Easy Rowing Boat Maintenance and How to Do It

Easy rowing boat maintenance comes down to three habits: a 5-minute wipe and check after every outing, a 15-minute look at the fittings each week, and a proper service once a season. Those timings are a rule of thumb for a small boat, and an eight takes longer, but the order is the same for any hull.

Follow your club’s rules, and ask the boatman or boat owner before adjusting anything you are unsure about. Do your checks before you wash. If you spot a problem on the water, such as a loose gate or a noisy seat, you can fix it once and then clean, rather than cleaning twice.

The routine at a glance

When	Rough time	What to do
After every outing	5 minutes	Rinse, wipe dry, clear the tracks, look for damage
Weekly	15 minutes	Nuts, gates, spacers, heel restraints, bow ball, hatches
Salt or brackish water	Every 3 months	Strip fasteners, wash and rinse them, then refit
Once a season	A few hours	Wash and wax, inspect the hull, replace worn parts

The 3-month salt-water job comes from Alex Selvig of Elite Rowing, speaking to row2k. He also suggests a barrier paste such as TefGel where different metals, or metal and carbon, meet.

Getting the boat out and on to the slings

Set up the slings or trestles first, on level ground, before you lift the boat out. Carry the boat with the whole crew, keep the hull level and lower it into the slings with the keel facing the floor. Take the riggers off only if you need to turn the boat over to wash the underside, and only if your club allows it. Many modern boats have fixed or quick-release riggers, so ask first.

After every outing

1. Rinse the hull. Fresh water removes silt, algae and salt. On dirty rivers there can be a greasy layer of grime, and a clean hull runs better as well as looking better.
2. Wash if needed. Use a sponge and warm soapy water, working along the whole length of the hull, then rinse.
3. Wipe it dry. Use a soft cloth, including the inside and around the slides.
4. Clean the inside. Soak up any water, then wipe away visible dirt.
5. Check for damage. Look for scratches, cracks or soft spots, especially after a collision or a rough landing.
6. Store it properly. Put the boat on padded racks or slings so the hull is not under strain.

Seat, wheels and tracks

Silt, sand and salt grind down wheels and scratch protective coatings, which makes the boat noisy and slow.

1. Take the seat off the track.
2. Wipe the track end to end with a wet cloth.
3. Check each wheel for chips, flat spots and play, and replace any that are damaged.
4. Check that the wheel bolts are tight.
5. Look at the seat itself for cracks if it is wooden or fraying if it is carbon.
6. Refit the seat and test that it runs smoothly with no clicks.

Builders differ on soap. Selvig suggests a wet rag and no lubricant on the wheels, because it may deteriorate the plastic. Craig McAllister of Hudson washes wheels and slides with soapy water and rinses thoroughly. Either way, leave no residue behind.

Weekly checks

• Riggers and fittings. Look for loose nuts, bent riggers and worn pins. Tighten only what you know how to adjust, and keep a rigger jigger or the right spanner in your kit bag. Our list of handy rowing boat accessories shows which tools and spares to buy first.
• Gates and swivels. Make sure they open, close and lock properly. If a gate feels gritty against the pin, take it off and clean it with plain water.
• Spacers. Check the spacers under the gates are where they should be. A single spacer can change the feel of the boat, so make changes only with your coach and record them.
• Heel restraints and shoes. British Rowing says restraints must be strong, secure, durable and the correct length, and that laces and cable ties are not appropriate. Loose footwear is a safety issue.
• Bow ball and hatches. Check the bow ball is secure and that hatches and bungs are in place.

Once a season

• Wash and wax. A mild boat cleaner and marine wax protect the finish. John Tytus of Pocock told row2k that modern finishes are not maintenance-free, and that years of sun exposure can damage them.
• Inspect the hull closely. Chips and cracks in the laminate should be repaired by someone competent. Small paint touch-ups are fine for a careful owner, but punctures, cracks and structural damage need a professional repairer.
• Replace worn parts. Wheels, bungs, stretcher cables and straps wear out, so replace them before they fail.
• Oars and sculls. Check collars, buttons, sleeves and handles for wear, as covered in how to clean your rowing oar.

What to avoid

Mistake	Do this instead
Leaving a boat in direct sun	Rack it indoors, or use a light-coloured cover
Dragging it over concrete or gravel	Lift it, with the whole crew
Harsh solvents on the hull	Mild boat cleaner and fresh water
Tightening nuts hard	Stop at firm, and check the fitting type first
Stepping on the hull	Stay on the footplate area

If you find a fault

British Rowing’s boat-check safety alert says any boat that fails a check should be quarantined, with the damage clearly marked, and repaired before it is used again. A label on the rigger with the date and the fault takes 2 minutes and stops the next crew launching it.

Keep a log

Keep a simple log of repairs, adjustments and incidents so the next crew knows the boat’s history. Note the date, what you changed and who did it. A boat with a log tends to be better looked after because problems do not get passed from crew to crew.

For more detail, read how to maintain your rowing shell and the wider boats and kit hub. If you are checking a boat before racing, use our pre-race inspection checklist.