Cambridge Racer Full-sized Plans and Manual

In addition to the detailed plans and manual offered in the Expedition Rowboat Plans, this package includes full-sized hull panels.  This allows you to avoid the step of scaling up the hull panels.

The Cambridge Racer is a performance rowing shell designed specifically for speed. It is fastest in calm conditions, however, is shaped to perform well in open water conditions for advanced rowers. Attributes that allow this rowing shell to move easily through the water include a long waterline length, narrow beam, minimal wetted area (through strategic shaping and a rounder hull with six panels), light weight and low windage.

Product Features

BOAT

Specs:

Performance Characteristics @ 200 lbs disp.

• Waterline Length: 6.93 m (22' 9")
• Waterline Beam: 0.406 m (16")
• Draft: 8.89 cm (3.5")
• Wetted Surface Area:     1.967 square meters ( 21.171 square feet)
• Waterplane Area:           1.706  square meters (18.364 square feet)
• Block Coefficient:           0.3714
• Prismatic Coefficient:     0.5109
  

PLANS & MANUAL

• 7 sheets of 61 x 91.5 cm (24 x 36 inches) plans
• 1 sheet of  91 x 579 cm (36 x 228 inches) plans
• Detailed manual, 50 pages

Click here to view larger image of the plans page one.

Detailed Product Description

Sliding seat rowing is the fastest type of blade propulsion, and combined with an efficient boat allows one to reach incredible speeds. An intermediate rower can maintain a speed in our shell of over 12 km/hr (6.5 knots or 7.5 mph) for one hour, or sprint in excess of 15 km/hr (8.1 knots or 9.3 mph). As well as offering good performance, the boat is stable (for a rowing shell), and can manage a two foot chop (with experienced rowers). The boat can be re-entered after capsizing and only a few gallons of water need to be bailed from the cockpit. With the addition of a self-bailer, the Cambridge Racer is a good open water rowboat in moderate conditions. For rough and stormy ocean conditions, we would recommend the Expedition model.

This boat is ideal for those who would like to get into the sport of performance sculling at minimal cost. Often, the cost of a rowing scull, rowing hardware, and oars is in excess of $5000. The Cambridge Racer allows you to get into performance rowing at a fraction of that cost.

The Cambridge Racer rowing shell is a relatively easy boat to construct. 40-50 hours are required to build from a kit and 60-70 hours for plans builders.

Please Note: The basic rowing kit includes the boat only. The rowing hardware is sold separately. A third-party drop-in unit such as the Piantadosi can also be used, however, we recommend using our integrated system which is half the cost and half the weight.

Note:  Although this boat is designed for beginners as well as experienced rowers, it does take a few days to learn to row proficiently and safely.  Rowing sculls are the Porsches of human-powered vessels, so plan to spend a few hours playing and capsizing in warmer waters getting familiar with the sport and comfortable with re-entry.  There are many good books and videos which offer instructions on sculling (sliding seat rowing in a shell).  Never travel great distances from shore without proper support or contingency plans.