rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...

, the stroke is the rower seated closest to the stern of the boat. In the United Kingdom, the "stroke side" is the

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

side of the boat, because

sweep rowing Sweep rowing is one of two disciplines of the sport of rowing. In sweep rowing each rower has one oar, usually held with both hands. As each rower has only one oar, the rowers have to be paired so that there is an oar on each side of the boat. I ...

boats are usually rigged such that the stroke is on the port side of the boat.

Stroke seat

When the boat has more than one rower, the rower closest to the stern of the boat is referred to as "stroke". This is the most important position in the boat, because the stroke rower sets the stroke rate and rhythm for the rest of the crew to follow. Stroke seat has to be a very calm and yet very competitive individual. A good stroke will lead a team by bringing the best out of every rower in the boat. The rower at the opposite end of the boat is referred to as bow.

Dudley Storey Dudley Leonard Storey (27 November 1939 – 6 March 2017) was a New Zealand rower who won two Olympic medals. Rowing career Storey was born in 1939 in Wairoa, New Zealand. After having received an invitation to the Henley Royal Regatta, he ...

, double Olympic medallist for New Zealand and later the country's national coach, describes the required qualities of a stroke as follows:

Stroke side

Stroke side refers to the

side of the boat, which is on the left-hand side of a cox facing forwards, but on the right-hand side of a rower facing backwards. The usage derives from the tradition of having the stroke rower's oar be on the port side of the boat. However, the stroke seat oar in a sweep boat does not always emerge from port side, such as when the boat is starboard rigged.Argonaut
''The Arts of Rowing and Training'',

Edwin Brickwood Edwin Dampier Brickwood (1 December 1837 – 1906) was a British rower who won the Wingfield Sculls in 1861 and the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 1859 and 1862. He also wrote about rowing. Brickwood was born in Luton, Bed ...

1866 p21] In

Cornish pilot gig The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oared rowing boat, clinker-built of Cornish narrow-leaf elm, long with a beam of . It is recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back ...

s, the stroke rower's oar is on the starboard (right) side and therefore stroke side refers to the starboard side of the boat.

References

{{Reflist Rowing positions