By Wayne Partridge
Staff Writer
Article dated Dec. 3, 1995

If a rower wanted to knock on wood for luck before a race, he would be hard-pressed to find it in today's racing shells.

A few years ago, wood was the desired material for boats and oars, just as it had been for more than 200 years. As recent as the 1992 Olympics, elite athletes were winning gold medals in wooden boats.

But a stroll among the vendors' booths at the 1995 U.S. Rowing Association convention at Augusta's Radisson Riverfront would show that carbon fiber, fiberglass and other synthetic materials have replaced wood in almost every aspect of boat construction.

``Wood is very sensitive to the environment - it expands, it shrinks, it absorbs water. Composites are lighter and much easier to maintain,'' said Catherine Gallagher, a sales representative for boat manufacturer Vespoli USA.

The New Haven, Conn., company began building boats - or, more properly, ``shells'' - in 1980, using wooden frames and synthetic hulls. In 1990, Vespoli eliminated all wood from its boats in favor of the lighter and stronger composite materials.

``These (composite boats) are lighter, so they're faster. It's that simple. When you're racing, you want every advantage,'' said Gallagher, pointing out that a wooden eight-person shell can weigh 100 pounds more than a similar composite shell.

One of the last holdouts for wood in most rowing programs has been the wooden handles on composite oars, but even that could soon change.

Concept II, the nation's largest supplier of composite oars, is about to offer oars made of synthetic materials. Instead of grabbing a wooden handle, rowers would grip a padded, hollow rod of fiberglass and carbon fiber.

``This is still in the testing phase, although we already have a few orders,'' said Larry Gluckman, a Concept II sales representative.

Members of the U.S. National Rowing Team will soon be testing the new oars. If they like them, they could be used in the '96 Atlanta Games.

A relatively common problem with composite oars with wooden handles is the wood expands and contracts over time and works itself loose from its composite casing. That can cause the oar to break - often in the most inopportune times, such as in the middle of a race.

``Well, the composite handle wouldn't have that problem. It also wouldn't absorb water, which can make the oar heavier,'' Gluckman said.

But in a sport known for adherence to tradition, some rowers may be reluctant to part with the last connection to the past.

``I'd want to stick to the wooden handles. It just feels better - it's kind of an intangible quality, but I think the feel affects the way you row. And wood's a good material,'' said rower Brian Winke.

But then again, Winke admits having a little bias on the subject. He is a sales representative for Dirigo, one of the few shell manufacturers that still uses wood frames in its shells.

``Used in the right places, wood is the best, most economical material to work with. I don't think wood will ever totally disappear,'' Winke said.