Okanagan rowing shell info

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Okanagan Rowing Craft fom B.C. Canada build a boat called a Fitness Shell, although I am not sure if they're still in business as I can not find there web site. I'm cosidering buying one of these models secondhand in the $700cnd price range, I have not heard of this company or shell before and would be most interested on any feedback from you folks out there in the rowing world. Thanks, Peter

-- Peter Thomas (pmthomas@shaw.ca), January 15, 2004

Answers

they are a very close fiberglass copy of the kingfisher, i would definitely row it before you buy as each one seems to have it's own personality, or work best with a certain size rower.

i've rowed them as well as the wood strip one they built to build their mold. i loved rowing the wood one.

my rowing club in Kelowna BC has several in FG, they're a good entry level boat - look to see if the joint where the top meets the hull is a flat flange or if it's been rounded over.

the Flat flange is the original model... had a bit more freeboard etc & the flange can dig into your shoulder when you carried it with a partner. gu-essimate the weight is about 60 lbs maybe more

the rounded over models came later, they cut down the freeboard of the bow & Stern sections to save weight, added some ridges to the topsides so they wouldn't flex in & out so so much. made for a lighter boat guessing maybe 45 -50 lbs

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT!!! check to see if it was rowed in extremely rough water. when shells are rowed thru big waves they bridge the troughs and that's very hard on the hull, look to see if there are vertical cracks in the top edges of the hulls right where the bow meets the splash board. we see that in several at our club but we been ABUSING them in huge waves since 1988.

if you'd rather buy one new, contact david currier in Kelowna British Columbia, Canada. he still has the mold and i think still sells them for $2000 to $2500 Canadian.

Mike

-- mike reiner (reiners@silk.net), January 25, 2004.


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