'Product Review’: AVE Rowing Single
I am writing this post with shaky hands, as I recover from my 2nd day at Leander and the 2nd day of testing. Yesterday was a fantastic day! We started off with a 12km paddle where I was in a double, despite the boat being set up wrong (I think the lightweights had been using it), the session actually went very well. We then did a 30min test, during which I had one of the worst mid-row stitches I’ve ever had! Note to self: Don’t drink lots of water before a threshold piece.
Today was the same in terms of water work, but we tested max upper body weights, it was something different and interesting to finally see how strong I actually was. But enough of that, onto what really matters – the review.
Last Saturday I was lucky enough to be given the chance to trial a new single at Leicester Rowing Club. AVE are a young boat company based in Portugal, they formally began in 2016 and have grown in strength since then. I’d seen them pop up on my social media several times and I was intrigued by the brand. From first seeing them I thought their boats looked very nice, so I was curious to see what they felt like as well.
I had never sculled with reverse wing riggers before and the prospect was actually a pretty daunting one. I’m not sure why, but there’s something comforting about have a rigger in front of you. Nevertheless, within only a few strokes I was used to this change and by the end of my short session I was in love with it! Not having the rigger there was almost freeing and I felt such a different sensation at the catch. I felt much more connected and able get good length, despite the boat being set up for someone much taller than me.
During the paddle I switched up the rates and even down at r16 the boat didn’t feel twitchy. Speaking to Gualter afterwards he told me that when designed/building the boat, Ave chose to take weight from the hull and add weight to the ends of the riggers. This provides a superb sense of balance whilst not detracting from the speed of the boat, and I must say at the higher rates the boat really did feel like it was flying. Which is apt consider the company slogan is ‘Come fly with us’ (Ave is Portuguese for bird). Having recently been rowing in a Sims Evolution it was a nice change, as I had found myself struggling with the twitchiness of the boat at lower rates.
Ave singles have a stiff hull, build to last, and once in the boat I definitely felt like I was in a well build vessel. Considering its amazing price point, I was honestly shocked at how much I enjoyed the experience. To really test the boat I also did some race starts. At first it was more difficult for me (I think mainly due to the reverse riggers), but on the 3rd start I found my footing and boy did this boat want to get zippy. I easily found myself climbing up to rate 38, something I’d never achieved in a single before. Settling after 20 strokes onto r30 I didn’t even feel like the boat had gotten any slower. It wanted to run with me and if I knew the river better I think I would have let it.
I came off the water with a big grin on my face. Something I wasn’t expecting in all honesty, but I’m so glad I took the chance to test it out. Now I’ve just got to start saving and (most importantly)…choose what colour I want.
Balance: 8/10
Speed: 8/10
Price: 10/10
Appearance: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
All in all, a great boat and something I would definitely recommend for a junior or intermediate sculler.
Natalie x
