Leasing isn't the best option for every one out there, but for those with cash flow constraints and elite-racing needs, our new lease option is really an excellent option. 'Read more' about rates on our new 'Options' page.

New Mould 33 Arrives State-side

The new mould 33 men's heavyweight pair/double will finally be available in North America at the end of the summer. This is the latest in the collaboration between Sykes, Dr Matt Dingle PhD...

Rocker -- a Long Length-wise Look at Hulls

In last month's newsletter, I wrote a short bit on the advantages of various hull cross-sections: semi-circular having the least drag, and those that have a flattened curve providing more roll stability...

A customer of mine long-familiar with Sykes once lamented the fact that we no longer make three-stay side-bolting riggers for singles. (We only make those now for fours and eights...

In last month's newsletter, I wrote a short bit on the advantages of various hull cross-sections: semi-circular having the least drag, and those that have a flattened curve providing more roll stability...

If you're familiar with some of the historical hallmarks of a Sykes – features that are common to most of our hull designs – boats that have a semi-circular cross section would be one such hallmark. There are other builders who...

Another factor that changes between racing short distances (1,000m-2,000m) and the long-distance time-trial races is boat squat. Yes, squat. As a boat picks up speed, it wants to the water. When a boat squats beyond its modeled...

One of the most common conversations I have with people investigating their options in single sculls is whether M20 is faster than M26, or if the M25 is considerably more stable than the M26H (aka M30). Theoretically the...

In January's newsletter, I talked about how we've changed the nomenclature that we use for designating the boat's size. Instead of using, say, 70kg for the crew weight of a Mould 26 single scull, we now use M26L, where the L...

Drew Ginn and Duncan Free won the gold medal in the men's pair at the 2008 Beijing Games, being the fourth crew in five Olympics to win a gold while rowing either a Sykes pair or double. The one year that no crews earned a gold...

A customer of mine long-familiar with Sykes, once expressed some lament to the fact we no longer make three-stay side-bolting riggers for singles. (We only make those now for fours and eights...

Updating and Replacing your Parts & Fittings

One of the other services Shackamaxon (a.k.a. The Shax Shop) provides is reconditioning used boats. As you'll see on shopshax.com, there's quite a lot of value you can add to your older boats by going this route...

The fin serves one primary purpose: to reduce the slipping and sliding that a minimum draft hull like a rowing boat would experience without one. You'll see the dramatic change in hull behaviour when you lose a fin in an on-water...

Many of you will have the quick-release riggers and be scratching your head about moving the rigger fore or aft. Indeed the 'fixed' position of the quick-release bracket on the rigger flange complicates moving the rigger, but it's still...

If you've been a customer since 2004, you may have noticed we've changed the footstretcher part several times. Prior to 2004, we were using the varnished footstretcher board in every one of the construction models. Now we...

I know that many of you folks are braving the cold to train on the water; others are just enjoying the winter-warmth of your warmer climate. Even still, this is a good time to plan for the 2009 season and to consider what maintenance...

What else does Sykes do to improve damage durability?

Another thing we do differently than many builders these days is use gel coat rather than polyurethane paint. That is, if you have a white Sykes or another colour on a boat more than three years old, what you're seeing is a gel coat ...

The decision on what materials to use in a boat are important, but I also think they often get overstated, particularly when it comes to matters of boat weight. I get a lot of questions about boat weight and how it affects performance...

Consider some of the ugliest damage that you've seen or can imagine: The bow getting lopped off in the closing of an over-head garage door. An oar rack getting blown over in a wind storm, the falling of which is broken by boats...

Updating and Replacing your Parts & Fittings

One of the other services Shackamaxon (a.k.a. The Shax Shop) provides is reconditioning used boats. As you'll see on shopshax.com, there's quite a lot of value you can add to your older boats by going this route...

I know that many of you folks are braving the cold to train on the water; others are just enjoying the winter-warmth of your warmer climate. Even still, this is a good time to plan for the 2009 season and to consider what maintenance...

In the constant conversation regarding rigging, too often little is said about how to measure and rig efficiently. You may be the bloke who has every tool he needs, or you may know someone who does. Still, most of the folks I see...

I've covered rigging recently here in the newsletters and pretty comprehensively in the owner's manual that is available online at www.sykesna.com. After this fall and dealing with folks who are renting boats from me...