Summary of all boat and race rules:

Competition categories
In all races, both competitive and non competitive, the choice of seat structure is free.

All boats taking part in competitive races must have a traditional oarlock combination (tap oar and thimble). The choice of thimble material is free. Any kind of oarlock-thimble structure which allows oar blade angle changes during the race is forbidden.

In Sunday’s Finnish Championship (FC) race, “boat shadowing” (as defined by the peesaus rule), is forbidden.
Boat shadowing limit: Three times the length of the boat in front, i.e. the boat coming from behind can’t be closer than three lengths of a boat to the boat ahead of it.

Any breach of the boat shadowing rule will incur a 10-minute time penalty. The board of referees also have the right to disqualify a team for frequent boat shadowing.

The board of referees decide on breaches of the boat shadowing rule and penalties according to statements by route referees.

All team members participating in FC races should have a valid Suomen Soutuliitto (Finnish Rowing Association) rowing licence.

Special boats

In the special boat race category, the choice of boat structure and material is free.
The seat structure is also free.
The number of persons per boat is limited to eight.

Long-distance races

Long boats (Tues-Wed, Thurs-Fri and Sat-Sun) and small boats (Thurs-Fri and Sat-Sun).

In long-distance races the choice of boat structure, material and seat structure is free.

Official rules for boats in competitive races:

Long boats
1. Boats must be made of Finnish wood, with overlapping seams. Panels made of plywood should be at least 9mm thick or 12mm if wooden boarding is used. The board seaming lengthwise can be slanting as much as necessary so that the shape of the curves can be followed when boarding. This doesn’t apply for bow and stern parts, measured 60cm from each end. The panelling joints should be at least 16mm in length. The lower edge of panels can be rounded to a maximum radius of 3mm.
2. The length of the hull can be a maximum of 12 metres, measured from the most out side part of the bow tap to the most out side part of the stern tap. The width should 1.8-1.95m (outside measurement).

3. Concave crosscut shapes are not allowed to be used between oars. In long-boats, built in 2003 or later, the shape of the brink cannot be concave when viewed from above. Long boats built in 2003 or later should show the mark of the builder and year of construction (as marked by the builder).

4. The width of the rear mirror, in the middle line, should be at least 20cm.

5. The bow should, in accordance with Finnish boat making traditions, be clearly leaning outward and curved. A metallic protective cover in the bow is allowed. The cover should follow the curve of the bow and cannot be further than 1cm outward from the bow tap.

6. The bow and stern must be at least 30cm above the edge of the middle curve, measured from a line drawn between the highest points of the front and back end brinks, and the boarding brink of the middle curve.

7. The boarding brink at the middle curve (or at the centre of the boat) must be at least 50cm above the lowest point of the middle curve (or the centre of the boat).

8. Choice of seats and foot support structures are free.

9. Oars must be made of Finnish wood. A maximum of seven oar pairs are allowed. Two spare oars are also allowed.

10. The oarlock structure must be a traditional oarlock combination (tap oar and thimble). The choice of thimble material is free. Any kind of oarlock-thimble structure which allows oar blade angle changes during the race is forbidden. The middle line of oarlocks cannot be outside the brink (the brink cannot be artificially widened at the area of the oarlocks). Oarlocks have to on both brinks at the same point (+/- 1cm).

11. A fixed rudder is allowed; the material should be of wood and the choice of structure is free. A spare rudder in the boat is also allowed.

12. In the boat there must be a red emergency flag, with a size of 40cm x 40cm. It should be attached to a pole of about 1 metre. There must also be a tool for getting rid of water in the boat.

13. Advertisements can be freely attached to the boat (apart from advertisements for alcohol and tobacco).

14. Any kinds of deck covers are forbidden.

If any of these rules or measurements is broken, the board of referees will disqualify the boat in question. In addition, the board of referees has the power to disqualify a boat that clearly has a structure which is not in keeping with the sprit or traditions of long boat design.

Any team participating in the Sulkava Rowing Race with a boat that contravenes these rules will be disqualified immediately and their times left unrecorded.

Small boats
1. Boats must be made of wood, with overlapping seams. Plywood panels must be at least 6mm thick or 8mm if wooden boarding is used.

2. The length of the hull can be a maximum of 6.5 metres. The width (inside measurement) should be, at the widest point, 1m (measured 20cm below the brink inside). The outside width should be at least 75cm, measured 12cm above the bottom. If the keel is less than 5cm wide, it doesn’t have to be included in the 12cm mentioned above. A boat’s outside keel, bow tap and stern tap cannot be at any point more than 5cm outside the boarding of the boat.

3. The brink line should be continuously concave when seen from the side and convex when seen from above. Concave crosscut shapes cannot be used. The brink of the boat should be always farthest away if crosscut at any point.

4. The stern width must be at least 12cm at the level of the outside edge.

5. The bow and stern must, in accordance with Finnish boat making traditions, be clearly leaning outward.

6. The bow and stern must be at least 55cm away from a line drawn between the highest points of the front and rear brinks and the lowest point of the centre curve (inside measurement).

7. The choice of rowing seat structure is free. The stern seat must be fixed. Its highest point, including cushioning (excluding side supports) must be at least 10cm below the brink. The seat’s front edge, including cushioning, can be a maximum of 150cm away from the rear mirror’s inside edge, as measured from the top of the cushioning (measurement points should be free from the structure, i.e. freely measurable). Fixed heel and knee supports, with cushioning, for the rower are acceptable. Paddling in bi-stroke rowing has to be done from the stern seat.

8. Oars must be made of wood.

9. The oarlock structure has to be a traditional oarlock combination (tap oar and thimble). The choice of thimble material is free. All kinds of oarlocks-thimble structures which allow oar blade angle changes during the race are forbidden. The middle line of the oarlocks cannot be outside the brink. Hand-held one-bladed rear paddles are acceptable (strengthening with fibre glass allowed). Fins and rudders are forbidden.

10. The choice of rower foot supports is free.

11. Any kind of structures and supports made of material other than wood are forbidden. A fixed, metal support reinforcing the structure underneath the middle seat is accepted.

12. Extra equipment may include two spare oars, equipment for removing water and a paddle. A mirror attached to the boat is allowed. Each person should take care of their personal rescue equipment.

13. Advertisements can be freely attached to the boat (apart from advertisements for alcohol and tobacco).
14. Any kind of deck covers are forbidden.

15. In the race, only one person can row at a time, except for the doubles series where two rowers are allowed.

16. Servicing boats cannot enter the rowing route. Servicing must take place on land or from a boat outside the route.

If these rules or measurements are broken, the board of referees will disqualify the boat in question. In addition, the board of referees has the power to disqualify a boat that clearly has a structure which is not in keeping with the sprit or traditions of rowing boat design.

Any team participating in the Sulkava Rowing Race with a boat that contravenes these rules will be disqualified immediately and their times left unrecorded.