Indoor Rowing Facility

© Copyright Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects

Durham Boat Company, Inc. has been designing and installing indoor rowing tanks for 16 years. These facilities are used for off season rowing, muscle specific conditioning and technique training. Any size system can be constructed between a one-station reversible sweep tank to a 16-station or more, four-pool sweep/sculling installation. To date, we have installed all sizes from 2-station to 16 station tanks. Our modular size design started in 1992 allowed for any number of rowing stations in a permanent or temporary installation. By optimization of fluid flow, minimizing fluid volume and proportioning outboard lever and blade size the tank volume needs to be only a fraction of that of a moving water tank. As a result the capital cost of the installation is much lower and also eliminates of the operating cost to power and maintain a moving water tank. All of the tanks constructed so far have been non-motorized. We have been asked many times for a moving water option, but the quoted price has always been beyond the budget of most rowing programs. Since the function of the indoor tank for most programs has been primarily to instruct novices a duplication of racing speed has not been seen as cost effective for our customers to date.

Each 4.5 ft. module is added between the tank ends, which are also 4.5 ft long as well as a 4.5 ft. long dead water section added to each tank and bolted together along the common 4" flange. After each section is bolted together, then the joint is further sealed on site with fiberglass to form a permanent watertight seal. The rowing unit weldment is finished with a powder coating with a Piantedosi monorail (seat and foot stretcher assembly) attached. To achieve the correct load for sweep rowing, an oar with a blade area about the same as a standard sculling oar is used.

The most versatile 8-station sweep configuration would consist of one 8-person sweep tank with two pools and configured as in a boat with alternating port and starboard stations. This configuration can be used for sculling, if special sculling oars are purchased as an option. No rotation of rowing units is required to adapt between port and starboard. The dimensions of the 8-person tank excluding any room for a walkway on the outside of the tank, is 20.5 ft. x 49.5 ft.

Each modular tank section including the ends are 4.5 ft. long by 9 ft. wide. The rowing unit is approximately 2.5 ft. wide exclusive of the rigger arms. So, for a sweep tank with a body of water on each side of the rowing unit the absolute width to the outside of the 4" flange running around the boundary of the tank with the rowing unit butting up to the tank is 20.5 ft.

An 8-station sweep tank as described above requires 2 continuous pools and has a space requirement of 20.5 ft. width and 49.5 ft. length. A 30 ft. wide by 60 ft. long space should be provided for the indoor rowing system to allow room for walkways and mirrors. Site requirements need only compacted sand or gravel for the tanks and a 36 ft. long by 3 ft. wide concrete slab for the rowing unit. If the tank is to be placed on concrete then other site preparation recommendations will be suggested.

We now installed 18 Indoor Rowing Facilities of various sizes (2 to 16 stations) for University, High School and Club rowing/sculling programs within country since we started offering indoor rowing tanks. In addition, the tank (minus the splash shields and rowing unit) was installed at a local University as a double decker aqua-culture tank.

For more information and/or a price quotation please call, write or e-mail:

C. M. Fuerst
Durham Boat Company, Inc.
220 Newmarket Rd. (Route 108)
Durham, NH 03824
Phone/fax 603-659-7575 or 603-659-2548
Contact: Cfuerst@cris.com

Home Last Updated: Janaury 17, 2006