Frequently Asked Questions

Rowperfect

The plastic discs are there for you to set the resistance equivalent to the boat you are actually rowing in.  They do not affect the software.  For the DOS software you did not have to put these into the programme – just the gearing cogs.  Cogs = gearing; Discs = resistance.

The two cogs at the head of the fly wheel DO adjust the gearing further and you can tell the software which one you are using – there’s a 10% difference in loading between the left small 10 tooth cog and the right 11 tooth cog.  

 You probably have a bent main shaft.  How to test & repair a bent main shaft. A list of the clubs, schools and university rowing clubs that have bought Rowperfects in the UK with some international clubs as well.

The new Rowperfect Indoor Sculler was exhibited at the Head of the Charles Regatta, USA on October 18-19th 2008 by the manufacturer. They have 7 trial units made up and are doing the final refinements. This means that we do not yet have firm pricing or delivery schedules.

If you want to join our list of interested customers please use the Contact Form and mention the RP Indoor Sculler.

And we will send you news as soon as it is confirmed. Updates will also be posted onto our Rowperfect news page. And you can sign up to the News RSS feed and the quarterly newsletter for additional interviews, product reviews and coaching information.

How to make a bootable disc:

Insert new disc into A: drive.
Open the document browser and click on the A: drive to display the files Right click on the A:drive in the list of folders and select Format This opens a new window.  Click the box at the bottom that says Create an MS DOS Startup Disc

Here are instructions on how to make duplicate copies of files (the Rowperfect DOS software).  The instructions vary depending on which version of Windows you have installed. 

Rowperfect DOS software v5.06

The Rowperfect Software Zipfile above has additional force curves numbered A1 to F6 created by Harry Mahon and designed to create templates for schoolboys ranging from beginners up to good juniors.  He did this using the Stroker programme to re-size a curve by limiting curve height (force) and stroke length (physical size of the athlete).

You first have to run two checks on your flywheel.

Take a look at it vertically from above on the flat side (where there aren't any fins).  If there are large bolts in the fly wheel on the flat side you will need a new fly wheel (this is pricey).

The second check is to look vertically as before at the side of the cage adjacent to the flat side of the fly wheel.  There are bolts that mount it to the main frame.  If they are sticking out (proud) then it is possible to fit the MKIV rowing machine monitor but they will need to be counter-sunk in order to fit it.  (Not pricey - just a bit of time and some new bolts).

To explain why ….. the MKIV has its own winding coil and magnet to generate the power (it has no batteries) and these two things mount on the fly wheel flat side and the side of the cage facing each other.  If there these surfaces are not flat, we can't mount the magnet / coil.  More information

Here is a detailed description of the RPW software functionality, basic use instructions and screen shots.

A group of international athletes has provided us with sample curves of their technique when training on the Rowperfect.Here is a zipped file from which you can download them.  Most are from the DOS software and a couple are from Rowperfect for Windows software (RPW). RP Stroke Files download

The athletes include:  Mahe Drysdale NZL (Hwt Man) Sarah Winckless GBR (Hwt Woman) Tracey LanglandsGBR (Lwt Woman) Vaclav Chalupa CZE (Hwt Man), Teresa Mas de Xaxars ESP (Lwt Woman), Greg Searle GBR (Hwt Man), Karin Scanlon COL (Lwt Woman)

These can be uploaded into the RPW software to form a template against which you can do your own training.

The algorithm behind the RP software works like this.  The power (joules / watts) you pull is an absolute measure.  If you pull 500 joules and I pull the same it is the same number and totally unadjusted for our respective body weights.

BUT the athlete's body weight and the boat class affect the 500m split score because this is a derived number.

Over a 2000m piece, if someone who actually weighs 75kilos and enters 75kilos averages a 1:25.0 split for the piece….if he did the same piece with the same settings but changed his weight to 70kilos, would his split be a lot faster? Yes he would go faster at 70 kg as the computer assumes he is carrying the weight of his boat plus his body mass.  If the body mass is lower the score improves for the same amount of power exerted.
A re-verification of the algorithm done by Casper Rekers. It still holds true from original 1991 data to today! Rowperfect algorithm You want a smooth curve, yes. A sculler or a rower in a small boat (1x, 2-) wants a symmetrical curve which is wide and fat with a small peak – personally I don’t like a flat top. Look at the curve “Searle” for a good example he did this while in the single and coached by Harry Mahon. Scale it back using the “stroker” programme on the disc to make it appropriate for yourself. For faster boats (4x, 4-, 8o) the peak needs to be before the half way stage so the curve is asymmetric and slightly front end loaded. This reflects the fact that the boat is moving faster and you need to pick up the water quicker.

Yes, if you are not very skilled. This indicates that you are losing efficiency as you take the rate up. A skilled athlete can keep a similar shaped curve which is smooth at all rates (even when sprinting at the end of a 2k). This is hard to do.

