Yesterday, I got a buddy of mine to take video of me as I rowed under a convenient bridge so I could get a better idea of what my catch angle it. Here are the videos
From the second video, I grabbed a frame and drew some angles:
This makes it look like my catch angle is about 45 degrees. I’m not an expert, but references that I have seen say that I should be trying to get to a catch angle closer to 65 degrees. This measurement is not all that accurate, but I think that I should probably do some experimentation with decreasing my span. The only problem is that I have already cranked my oars down as short as they can go and I will need to decrease inboard when I reduce span. (Maybe it’s time to buy some shorter oars?)
Quantified Rowing 
Are you reading the discussion on catch angle and gearing on rec.sport.rowing?
You may end up with something that “feels” heavy and undynamic and may end up slower in racing. I cannot watch Youtube at this moment, so I have to ask: were you rowing race pace/stroke rate when the video was shot?
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I was rowing at about r24, but I was trying to get to full compression at the catch. There were too many weeds and turns to really crank up the stroke rate.
I am determined to only do this if I can keep my gearing about the same, so I’d need to shorten my oars to make it work. I am certain that I don’t want a higher load.
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On the idea of the “correct” angle to get to at the catch, check out Biorow who suggest around 114 degree arc with about 68-70 at the catch
Click to access 2011rowbiomnews04.pdf
Id be a bit cautious about making decisions on catch angles and the like taken from a video on the bank, I think its a little too easy for perspective etc to trick the measurements you are making! I think it would be better instead to measure and set up a catch angle “goal” in the boat and then see if you are reaching that. I do this in sweep boats quite a lot with Zip ties or straws as mentioned here
http://www.row2k.com/columns/664/Coach-Tricks–The-Reach-Straw/
For sculling I would imagine it could be done with a stiff piece of wire bent at 90 degrees attached to the top of the wing bent downwards so that at the “correct” angle the blade shaft is touching the wire
Once you have done that and you are sure you need more length, I would read this and see how to correctly adjust the rig to get more arc (i.e. you should adjust span and inboard at the same time) and the justification as to why this is the best
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That’s a great idea. I’ll measure out the angle with the boat at the dock and try to figure out a way to measure where the handles are. Since my Fluid is a bow rigged boat, I’d probably have to mount something to the foot stretcher and have a wire poking up from there.
Or maybe I should just buy the Oar inspired stuff and really go to town with instrumented oarlocks!
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Yeah I have seen some people put the measurement off the footplate so that is one option, although I am not sure how easy that would be with the holes in the side of the boat as Fluid does it, if you work it out it’d be good to see!
Obviously when the Oarinspired kit comes out thatll be the easiest way of doing it, when I did my day with Biorow it was very easy to see the angles that I was getting from the data I was presented with!
https://rowingmusings.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/a-day-with-biorow/
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