Nowadays, there are training boats and there are race boats. Most “training” boats are glorified barges that are shaped like bath tubs and weight about the same. Novices learn the rowing stroke, but they definitely don’t learn much about boat feel. Though the alternative “race” boats aren’t necessarily ideal to teach in either. Today’s designs are built to go fast, and stability has been the sacrifice.  And if you’ve ever tried to learn to scull in a gig versus a racing single, you know that it’s a lot easier to learn in a stable boat.

Over the past few years, our C8 has gone through a bit of a resurgence. It’s found a little niche that it’s just perfect for – teaching big guys how to pull really really hard in a fast, yet stable setting. It’s easy to row well when the boat is going slow and there’s no pressure. But it’s common for the wheels to start to come off as the boat speed builds. The C8′s hull shape is just fast enough to simulate boat feel in today’s elite-level 8+, but steady enough to allow athletes the chance to develop the skill needed to maintain good technique at race pace pressure.

“The C8+’s are outstanding, they’re perfect for training big strong guys to move the boat past the blade. They’re not only perfect for our novices, but our best athletes also train and develop in them as well. They’re part of our training fleet, I wish I had ordered three more last year.” -John Pojednic, Northeastern Men’s Head Coach

If you catch our trailer pulling into Boston before the Charles kicks off, you’ll inevitably find a half dozen or so of these boats on it, ready for delivery. Harvard, MIT, BU, and Northeastern (along with many other top-tier men’s programs nationwide) all put in some serious miles in their C8s each fall. There are a few key features of this model that make it ideal for big, strong guys:

• Super-durable two-piece construction: these boats can handle serious wear and tear, making them extremely efficient fleet investments.
• Fast, but very stable racing shell hull design: the C8 doesn’t feel like a trainer because it’s not. It’s a racing shell, only mellower. The boat will feel more like the boat the guys row on race day, which means training will be more effective.
• Easy to care for rigging: The side mount metal riggers are about as easy and durable as they come, with extensive rigging options to make sure every seat feels as close to race-day setup as possible.

The C8 comes in two sizes, and each boat we build is customized to suit the crew. The list price is $32,000. Due to the unique layup used in this construction, we only make them certain times of the year, so if it’s a boat you think might be a good addition to your fleet, start the conversation with us now.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

The post Pocock’s C8: The Perfect Rowing Shell for Teaching Big Guys to Pull Really Hard appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

Come see at the San Diego Crew Classic next weekend!

This unruly older sibling to the flagship Hypercarbon V8 is a blend of new materials and a modified layup schedule, bringing the ultimate rowing machine to America’s best crews. The combination of theHypercarbon Comp V8 hull and the next-generation G6 Carbon Wing brings racing shells to a place reserved for Formula 1 race cars, high-tech aerospace, and the bleeding edge of carbon composites.

The evolution began with the race-proven Hypercarbon V8, winner of multiple NCAA and IRA national championships. We took this shell, Pocock Racing Shells’ flagship, and gave it a makeover. A newly engineered layup of strategically placed, high-modulus unidirectional carbon fiber has allowed the Hypercarbon Comp gains in longitudinal stiffness upwards of 30% over its predecessor. Both models surpass any other shell available worldwide in torsional stiffness. When we combine the performance of this shell with the esthetics of the clear-coated, woven carbon cockpit, the product is a breathtaking departure from the norm, and a shell that all of us at Pocock Racing Shells are incredibly
proud of.

The G6 Wing

Standard on the Hypercarbon Comp V8 is Pocock Racing Shells’ sixth generation of carbon-composite wing riggers. The G6 wing is a beautiful, functional blend of the best materials available, and the end result is a truly rugged carbon fiber wing that is 40% stiffer in deflection than its predecessor.

And While You’re in San Diego, Enter the #WhiteBoatsWinning Photo Contest!

Simply snap a photo from regatta day, and upload it to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, use the hashtag #whiteboatswinning, and tag @pocockracing.

We’ll pick one winner each hour Saturday and Sunday while the regatta’s going on. What do you win? A stab at our bin o’ prizes – full of tshirts, fleeces, belts, hats, and more great Pocock swag. Stop by the booth and check the white board to see the list of winners, or check out our Facebook page.

