In some boat classes there is more than one boat mould choice in the same weight category -- M20 vs M26, M27 vs M40. In other cases, you may be trying to decide which sizing is best and that may affect the choice of shape -- as in M9+ vs M7+. If after reading the descriptions on this website you cannot decide, it's best to phone or email.

The weight is an important issue to consider, as it is largely misunderstood consideration. We list weight as less than a certain weight, (say <160lbs), but this is our best recommendation based on general customer preferences. It's important to recognise that junior girls, for example, could phyically row a 190lbs boat, and 190lbs masters men could row a 155lbs quad. There is overlap, and there is a matter of preference.

Some of the differences in the moulds do not reflect a difference in the boat under the waterline, but the amount of freeboard showing. The matter of freeboard in the end decks may come down to personal preference: some folks don't like much freeboard as it adds to wind drag, while other folks don't like seeing water getting close to the end decks in rough water.

The choice in sizing also affects(more importantly) the height of the seat off the water. We have some general rules that we follow regarding where we like the seat height to be for various crews, and even though seat height is adjustable, we do base all rigger height and shoe depth measurements off of that initial seat height.

While this section is relatively straight forward, there is some consideration necessary for boats with conversion rigging, most notably the pair/doubles and the four/quads.

The FISA minimum boat weight for both pairs and doubles is 27kg, so when we make pairs we use a heavier (and also less expensive) weave in the laminate to improve torsional stiffness. When rigged as a double, this boat will be heavier than 27kg given the weight of the riggers vs. the pair. Although few people in the US & Canada are concerned with the minimum boat requirements of the national governing bodies and the FISA rules, we typically encourage folks to get the boat made as a pair and add double riggers. The boat has improved durability and stiffness for both configurations, and there is substantial price savings going this route.

All three options are suitable to elite-level crews, and so there are a few simple rules to consider as you weigh out the options:

You'll find that our boats have adequate adjustments in them for fine-tuning as you go, but this section will help us get you started in the right direction. Have a look at the owner's manual (available online) if you don't know what measurements are best for you. For those ordering sculling boats, we typically build a 1cm height differential into the riggers (starboard over port).

In ordering sweep riggers, all of the boats can be starboard rigged, but additional riggers are necessary for bucket rigging the light and midweight bow coxed M9+ and all of the eights.

3-stay riggers make it possible to bucket rig but the range of spread is significantly reduced.

(All spreads and spans are measured from the slides, not the flange of the saxboards.)

The white finish on the typical Sykes in a blended gel coat finish that goes on all of our boats. If you want colours other than white, it takes an additional step to spray the boat with a polyurethane paint. (These are a single stage paint, not basecoat-clear coat, which we do not recommend.) There is an additional charge for painting:

Striping has changed this year, and we're now using broader diagonal deck stripes with no pin striping; just as was used by the crews racing in Sykes boats at the Beijing Olympics. We can still do the traditional pin striping on request. (A quick clue on conversion from inches to millimetres: a 24mm stripe is about 1inch thick.

The choice of rigger (Section 4) is most pronounced in the big boats when you have to choose between 3-stay and wing-rigged boats. The wing-rigged boats have the benefit of improved torsional stiffness, but have decreased longitudinal stiffness. The wing-rig also offers more hip room in the boat, and that's the reason we don't offer the 3-stay option in the smaller more narrow boats. If you don't have a preference between the two options, it's best to phone or email for our recommendations.

The standard seat (Section 5) for the HC and HKCC boats is the Dreher-made carbon seat. Most folks find it very comfortable. Some folks like the added cushion of the synthetic seat, but it is significantly heavier insofar as seats are concerned.

The footstretcher option (Section 6) is mostly a matter of shoe sizing as the footstretcher boards are standard features based on the construction materials that you order. The sizes we order are given in US men's sizes, but many folks find that the New Wave shoes are about a half-size too small. Given that, and the fact most folks don't like tight shoes, we recommend that folks order one size larger than their usual running shoe. Women can order in women's sizes and we make the adjustment to the men's size when ordering the shoes.