Sport Today

by **Pete Farm** » Wed, 29 Dec 1993 23:35:16

About 2 1/2 years ago, while living in Tokyo, I had a neighbor called
David Chamberlain that was handling Japan distribution for an
American-built rowing machine which I believe was called the "Water
Rower". It was quite an interesting design and quite elegant; the
resistance mechanism was a water-filled tank. I'm now in a position where
I would like info on purchasing, and would be interested to hear from
anyone that has used this equipment.

Thanks.
Pete Farmer

#include <stddisclaimer.h>

by **Pete Farm** » Tue, 04 Jan 1994 22:13:22

This is a re-post. Anyone, (perhaps at USRowing) able to help with this?
Thanks in advance,

Quote:

> About 2 1/2 years ago, while living in Tokyo, I had a neighbor called
> David Chamberlain that was handling Japan distribution for an
> American-built rowing machine which I believe was called the "Water
> Rower". It was quite an interesting design and quite elegant; the
> resistance mechanism was a water-filled tank. I'm now in a position
where
> I would like info on purchasing, and would be interested to hear from
> anyone that has used this equipment.

> Thanks.
> Pete Farmer

> #include <stddisclaimer.h>

by **Vern Shraug** » Wed, 05 Jan 1994 00:25:13

Try Durham Boat Company in Durham, New Hampshire. They advertise in USRowing
occasionally. I don't have their number at work, but I have their number and
catalog at home. They brought their mini"tank" to the Head of the Charles
this year. It is essentially a large, plastic, oval tank with an oar lock
on one side. I believe this is what you are referring to.

... vern

by **fee..** » Wed, 05 Jan 1994 01:04:43

|>Path: jac.zko.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decwrl!ames!sgiblab!spool.mu.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!harrier.mit.edu!vern

|>Newsgroups: rec.sport.rowing
|>Subject: Re: Request for info on "Water Rower" (rowing machine)
|>Date: 3 Jan 1994 15:25:13 GMT
|>Organization: Massachvsetts Institvte of Technology
|>Lines: 7
|>Distribution: world

|>NNTP-Posting-Host: harrier.mit.edu
|>
|>Try Durham Boat Company in Durham, New Hampshire. They advertise in USRowing
|>occasionally. I don't have their number at work, but I have their number and
|>catalog at home. They brought their mini"tank" to the Head of the Charles
|>this year. It is essentially a large, plastic, oval tank with an oar lock
|>on one side. I believe this is what you are referring to.
|>
|>... vern
|>

No...he is refering to a "erg" type machine that was primarily wooden (oak)
construction. The flyweel was mounted horizontally just in front of the
foot stretchers. The 'mass' of the flywheel, instead of being made of
a cast metal, was a 'hollow plexiglass wheel filled with water'.

I know exactly what you are talking about, but don't remember the name or
manufacturer of it.

Cheers,

-Jay Feenan

by **Michael Re** » Wed, 05 Jan 1994 02:29:00

Quote:

>This is a re-post. Anyone, (perhaps at USRowing) able to help with this?
>Thanks in advance,

>> About 2 1/2 years ago, while living in Tokyo, I had a neighbor called
>> David Chamberlain that was handling Japan distribution for an
>> American-built rowing machine which I believe was called the "Water
>> Rower". It was quite an interesting design and quite elegant; the
>> resistance mechanism was a water-filled tank. I'm now in a position
>where
>> I would like info on purchasing, and would be interested to hear from
>> anyone that has used this equipment.

>> Thanks.
>> Pete Farmer

>> #include <stddisclaimer.h>

These are nice machines, I've used one for a while. They feel more
like "reality" than the C-II's do, but there are some drawbacks:

1) No performance monitor. i.e. no comparing your times with other
people, no checking your improvement from week to week, no
automatic calibration w.r.t. the amount of water in the machine,
the viscosity of the water you are using, etc.

2) Adjusting the difficulty means stopping, then adding or removing
water from the tank.

3) The thing weighs a lot with all that water!

Still it was the smoothest, most realistic rowing machine I've ever
been on. (Though I have never been on one of the Simuletics machines,
which are supposed to be *great*. Has anyone?)

A mail-order firm in the US used to carry the water rower. The company
was called "Herrington", or "Harrington", and you can get their # by
calling 1-800-555-1212.

If they can't help you, a workout club in N.Y. City called CRUNCH Fitness
uses them, and they should be able to point you to a distributor.

Michael
N.Y.A.C. Rowing

by **Pete Farm** » Wed, 05 Jan 1994 02:52:41

Thanks for the help on this one...
I managed to get their phone number in Pawtucket, RI -
401-728-1966, if anyone else is interested.
The company name is actually "Water Rower".
Again, thanks...
Pete Farmer

writes:

Quote:

(Vern Shrauger) writes:
> |>Path:

jac.zko.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decwrl!ames!sgiblab!spool.mu.edu!bloom-beacon.m
it.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!harrier.mit.edu!vern

Quote:

> No...he is refering to a "erg" type machine that was primarily wooden
(oak)
> construction. The flyweel was mounted horizontally just in front of the
> foot stretchers. The 'mass' of the flywheel, instead of being made of
> a cast metal, was a 'hollow plexiglass wheel filled with water'.

> I know exactly what you are talking about, but don't remember the name
or
> manufacturer of it.

> Cheers,

> -Jay Feenan

by **Hugh Ainsle** » Thu, 06 Jan 1994 08:48:03

In terms of matching the force-time curve of a "typical" sweep-oar rower
(that of a sculler is different) to a machine, the closest comparison I
have seen is that of the "Gyro". Since the resistance is produced
electromagnetically, it is possible to tweak it to almost any f-t profile
I believe, although I have only seen comparison with swwep-oar rowers.
They are being sold over here in UK - I dont know off-hand who makes them
or who sells them in the USA, but I could find out if anyone is
interested. I've used the machines myself - they are VERY nice - much
smoother than a Concept II, and to my feel much more like rowing.

hugh (Marlow Rowing Club, UK)