The post Check Out the New 2013 Hypercarbon Comp V8 Racing Shell appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

Location: Everett, WA
Salary: DOE, plus benefits including PTO, 100% paid health care and dental, life insurance, profit sharing, and generous 401k

Pocock Racing Shells, a 100+ year old boat building company committed to the sport of rowing, is known throughout the rowing world as a leader in boat design innovation. We see a need in the sport for a new electronics product, and have started development on a prototype.

We are currently seeking an Electronics R&D Engineer to lead the development of this new consumer electronics product. This person will oversee all aspects of the project, including circuitry, software, sensor design, packaging, testing, and manufacturing. He or she will perform hands-on engineering tasks such as soldering, embedding systems prototyping, debugging, and testing.

Duties:
- Overall project management from prototype to completion.
- Write and maintain software for microcontrollers.
- Design and maintain embedded circuitry.
- Design, build, calibrate, and test sensors.
- Evaluate and propose design changes in response to testing and customer feedback.
- Manage low-quantity component supply chain.
- Develop new features as project progresses.

Required Skills:
- Ability to design digital and analog circuits involving sensors, LCD displays, and wireless communications.
- Electronics prototyping techniques including hand-building of circuits and soldering.
- Strong hands-on and creative problem solving skills.
- Proactive, strong decision-maker with risk-assessment and contingency planning skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management abilities.

Desired Skills:
- Ability to read/write software in C
- Ability to create and analyze PCB layouts for good layout and engineering practices.
- Solid analytical skills for root cause failure analysis of electronics circuits.
- Mechanical aptitude for construction of prototype packaging.

Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.
- 1-5 year experience in embedded systems development.

Desired Experience:
- Experience in wireless communication.

To Apply:
Send your resume, cover letter, and answers to these two questions to Bill Tytus - bill@pocock.com.

1. Describe an embedded electronics project or product that you have designed. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

2. Given the following requirements, what wireless protocol would you recommend using?
- One transmitter, one receiver configuration
- Distance: 100 feet over water
- Data rate: 256 bytes per second
- Receivable by a standard consumer phone or tablet
- Least cost, all the above being satisfied

No phone calls please.

The post Electrical Engineer Job Opening at Pocock appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

Marketing Manager:

Location: Everett, WA
Salary: DOE, plus benefits including PTO, 100% paid health care and dental, life insurance, profit sharing, and generous 401k

The Marketing Manager will be involved with the development and implementation of Pocock’s brand and marketing plans, including:

• Community management (via existing and emerging social media platforms)
• Educational initiatives (via blogging, white papers, and downloads)
• Brand messaging strategy maintenance
• Coach-Con development, expansion, and implementation
• Customer service and support strategy
• Online and print advertising maintenance and oversight
• Website maintenance and oversight

Desired Skills & Experience

Required Experience:

• At least one year experience in a marketing role
• Exceptional writing skills
• A proactive, entrepreneurial attitude and diligent follow through and high attention to detail
• Social media community management experience
• Experience with multi-channeled campaigns, and the ability to have a hand in them from strategy to implementation
• Creativity and forward thinking approach to marketing and branding

Desired Experience:

• Past experience rowing or coaching rowing, or knowledge of the sport of rowing
• Past experience participating or coaching at the Division I collegiate level (any sport)
• WordPress editing and general website maintenance knowledge
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite programs

This role is an excellent opportunity to creatively connect with our current customers, and work to expand our business development endeavors. Pocock has gone through explosive growth the past two years, and there is strong potential for the right person to be extremely successful expanding the brand. Some domestic travel required, but this is not a road-warrior position by any means. Email Amy Winner with your resume, cover letter, information on any past Division I college athletic experience, salary requirements, and two writing samples to Amy Winner – amy@pocock.com

About Pocock Racing Shells

At Pocock, we have a unique company culture that we’ve been nurturing along for over 100 years. We’ve never looked for short cuts or quick fixes to grow our business; it’s predominantly done by building great boats and letting word-of-mouth and happy customers do the rest. Building relationships is just as important as building our quality boats by hand, and at the end of the day, we like to be able to look back and feel like our customers aren’t just customers, they’re friends. Our employees are universally passionate about building the best racing shells in the world, and delivering unparalleled customer service that sets our customers up for success.

