sharply, and not gradually.

16, The instant the body is full forward, and the oar set square, the hands should be raised sharply to the exact amount required in order to drop the blade into the water to the required depth, so as to cover it for the succeeding stroke.

17. ‘The new stroke should be recommenced without delay, by throwing the body sharply back, with arms stiff and shoulders braced, the legs pressing firmly and evenly against the stretcher, So as to take the weight of the body off the seat, and to transfer its support to the handle of the oar and the stretcher, thus making the very most of weight and of extensor muscles in order to give force to the oar against the water.

N.B. Before closing these remarks, it should be added that,