Re: How I decided which new sculls to purchase

Kieran -

I am addressing this to you, but I am also addressing to Carl and Paul and Mike and anyone else who may be interested.

When it comes to choosing sculls I have often wondered about shaft stiffness. While every oar maker offers sculls of different shaft stiffness, no one (except Croker USA) seems to offer advice on how to choose shaft stiffness. Time and again one hears and reads that shaft stiffness is a matter of personal preference.

But is it?

Recently I know that both Carl and Paul have written about how a flexed shaft stores energy. And I believe, if I have understood them, that they think this stored supply of energy is significant.

So how does it signify? How much should a shaft bend? And during which part of the stroke should this stored energy become available?

I am not sure, but I wonder if this isn't one of the reasons I am enjoying the Croker sculls so much. They are a little less stiff than my old Apex-Rex sculls. I can actually feel them bend as I take the catch.

This leads me wonder if I had the power at the catch to bend the Apex-Rex sculls properly? It doesn't seem so. Leastwise during the drive I never experienced a stored supply of energy snapping into place. So then, were the Apex-Rex sculls too stiff for me?

Given how slow I scull, all this may seem a little ridiculous. But I find it interesting. While I may not be strong enough to use all of the fluid, I still like to know about all of it.

Cordially,

Charles

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