We’re a small, lean business, and there’s no room for employees who aren’t able to take initiative, work constructively with others, and tackle tasks that they may not have past experience with. Boat building at Pocock is a completely unique craft, and we can teach you everything you need to know about our process.

To learn more about what makes us tick, see:

• Our Mission Statement
• What Makes Pocock Different
• The 2013 Pocock Boat Catalog
• Pocock’s 100 Year History
• Coach-Con Collegiate Assistants’ Convention

The post Marketing Manager Job Opening at Pocock appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

We only have a few of these rudders on the water so far, but initial feedback has been overwhelmingly good. Perhaps – as one coach said – even a fix for “rudder-happy” coxswains?? Here’s what coaches (who row on very windy rivers and know a thing or two about turns) are saying:

“Initial review is that the boat TURNS with these suckers on there. We can hit any and every corner we encounter on the river now, no problem, and probably have turning force to spare.”

“We’ve got some 50-70 degree bends in the river and it’s really nice to be able to hold the line; with the old rudders the coxswains would either have to slide out to the middle or get one side hard on power. Today I noticed the eight staying full (even) power and the cox just stayed locked on the line all the way around the turn. It also seems like she had no problem finding ‘straight’ which was something I’ve noticed being a problem with other brand’s big rudders – the boats can wander a little out of turns.”

To see if your existing fin is compatible with this new head race rudder, check out the service bulletin here. The new fins are $37, and both the sprint and head race rudders are $43 (all the same price as before). To get your hands on one of our new head race rudders, email Dave with your ordering info.

The post Ready for the Head Races! New Rudder Makes Big Turns Easy appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

The post 2013 Boat Catalog appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

The past two years we’ve gone through explosive growth, and we need to add a few new people to our Pocock family. Personality, worth ethic, and honesty are the most important qualities to us; our craft is highly specialized, and we can teach you practically everything else you need to know.

All these positions are full time, with excellent benefits including health, dental, and life insurance, paid vacation and sick time, 401k, and profit sharing.

Research & Development:

–this job has been filled–

Location: Everett, WA
Seeking a full-time employee with insatiable curiosity to help with our ever-expanding list of R&D projects. No special degree or previous experience required, just a passion for solving problems through creativity, and the ability to run with ideas. Send Bill Tytus an email with a brief description of what you’re currently tinkering with – bill@pocock.com

Business Development:

–this job has been filled–

Location: TBD, looking for the right fit. Location is secondary.
Seeking a full-time employee to help with our expanding sales initiatives. Prior sales experience not necessarily required, but a passion for rowing and an understanding for crews’ needs are a must. Email John Tytus – john@pocock.com

Marketing:

Location: Everett, WA
Seeking a full time addition to our office staff to grow our marketing and education initiatives. While a plus, prior marketing experience is not required; exceptional writing skills, an outgoing and engaging personality, and rowing experience are. Some domestic travel required, but this is not a road-warrior position by any means. Email Amy Winner with your resume, past rowing experience, salary requirements, and two writing samples (no college assignments, please) – amy@pocock.com

Boatbuilders:

–this job has been filled–

Location: Everett, WA
Seeking additional full-time fabricators to add to our shop. Requirements: demonstrated track record of responsible, careful, and diligent work and excellent work habits. All other aspects of the work can be taught here. Experience with composites, metals, wood, hand tools, and measuring equipment considered a plus. Email John Tytus – john@pocock.com – with responses to the following questions:

1. Complete employment experience, from first job to current.
2. The contact information for three people who can speak to the quality of your work.
3. Extent of education.
4. A short paragraph on what you would bring to our company.
5. Any other pertinent information you think we should know about you.

