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The Cambridge Recreational Shell The Cambridge is considered an open water recreational shell. I bought it because there are times when I want to scull in places that don't have boat ramps. Other times, I prefer to car top rather than pull a trailer. The Cambridge is perfect for both of those situations. It is built using carbon fiber which is lighter and stronger than fiberglass. The result is a boat with a carry weight of less than 40 pounds that I can easily transport on top of my truck and carry to the water. I love owning my own boat because it allows me the freedom to go when and where I want to go. I like exploring different places, beyond the limitations imposed by membership in a rowing club. Learning the basics of sculling in the Cambridge took me about an hour on the water. After sculling around the dock for a while I took off and did an 8 mile row. I found the instructional DVD that came with the boat to be very helpful. My recommendation is that anyone sculling for the first time should watch it several times. The DVD is geared to sculling in shells but the principles apply to any sliding seat sculling boat. I have done the Wye Island Regatta twice in the Cambridge and felt completely safe
the entire time. The boat glides over 2 foot waves with ease and no water has ever come into the cockpit area (except
for the sweat dripping off me). I chose the Cambridge because it is wider and more stable than a racing shell and still quite fast. At this time I don't foresee myself trying out for the Olympics any time soon. I scull because it is fun and great exercise. It makes me feel good. Little River Marine builds several different shells, including narrow, racing models. If you want to row as fast as possible the Olympus may be the boat for you. I chose Little River boats because they represent the best balance of quality and value. In a shell, the first few strokes are easier than in a dory like the Heritage. My Cambridge gets up to speed more quickly than the Heritage. Shells are faster, lighter and more responsive than dories. The trade off is that you can't load them up with people and stuff like you can the Heritage. Storing the Cambridge is very easy. I carry it to the back yard and put it on a rack under the deck. At less than 40 pounds (carbon fiber), it is light enough for one person to handle. I often go out sculling by myself and prefer to trade a little speed for the additional stability that a recreational shell provides when the water gets a little rough. m
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