Coastal Boat Planning 2025

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How is your coastal boat planning 2025. Is your planning based on the boats you have seen at official regattas? Our club is currently preparing the 2025 boat purchase budget. The discussions about Coastal Rowing and Pool Boats were unexpected. Also read our previous article: “Your Boat for Los Angeles,” Most board members sought versatile coastal boats suitable for a wide range of club members. They prioritized affordability, durability, and performance.

However, the coaches and racing crews advocated for boats used in official regattas. They argued that regatta organizers provide pool boats, and the club should train in the same boats to optimize performance. This led to suggestions for boats from the two dominant players in the coastal boat market.

Our president challenged this approach, citing World Rowing racing rules, which specfy poolboats, but don’t specify boat suppliers. He questioned the assumption that these two suppliers would always provide pool boats at all regattas. This raised the question of whether the coaches were prioritizing politics over practicality.

It’s understandable that coaches want their athletes to win, and using regatta-identical boats could be advantageous. But the situation is presently unpredictable. The unpredictable nature of -which pool boat suppliers will be selected -, casts doubt on this strategy. How will the Organizer decide on pool boats? The best boat, the highest bid, always two suppliers? Can we rely on present suppliers to consistently provide pool boats in the future? Will the organizers change strategy? Not an easy decision for a club.

The coastal boat industry is competitive but relatively small. Boat builders need a certain scale to produce high-performance, affordable boats. Filippi and Swift have achieved this scale, allowing them to offer competitive prices through their large sales volumes and involvement in World Rowing tenders. Their market dominance also enables them to sell discounted pool boats after events.

Coastal Boat Planning 2025 and Pool Boats

In regattas, the term ‘pool boat’ can have different meanings depending on the context. However, the common idea is to provide a set of boats that can be used by multiple participants to minimize material advantages or facilitate participation. The specific definition depends on the event’s rules and format.

In the world of coastal rowing, a pool boat can refer to a shared resource, such as a boat in a shared fleet used for various purposes. This broad definition allows for different interpretations:

Pool Boats as Standardized Boats: Many regattas provide standardized pool boats, supplied by the regatta organization. These boats have identical specifications to ensure a level playing field, focusing on the rowers’ skills rather than material advantages. This approach favors larger boat manufacturers.
Pool Boats as Central Inventory: In this definition, a pool of different boat types is provided, allowing athletes to choose from a central inventory. This flexibility enables athletes to train in familiar boats and adapt to different weather conditions. It also creates a fairer playing field for smaller boat manufacturers.

Can I buy a regatta pool boat? Which boat should I by today?

Decision-making for clubs and associations can be challenging. If a club adopts a 1-2 boat strategy, relying on pool boats from a few major manufacturers, they may not have the fastest or most suitable boat for all conditions. On the other hand, a multi-boat strategy offers more flexibility and choice, but it can be more costly. Clubs should consider their specific needs, local conditions, and the potential impact of future regulations when making decisions. Our advice: If you can postpone the decision, wait until Q1 2025. Maybe the mrket will tell us more. If you urgently need a boat: Maybe you find some boats to rent (.. and to test) as well as used boats.

BTW: Our head coach has folloed my suggestion and has recognized the complexities of the situation and has postponed the decision until Q1-2025, hoping for more clarity from the IOC and World Rowing.”