The post Rowing Jobs Open at Pocock Racing Shells appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

When we designed the new fin, we used our CNC machine to ensure a high tolerance, which allows for a superior fit between the fin, rudder and fin box. Previous fins and fin boxes were fabricated on hand-made fixtures, of much lower tolerance. We imagined a seamless integration, allowing for the new Sprint Style fin to work in older model fin boxes, but not the other way around. Also, we designed the new Sprint Style fin to work with an old model rudder.

Any Pocock boat built after June 15, 2011 will have been shipped with the newly designed fin box, and the Sprint Style Fin and Rudder combination. In an attempt to make the whole system more user-friendly, we have also designed a larger rudder which works with the existing fin. This will allow for better turning on rivers and head race courses. We will be discontinuing the Head Race Style Fin and Rudder as of November 10, 2012.

To identify a new Sprint Style Fin, locate the back end of the fin tang, and look for a rounded profile. This is the fin implemented in June, 2011. The now discontinued fin had a triangular back end of the fin tang.

To order replacement parts, visit our Fins parts page and our Rudder parts page.

The post Service Bulletin for SPRINT STYLE FIN and RUDDER appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

In 1998, the Hypercarbon V8 debuted as the first winged sweep boat, and was immediately successful because it featured a fast, comfortable hull shape, and gained exponential stiffness thanks to the wing riggers. It’s been reserved for top level crews who were meticulous about equipment. But many of our customers appreciate the purpose-driven construction of our Standard Line boats, and for years have been asking us to make a V8 for them.

Cue: the Core V8.

It’s the same hull shape and size of the Hypercarbon V8, but is made with materials that are a little more durable. We’ve already built a handful of the Core V8′s, and think that they’ll be great additions to our customers’ fleets. It’s perfect for club programs, novices, or work boats for the fall. The best part? It’s under $30,000.

Here are a few details about the new Core V8: features T-6 aluminum extrusion wing riggers, Pocock rowing shoes, and improved Pocock Racing Shells plastic seats. Available sizes are small, medium, and large, and the Core V8 weighs less than 10% more than the Hypercarbon V8.

• Price: $29,900

Unlike many other boat builders’ least expensive models, we don’t just use less expensive materials. Our constructions are each purpose-driven, meaning we find the best materials for the intended use, and design a boat to do exactly what we’ve promised. We whole-heartedly believe that this new Core construction will become the core of many fleets. It’s durable, hard-wearing, and stiff, but it’s not one of those beater boats that rowers loathe carrying down to the dock.

Some more fun news to report – we also are getting ready to unveil a third V8 model. You may have seen rogue pictures of the clear-coat carbon pan V8′s that we had in development last summer. We’re incorporating some of the new technology we’ve developed while working on another new boat in the works (yep, the one you’ve all been hearing about for a while now…), and are eager to pass the improvements onto our existing catalog of boats. Look for an official announcement about the Hypercarbon V8′s new big brother later this fall…

The post Meet Our Newest Racing Shell: The Core V8 appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.

“I started my coaching career with Pococks, I’ve experimented with many other top manufacturers, but I’ve returned to Pocock because they help my athletes go their fastest. Great product, great personal service, great innovation, and made in the USA.”

 -Bebe Bryans, Head Coach, University of Wisconsin Women’s Rowing

“Our first K4 found its way into our program when an alumnus insisted on donating a Pocock, and it sure stood out in our boathouse and on the water. Every one of our crews that rowed in it went faster. The run that they were able to squeeze out of the K4 convinced me to buy another. We now have 11.”

-Bill Stekl, Head Coach, Amherst College

“Even though we don’t have the equipment budget to buy a new 8+ every year, I know my athletes have the same equipment advantage as the crews racing in brand new shells. The Pococks we raced in at NCAA’s are 13 years old, and they are as stiff and fast as the day we bought them.”

-Robin Meiggs, Humboldt State University Head Coach
2012 NCAA National Champions – Team, 8, and 4; CRCA DII Coach of the Year

Huge thanks to these three coaches for supporting us and choosing choose to row in our racing shells every day, and to all the coaches and athletes out there for making our boats go fast.

Would you like to be featured in one of our ads? Email fastboats@pocock.com

The post Check out the New Ads for our Racing Shells appeared first on Elite Racing Shells for Rowing.