Fat2

[i(heart)celery]

I was watching this world cup race from banyoles, and even though I watched the whole thing (I skipped the down-time between races) I did not see a single Fat2 blade. I saw nothing but crokers, empachers, concept2 bigblades, and concept2 smoothie2 (non vortex).

Personally, I've never liked the fat2. I learned on bigblades, and have raced with crokers, biglades and fat2's. the fats were by far my least favorite, but I love crokers. My problem with the fat2 is the fact that there's a lot going on with the blade that's supposed to do a lot for the rower. The lip across the top (although less pronounced than the lip on the original fat smoothie) is designed to prevent burying too deep, while the little curvature on the bottom inside corner seems to be there to help hold the blade in the water. I have no idea why the bottom edge would be shaped like that. Maybe if I rowed on perfect water all the time, I wouldn't mind, but seeing as how that never happens, the height of the blade makes it such that it catches on the tops of waves much easier than any other blade.

I don't know much , but maybe this world cup race signals the rejection of the fat2 by most elite rowers who especially in small boats get much more say in what equipment they use. Although I haven't rowed with them yet, the smoothie2 looks like a kind of blade I could like. Not too much going on except a big, smooth surface and a decent amount of hook.

So my question is this: is the smoothie2 going to surpass fat2 as concept2's premier blade shape?

[frisky]

Read the Nolte thread and most of your questions will be answered.

However, I can only say it again, as so many have done before me, watching a Worldcup and deducing that certain equipment is superior or inferior because of a visual count is not the best thing to do. Elite rowers and more so their coaches are notoriously conservative if new equipment needs some rigging or rowing style adjustment (Thank god we have the sliding seat!).

While I share your positive notion concerning the feel of the Croker blade during entry and exit, I believe that you should not make assumptions on the fat2s if you have not taken full advantage of the rigging adjustments that are possible with these blades. Again I have experienced positive results with these blades and a more unconventional rigging. As mentioned in the Nolte thread, I am still not convinced that they are the better "universal" blade (probably not) but they appear to generate superior speeds (at least in my case).

If yo want an almost brand new pair of lowi smoothie 2s without vortex edge I am more than happy selling mine. One thing that I can say about them is that they are definitely inferior to Crokers.

[lt.wolf]

What did Purchase and Hunter use last year duign the games? It seemed to work well for them .

[The Stig]

x

[frisky]

What did Purchase and Hunter use last year duign the games? It seemed to work well for them .

Outside of the double they both rowed a Fluidesign single, which worked really well for them...

[i(heart)celery]

Thanks for the offer, friskybest, but I just bought a pair of crokers and I am LOVING them. Problem with getting fat2's especially in my situation: I don't own my own single, so I have to use a club boat, which means I can't mess with the rigging (the club blades are big blades) too much to explore the potential of the fat2. Crokers are just more compatible with a more traditional rig, so I don't have cranky masters (sorry if I offend anyone) grouching at me for messing with "their" stuff.

[Steven M-M]

From Munich: http://www.nlroei.nl/Fotoboek-display-77685.html

[Stewie Griffin Should Cox]

So are they FAT2's?

[1xsculler]

They certainly appear to be C2 Fats. Whether they're Fat2s or not I don't know how you'd tell. It's too bad one is not parallel to the plane of the camera lens so its length could be determined. Actually, I guess you might be able to fairly accurately determine the length by doing a little math using the known blade length. I'll get right on it.

[1xsculler]

In the photo the oar length measures ~ 68.5mm and the blade length ~ 10.5mm. C2's website says a Fat2 blade is 46cm long. My calculations say he's rowing them at 300cm which can't be correct so who knows? If you examine the photo very closely it does look like his handles are adjusted to the maximum length position so assuming they are Fat2s he might be rowing a 283cm or a 288cm oar since C2 makes two versions which have those two lengths as their maximum. If he's rowing at either of these lengths he's completely missing out on the advantage of a Fat2 according to Friskybest, Swiss, Volker and me. I don't know what length Frisky is using at this time but Swiss is at 274/85/156 maybe bumping it up to 275, rumor has it that Volker is at 269 and I am at 278/85/156 going down to 275 tonight for the rest of the week's training prior to my only 1k race of the year this Sat. I'll probably get my butt handed to me as usual but IF I can improve on last years time, under similiar conditions, I will be very happy.

[frisky]

They are fat2s. The shape is clearly a fat blade. The newer design of the vortex edge shows that they are the new version.

BTW. The German M8+ won with fat smoothies too. They are however the development crew. The faster guys were battling it out in the 4- without the fatties.

[lt.wolf]

I am looking to try a set of these blades for fun ....either way I can still beat swiss with my crokers

[1xsculler]

Lt., Is comparing you and Swiss comparing apples to apples based on age, training time, history, etc., etc? I don't know. There are a lot of guys, probably even my age, who can kick my a$$ with macons prying a wherry along but I'm always looking for a little new/free speed in order to compete better.

[frisky]

Lt., Is comparing you and Swiss comparing apples to apples based on age, training time, history, etc., etc? I don't know. There are a lot of guys, probably even my age, who can kick my a$$ with macons prying a wherry along but I'm always looking for a little new/free speed in order to compete better.

Swiss represented Switzerland at the Junior Worlds in the 1x while rowing big blades...rumor has it that he also wore a cow bell around his neck.
Lt. Wolf, if you row with a cow bell around your neck I'll sponsor the trophy...

[1xsculler]

Doesn't the Lt. train his brains out every day on the Charles?