Page:Boating - Woodgate - 1888.pdf/149

 CHAPTER IX,

PAIR-OARS,

More than one master of oarsmanship has declared that good pair-oar rowing is the acme of oarsmanship. Just as there are fewer oarsmen who can do justice to a four-oar than to an eight, so when we come to pair-oars we find still fewer per- formers who can really show first-class style in this line of rowing. Much as watermanship is needed in a four, it is still more important to possess it when rowing in a pair. One, or even two men, out of a four-oared crew may be what would be considered bad watermen, i.e. not az fazt at sitting a rolling boat, and not instinctively time-keepers. Vet, if the other two men haye the quality of watermanship, the four may specdily fall together, provided the two outsiders show sound general principles of style. In a pair-oar, if either of the hands is a bad waterman, the combination will never rise above medio-