I'm a 140# male, 5'4" and am trying to figure out which open water boat will provide the best compromise for me. I belong to a rowing club and have access to Peinerts and Aldens but want to get a shell that i can use in rougher water and less calm waters including Cape Cod Bay. The membership in our club are flat water folks and have not rowed these boats. Ant feedback from lighter rowers would be appreciated.

I've also considered the Maas flyweight but if my aging frame puts on any weight i'm over the max weight.

-- Ken C (kcondon@charter.net), October 06, 2004

Answers

I row an Echo in rough water. It is a very stable boat, and drains well when the water gets interesting.

I just finished the Lighthouse to Lighthouse race, a 14-plus mile open water event off CT, and the going got quite hairy out near the turn around point. The Echo filled up with water, but the combination of the self bailer and the design which allows a rower to row most of the water out the back of the boat meant I could keep rowing without losing any ground.

I like the Echo (used to row an Alden Star) because of the portablity of the folding rigger system. I car top the boat most nights, and appreciate the fact that it takes up less room in my garage.

I recommend you go to echorowing.com and take a look. These are good folks to deal with. If you want to try an Echo, I'm in just south of you in CT, and row nearly year round, unless there is ice in Long Island Sound.

Good luck

-- Gil Morong (gmorong@sikorsky.com), October 06, 2004.

Hi, I've rowed many of the rec and racing shells on the market. I've been rowing and racing for over 20 years. I live on an esturary that often has a lot of boat traffic. Last year I bought an ECHO and I abslolutely love the boat. I don't miss a stroke even in boat wake and I rowed it on Christmas day, New Years day and Feb (leap year day) through the winter. The folding riggers make it a cinch to transport. I keep my oars permanantly in the oarlocks. Last weekend I brought it to Barnegat bay and a friend rowed it in 25 to 20 mph winds. There were white caps. He came in and said he loved it and wanted to unload some of his fleet and get an ECHO. Joanne Stolen

-- Joanne Stolen (sosjs@netlabs.net), October 06, 2004.

I am a sea kayaker turned sea rower. This spring I bought an Echo and love it. I take it almost anywhere that I would my kayak - it actually feels more stable than the kayak, and can go farther faster. I have rowed island to island at Vinalhaven, Stonington, and numerous other Maine and northern New England locations, and in up to 18 knot headwinds. The boat handles beautifully and is actually more fun with a little chop. I am 5'-2", female, and not a terribly strong rower (yet!), but have had great fun with this boat. And the Echo people are terrific to deal with.

Linda S.

-- Linda Smiley (lss01@earthlink.net), October 06, 2004.

Most all of my experience has been in Maas 24's here in Southern Calif. and it seems to me that the Maas boats are pretty much the industry standard when it comes to open water shells. I've recently becom aware of a boat called the Timaeus, its an open water racing shell from Ron Owen at Owen Boat Works in Oregon and sold by Pacific West Rowing in Vista Calif. http://www.pwrow.com/boats.html The boat has a more traditional look to it (it has a splash box around the cockpit). Like the Maas its 24ft. long with slightly more beam I believe, and weighs 42lbs.

-- Scott (esdol@hotmail.com), October 07, 2004.

I've owned two Maas Aeros since 1985. I sold the first one in 1988-- the dumbest thing ever, but bought another several years ago. These are excellent shells to row in a chop. I row in Willapa Bay in Southwest Washington State.

-- Michael Parker (michaelparkeroysterville@yahoo.com), October 18, 2004.

Interesting question indeed ! I am an experenced open water rower that at present rowes a Hudson T6 this boat is sold as an entry level shell. It handles well and is reasonably fast it does approx. 6 miles an hour. well built 55 lbs. lots of space to carry supplies. I plan on rowing the length of Lake Ontario in 2005 dist. approx. 200 miles. Tom Butscher

-- Tom Butscher (thomasebutscher@ sprint.ca), December 27, 2004.