The Different Types of Water to Row On: Which Suits You?

Where you row changes the sport more than most beginners expect. Flat water rewards technique and boat speed. Moving or open water adds currents, wind and waves. Here is how the main types compare, what each asks of you, and where to begin.

Rivers

Rivers are where most clubs are based. Current, bends and traffic add interest, and in tidal reaches the stream changes direction through the day. Learn the local rules of the road (which side to keep to, how to pass through bridges) from your club. A river is a good learning environment because the banks are close and help is usually near.

The main variables are:

• Stream. Rowing against it feels slow and heavy; rowing with it feels fast but gives you less time to react. Always check which way the flow runs before you set off, so you know how hard your return leg will be.
• Width. Narrow rivers mean tight turns and the need to look over your shoulder often. Learn to steer by landmarks and by the shape of the bank.
• Obstacles. Weed, overhanging branches, moored boats and bridge arches all demand attention. After heavy rain, floating debris can be a real hazard.
• Other users. Walkers, anglers, canoeists and powered craft share many rivers, so courtesy and predictable lines matter.

Lakes

Lakes offer still, open water and are the usual choice for regattas and Olympic-style courses, since lanes can be laid out cleanly. Wind is the main variable: a lake can turn choppy fast, and the far shore can be a long way from help. Calm early mornings are best.

Because there is no stream, lakes are good for measuring progress. A session on a fixed loop or a buoyed course gives you a repeatable test, which you cannot easily get on a river. They are also the easiest place to practise steering straight and holding a line without a bank to guide you. Stay within a safe distance of the shore until you know how the wind behaves on that particular water, since many lakes funnel wind along their length. Our guide to the best places to row in New Jersey compares tidal rivers and lakes on real water.

The sea and coastal waters

Coastal rowing uses wider, more robust boats designed for waves, often in crews, and is run by clubs with their own safety procedures. Tides, swell, wind and shipping all matter. Do not take a racing shell onto the sea. See our boat types guide for the differences.

Sea rowing is usually done in a team, with a cox or steerer who reads the water. Crews learn to launch and land through surf or from a beach or slipway, to check tide tables and forecasts before every outing, and to carry a means of calling for help. It is a different skill set from flat-water technique: balance in a moving boat and a calm head matter as much as a clean stroke.

Open ocean

Ocean rowing means multi-day or multi-week crossings in purpose-built boats, with extensive preparation, safety kit and communications. It is a specialist undertaking, not something to drift into. For a sense of what is involved, read about rowing across the Atlantic or rowing to Hawaii.

Which should you choose?

Water	Best for	Main risks
Canal or quiet river	First outings, technique	Obstacles, other users
Lake	Racing, measured training	Wind and chop, distance from shore
Tidal river	Experienced scullers and crews	Strong flow, traffic
Sea	Crews with coastal training	Waves, tide, weather
Open ocean	Specialist expeditions	Everything

Start where there is a club, coaching and safety cover, which usually means a river or lake. Move to tidal or coastal rowing once you have boat-handling skills and a crew who know the water. Whatever the water, tell someone your plan, wear what your club advises, and never row alone somewhere you cannot easily be reached. Our guide to choosing a rowing location and the clubs hub will help you find a first place to row.