We received this newsletter from the Rowperfect manufacturer this week.

Hi All

We are currently shipping the first production run of the new Rowperfect Indoor Sculler [to customers in Australia]. Feedback so far has been great (see the testimonials below) and we are beginning production of the next batch as I write.  We do apologise that the process has taken so long – but right from the start we have been determined to do it properly rather than rush out a product which failed to deliver what we felt was optimal performance.

Early Feedback:

We have sold four of the first series to non-rowers. One, Noelene L. from Queensland, has already appeared on our YouTube video, Rowperfect for Older Users – we went to service her old machine and she was so impressed with the new one that she asked to keep it and you can see her reaction to the improved smoothness and quietness of the new machine if you click on the link below. There are 3 videos of the Indoor Sculler available at this time – with more planned for the near future.

Of the other three, we're very grateful that all have been happy to provide a testimonial, which we think speaks for itself! Here are their words:

P.S. I really love this machine, it is night and day compared to the concept 2 I was using before, my body will get tired but not sore.
It's fantastic because you can push yourself further without getting a bad back and neck!
Sam P. – Neutral Bay, NSW

The machine works really well, bit like floating when I get it right …… Only had it for a day, but I think I've definitely made the right decision! Brilliant! Cheers
Chris T. – Greenfields, WA

Dear Mark. The new RP was definitely worth the wait! I had given up jogging as my regular sport because of the impact on my joints and just found it too hard to get into a boat because of my job…. so I'm absolutely wrapped with the new rowperfect indoor sculler because I can squeeze in a rp session after work and before dinner. It is a great workout and my family know it's a priority I can't do without………
Mark F. – Narrabeen, NSW

Rowing users have been just as happy – I can report that the girls I coach, who have used the old Rowperfects for several years, are now reluctant to use the old version, in fact they race to training to get the four new machines. If I can summarise the general thoughts of the rowers who are using the new machine, in comparison to the old:

• The feeling is considerably smoother. This is probably a combination of the two plastic rollers (the old Rowperfect had four sets of steel bearings, the new has two steel and two plastic) and the lower location of the flywheel, which results in a much lower centre of gravity, less vibration and a smoother ride generally. It's fair to say that every single user has commented on that change
• The "improved view" – another benefit of the lower flywheel, the rower looks straight back over the top of the main frame without any interruption by the flywheel cage, which is always partially blocking the field of view on most rowing machines including the Concept 2 and the original Rowperfect. The result is a surprisingly improved feel, very much like the case when rowing a single scull you look straight past the stern and back over the water behind.  Several really good (World/Olympic medalist good!) rowers and scullers have immediately noticed this, and at the same time noted that they had not expected it to be such a major and pleasant improvement. 
• The RP-Mate monitor features have been universally applauded. I have to admit here that I have been somewhat a digital skeptic myself, but having now seen the value of the distance per stroke, heart rate and/or power per heart beat (without separate sensor a huge advantage!) as well as the various other choices (see summary of RP-Mate below) I am a total convert. Many rowers, and in fact many (most?) athletes and recreational exercisers are prone to over-training, especially when using apparatus which focus heavily or exclusively on absolute speed or power output; it's simply hard to avoid competing with the machine (sadly the machine invariably wins!). By using the distance per stroke measure, especially in conjunction with the heart rate and power per beat feature, you will find yourself training optimally – as World Masters Games Gold Medalist single sculler Rick Kranen likes to say: "Training to race rather than racing to train"

RP mate monitor specification sheet

Indoor – but Mobile!

Do you have a favourite place you like to sit and look at the view? Me too – it's in the photos below. And only after I got there did I realise it took me less time to transport and set up the Indoor Sculler, than it took the fishermen on the rocks below to set up for their pastime; several orders of magnitude safer for me too!!

Floor Space and Storage – a little perspective….

The first photograph below gives a clear idea of the relative size of the Indoor Sculler compared to the Concept 2, with and without slides. In the background you can see a high quality home gym set-up and photo 2 is a new Rowperfect indoor sculler; both are capable of exercising every muscle group in the body, through a full range of motion.  One weighs approximately 1000kg and requires about five metres by four metres floor space, has no digital feedback, and certainly nothing like the rhythmic feel of a single scull.  The other weighs approximately 55kg (including the dumbbells), requires three metres by two metres, and almost perfectly simulates the feel of a single scull, with feedback tailored to the user's bodyweight in a choice of four boat classes.

If floor space is an issue, not to mention cost, the Indoor Sculler is hard to beat.

As for storage, the Indoor Sculler can be stood upright in a decent-sized cupboard, or out of the way in a corner, in perhaps twenty seconds.

Future Developments

As always we endeavour to ensure any new products are compatible with previous Rowperfect products. We are working on a link to allow the previous Interface (black box) and RPW software to connect to the Indoor Sculler along with having the ability for the RP-Mate to be retro-fitted to older-generation Rowperfects. Also in the pipe-line is a USB attachment for the RP-Mate, allowing you to download and save data from a workout, or set workouts including a "pace boat" feature.

Best wishes,

The Rowperfect Crew

A note to UK readers:  We have a mailing list of everyone who has expressed an interest in the new Indoor Sculler from Rowperfect.  You may be reading this post because you received a link from us.  If you want to join that list, please contact us.

As soon as we have firm delivery dates, pricing and shipping information from Australia we will circulate it to the full list and publish it here.