Is sculling possible with a BRe ?
First you need a strong and willing crew. Two strong and willing crew is better than one. Sit them next to each other and yell at them when they start to tire. Feed them porridge for breakfast and top up with more porridge and Bombay mix for lunch.
Then you need long (3mtr+) oars. Originally I used ex-Sea Scout whaler 12ft wooden monsters. Then I graduated to borrowing Graham W's magnificent carbon fibre ones (made of Atlantic rowing boats I believe). And finally I found some inexpensive tatty but posh second hand carbon fibre racing oars. Storing long oars on a BR20 cockpit floor is possible. Storing long oars into the shorter cockpit of a BRe is more of a challenge. Jointed oars are one solution but never seem as efficient as one-piece oars.
Something to brace feet against makes a big difference. I made a demountable frame for Gladys that fitted like a Chinese puzzle into the cockpit floor and transmitted the two rowers combined 200Kg and leg muscle force to the outboard transom (that had no outboard!). I never publicised this minor innovation because it gave a noticeable advantage.
Only last year did a friendly competitor, unwilling to continue watching me thrashing around, kindly gave me some serious rowing tuition. If only I'd learned 40 years ago.
Do all this and you might find yourself disqualified for exceeding the Restronguet Creek speed limit!
Matthew
