Racing Boats | Rowing Centre UK (2024)

The Carbon Pro has been designed for top level international racing. We have used new and improved construction methods and produced a shell that is 20% stiffer, than our medal winning Elite Carbon boat.

To produce this extra stiffness we have used new pre-impregnated carbon that allows us to use higher temperatures in the curing process.

We have also created a completely new shape with a noticeably high tapered bow and to ensure as little power loss as possible we have also created an ultra-light Reverse Carbon Wing.

From tip to toe this boat is the full carbon dream that not only looks fast, it is fast!

The robust high performance racing boat, built for high-level competition whilst also able to withstand the rigours of a hard training.

We have designed and created this boat with the Racing Club in mind, the shell is the same new shape as the Carbon Pro, but we have changed the outer skin to Aramid (Kevlar), this gives maximum protection from day to day knocks and scrapes that occur in a club enviroment,

The standard colour for Swift boats is white hull and canvas decks, with black tips for the bow and stern. Hull and canvas decks are finished with 3 coats of UV resistant polyurethane paint, with 2 additional coats for the trim, to help protect the most vulnerable areas of your boat.

The standard colour for Elite Carbon boats is the same as above.
However, as an option (available at additional cost), the hull and canvas decks can be finished in clear UV resistant polyurethane paint, with white trim and white joint lines or black trim to complete the all black effect.

For custom colours we offer 3 choices.

Custom A:

Main is white, trim is other than black.

Custom B:

Main is NOT white, trim is EITHER black or other colour.

Custom C:

All other, such as white hull, blue canvas, yellow trim.

The choice of trim and main colours

Seat decks, saxboards and lips are finished in clear paint to show carbon cloth.

Seat decks, saxboards and lips are finished in clear paint to show carbon cloth.

Seat decks, saxboards and lips are finished in clear paint to show carbon cloth.

Seat decks are finished in white paint, saxboards and lips are finished in clear paint to show carbon cloth.

Seat decks, saxboards and lips are finished in white paint.

Boats built before March 2011 have the following design.

Made from carbon cloth, with PVC foam core, and epoxy resin cured at high temperature, our stretchers are both lightweight and rigid, and allow the efficient transfer of power. They are easily adjustable for height, fore and aft positioning, and rake (stretcher angle).

Our singles have the stretcher channels located on the saxboards, taking advantage of the slope of the saxboard to allow for wider placement of shoes, and further adding to saxboard stiffness.

All boats, regardless of grade are fitted with the same high quality shoes with Velcro straps that have a single, quick release pull tag.Heel restraints are attached as standard.

There is also the option at time of order to choose the Flexfoot system, instead of rowing shoes. The Flexfoot stretcher uses parts based on CII's rowing machine, but modified for use in rowing boats. That is, the heel is a rounded shape, and is closed for safety reasons. A heel restraint is also attached. This system is preferred by some people for recreational boats, such as our Freedom boats, but can be supplied on racing boats.

For Para boats, you can specify a plain wooden stretcher, which allows you to customize it as you like, for example, by screwing just 1 shoe to it, closer to the centrethan is normal with 2 shoes.

Hard anodised Aluminium 3 stay rigger (1 forestay and 2 mainstays) with a slotted rigger block for the pin. There is at least 30mm of height adjustment and 30mm of span adjustment per rigger. Supplied with topstays/backstays for both scull and sweep which we recommend are fitted to support the pin (and for safety in the bow seat of crew sculling boats).

Quick Release (QR) is an option for all boats with wing riggers. The aluminium plates are designed to prevent slipping of riggers. For more information, please see the file "QR Installation".

Download Installation Guide

The single most important factor to consider when choosing a racing boat is the design weight. To maximise your crew’s speed it is essential that they row in a boat that is designed for their weight.

Swift uses 21 different moulds for "Olympic" type racing boats (7 for 1s, 6 for 2s, 5 for 4s, and 3 for 8s), all based on tried and tested designs, with proven track records, including FISA's own designs for singles, doubles and fours.

With Swift’s range of 21 moulds, which is perhaps the widest of any builder, you will be rowing in a boat that was designed for a crew of your specific weight, and is not a "cut down" version of some larger boat.

Contact usto discuss your specific requirements.

When ordering boats, please specify the average crew weight required in kilogrammes. 1st = 6.35kg, 1lb =0.454kg, with 14lbs to a stone.

Sectional Boats

Cox position

All eights are stern coxed boats, in line with FISA's rules of racing. Fours can be built either coxless, or coxed (top coxed/front loaders, or as stern coxed boats).