It means you are kicking the catch too hard. This is symptomatic of people who have trained on fixed head ergos. In order to change direction at the catch you have to push hard with your legs because the slide is uphill and you have to alter the momentum of your body mass by 180 degrees. It is the equivalent of pushing your legs before your blade is fully covered in the water. To cure this, try a couple of exercises in the boat and on the RP. The first is to make your knees and calves very loose as you come up the slide. They have to be fully relaxed. Then when you start the leg drive start it slowly and gently – then accelerate from quarter slide onwards to the finish. The second exercise is to “pause” at the catch waiting for the blade to fully cover before driving with the legs. Try this in the boat as well as on RP and you should improve your connection. BUT the legs must remain very loose and relaxed in order to engage with the water and not ‘kick’ the catch. See the list of “Exercises for British Rowing Technique” on the website articles page.

This shows that the athlete is not making the transition from back to arms smoothly. Power is being lost at the end of the back swing and the arms are coming in and increasing the power making the bulge. Try the sequence of exercises – legs only rowing for 10, legs and backs for 10 and legs back and arms (normal rowing) for 10. Be very clear that the athlete for the purposes of this exercise should complete each body part before bringing in the next one i.e. legs should go straight before starting the back swing. This is an exaggeration and not what you actually do in practice but it helps to illustrate the exercise and as the athlete gets toward the end of the 10 you find they will have blended the two or three body parts appropriately.

Look carefully at the curves on legs only. When you move to legs and back the stroke curve should still be a nice inverted U but longer and probably with a higher peak. When the arms come in is usually where you see the kinks coming in so try getting the athlete to do the last part in two steps – half an arm draw and then a full arm draw and see what happens to the curve. I recommend doing this exercise at least two or three times in a session with maybe five to ten minutes rowing in between.

I can give you examples from my own experience. I am 70 kgs and 176 cm tall. I can row 145 cms long in UT2 and around 140- 142 at UT1 and higher rates. My pairs partner, Kate is 6 foot tall and 68 kgs and she can comfortably do 148 cms at UT2. Most of the club women (senior 3 standard) are about 130 cms +/- and the tall ones are nearer Kate’s score. The lightweights are all over 127 cms. The length of stroke is a function both of your height and your skill at picking up the fly wheel at the catch. Try quarter slide push and see if after you do the exercise you can connect earlier and so get a longer stroke.

Coxmate

There is an option to set default display to either AVERAGE SPEED or RATIO and STROKE COUNT - go to SET UP Dsp (display) to change. If TIMER is running you can toggle between the two by pressing START button. However this won't suddenly appear and it sounds like you have a 'SPLIT' distance set - this will cause display to flash averages each time the SPLIT distance is reached. If you go to SET UP SPLIT, you can select NONE.
I am delighted you have found Coxmate and our product set. Your question is very pertinent because during June 08 we are expecting a delivery of the very first Coxmate HC - a unit for coxless boats!I have yet to get the full product specification but it is my understanding that it will have a heart rate pickup and there may be a higher spec model which also includes GPS. The 'basic' model will mount onto both competitors' mounts or the Coxmate equivalent, and it will have a micro impeller (about 4x smaller).
To set up PACE:

Go to item 3. In Menu system – PACE. This will display current PACE speed setting and ON or OFF. Press Ent. The PACE setting will flash and ‘+’ and ‘-‘ buttons will adjust speed. When you get to desired value Press Ent. The ON/OFF will flash, ‘+’ and ‘-‘ will turn it ON/OFF- put it into desired state. Press Ent and you will go back to Menu screen – it should display your new speed setting and ON or OFF. Press Menu again will take you back to Status display.

The PACE function is turned off when unit is powered down.

The SC/SCT it has sophisticated battery management: The batteries are rated at 900mAH – this means they would supply 100mA for 9 hours. In practice they are a little less, ~850mAH.
When unit is off it consumes around 1mA, approx 850 hours. If unit is ON and mic is not being used it consumes ~30mA without a GPS and ~80mA with a GPS.
The audio will add to this. This is the most variable element. Continuous talking will use an extra ~~160mA. This gives total of ~240mA. If battery is fully charged this would equate to ~3.5 hours use. If used, the backlight will add another 30mA consumption, reducing figure to ~3hours.
We do offer a 12V car charger, which might help in some situations e.g. regattas where the Coxmate is being used frequently.
We are happy to let you demo an HC for a fortnight. We will mail one to you (please supply an address) and you can try it out. If you are happy with it and decide to buy, you keep the unit we have sent (it'll be new so you will have been the only user).
But only if you e-mail the athletes and coaches at your club telling them you have the new coxmate and let them try out it out. We will also give you a further 5% discount off the final price if you write a review for the Rowperfect website shop and arrange for a web link from your club's website to ours with the Coxmate logo.


Impellers are fastened with a specially extra-sticky double sided tape. This is sometimes foam backed.
You can usually get it off with a solvent and using a scalpel blade to lift off the first bit of the tape so you can get the solvent underneath.
If you need or are interested in a new unit, Coxmate works hard to ensure that its products are compatible with others used by rowers and coaches so that you can easily switch to using Coxmates in your existing boats without great expense.
Here's a link to the Coxmate HC page.


Yes, there is a coxmate for coxless boats, it's the very first Coxmate HC.
It has a heart rate pickup and there may be a higher spec model which also includes GPS. The 'basic' model will mount onto both competitors' mounts or the Coxmate equivalent, and it will have a micro impeller (about 4x smaller).

Dreher Oars and Sculls

Magik Oarlocks