Finding a Rowing Boat for Sale

Finding a rowing boat for sale works best in this order: decide what you need, search your club and the rowing community first, inspect any used boat carefully, then buy. For most first-time buyers, a used boat in good condition from someone you can trust is the practical choice. Go new only if you need a specific hull, or you plan to keep the boat for many years.

Decide what you need

• Type. A single, double or quad? Our guide to rowing boat types sets out every class.
• Size. Your body weight comes first, because boats are built for weight ranges. Our page on how big your rowing shell should be explains why.
• Use. Racing, fitness or leisure, on calm or open water. If leisure comes first, read what a rowing kayak is as well.
• Experience. If you’re new to sculling, a stable training boat is a better first buy than a racing hull.
• Budget. Include storage, insurance, transport, blades, slings and any electronics.
• Where it will live. A boathouse rack, a garage or a trailer. A single is about 8 m long, so measure first.

Where to look

• Your own club. Members often sell boats, and you may be able to try before you buy. You also know who has used it.
• Other clubs and rowing communities. Noticeboards, newsletters and forums. Clubs sell older fleet boats when they buy new ones.
• Builders and dealers. New boats and used stock, often with advice and some after-sales support. Our page on rowing shell manufacturers names the main builders.
• Online marketplaces. Plenty of choice, but more risk. Ask for proof of ownership and meet in person.

New or used?

	New	Used
Price	Higher	Lower
Condition	Known	Needs checking
Warranty	Usually	Rarely
Fit	Built for you or chosen from a range	Take what exists
Value	Falls quickest at first	Well-kept boats often hold their value

What to check on a used boat

The Faster Masters Rowing site has a useful guide to buying second-hand, and this table draws on it.

Area	What to do	Warning signs
Hull	Sight down it from the side; press gently; look inside and out	Pits, cracks, oxidised skin, dents below the waterline, flex or crackling
Repairs	Ask directly, and look for changes in paint and texture	Repairs painted over; any repair also adds weight
Saxboards	Wobble them behind the cockpit	Excess movement
Shoulders and riggers	Check where riggers attach	Broken shoulders, hairline cracks, enlarged bolt holes, indents from over-tightening
Seat, slides, stretcher	Run the seat and move the stretcher	Stiffness or damage, though these parts can be replaced
Heel restraints	Test each by hand	Laces, cable ties or chafed cord
Blades	Often sold separately	Cracks or a poor fit for the rigging

Dents above the waterline are mostly cosmetic. Those below it could leak. A respray improves the look but tells you nothing about the structure, so judge the hull first.

If you’re unsure, take an experienced rower, coach or boatman with you. For a higher price, pay a professional repairer to check it.

Questions for the seller

1. What’s the serial number? Serial numbers became standard after the 1992 Olympics, so older boats may not have one.
2. Has it had major repairs or structural damage?
3. How much has it been rowed?
4. What weight range was it designed for?
5. What’s included: riggers, shoes, seat, covers, slings?

With the serial number, ask the builder for the build year, build weight, hull shape and any ownership history. The boat must also be heavy enough for racing, if you plan to race: the minimum for a single is 14 kg.

Test it

If you can, take the boat out for a test row, or at least sit in it and check the stretcher range. Look at how the boat sits in the water. If you’re near the end of its weight range, check the height of the deck above the water. A boat that’s too small or too big for you will be obvious quickly.

Making the purchase

• Negotiate. Ask the seller to name a price first, and ask them to reduce it for any repairs you’d need.
• Get a value. Ask the builder for a ballpark figure.
• Put it in writing. Agree the price, list what’s included, get a receipt and note the serial number.
• New boats. Check the warranty terms and delivery arrangements.
• Used boats. Arrange transport, and pad every contact point.

After you buy

Arrange storage and insurance, and set up the rigging with your coach. Check registration too. You usually need to register or license a boat with the navigation authority for your waterway, which is the Environment Agency on the Thames and the Canal & River Trust on most canals. Clubs can register rowing boats for some waterways through British Rowing, so ask your club first.

Our pieces on the benefits of owning your own rowing shell and boat maintenance cover what comes next.