Hello, I am an avid "row troller". This means I row and fish at the same time by putting out three lines and attaching large lures in hopes of catching an elusive muskie. Great sport! However, especially in the summertime, I suffer from "Rower's Rash". To put it bluntly, my rear gets very sore, blistered, etc. Since I am an oddity up here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, no conventional fisherman has been able to give me ideas on how to alleviate this problem. I thought maybe you folks could. Right now I usually sit on a boat cushion on my live well. I'm pretty sure the friction of sliding back and forth causes the blisters. Although, I have also sat in a stationary plastic fishing seat and that did not seem to help, either. Any ideas? These sliding seats I see via the internet-do they help? How far on a track do they slide? Do you still need to add a gel cover on the sliding seat? Would it help if I installed foot rests and stirrups? Please let me know what the proper procedure is to remedy this situation and where I can find the correct gear. Thank you so very much, Patricia

-- Patricia Strutz (jimbehm@newnorth.net), January 18, 2003

Answers

Dear Patricia,

I have been building human-powered fishing boats for many years. Some of my clients are even avid row trollers. None, that I know of, practices trolling while rowing with a slide, but most of my fishing boats come standard with woven cane seats. Cane seats conform to the rower's bottom and allow excellent transfer of heat and moisture. This may, or may not, be the answer to your problem, but I can say that I get few complaints about comfort. If this works for you, please let me know. Good luck.

Andre de Bardelaben

-- Andre de Bardelaben (middlepath@aol.com), January 19, 2003.

P.S.

Footrests will definitely be an improvement. They will reduce sliding (friction) on the seat and increase the efficiency of your stroke. Anyone who thinks that fixed-seat rowers don't use their legs has probably never rowed a properly set up fixed-seat boat.

Yours again,

Andre

-- Andre de Bardelaben (middlepath@aol.com), January 19, 2003.

Patricia,

Another idea is to use what is refered to as a 'biker-butt-balm' type of cream. I use a cream which has a bees wax base but there are many available. Check at serious bicycle shops or on the internet, you should be able to find a few creams to try. There is a good road bike shop in Wausau, but most of the other shops I have been to in N. Wisconsin cater to the mountain bikers and they might not have the same unique situation as a road biker. Apply a light amount of the cream to affected areas and it will act as a barrier and a slight lubricant; kind of like putting moleskin on your butt! (but I wouldnt suggest that). I am not a rower but a long distance bicyclist and I'll bet we share the same type of friction problems caused by pressures on the skin, clothing, and hard surfaces.

Good luck, -Janice

-- Janice BP (janicebp2002@yahoo.com), October 21, 2003.