Racing Shells Construction/materials

// Making Fast Faster //

As part of celebrating our 20th year, for all orders for Racing Shells in Elite Carbon grade we will give a free upgrade to Carbon Pro. (Carbon Pro orders will be charged at Elite Carbon prices.) Carbon Pro uses pre-preg carbon skins for our lightest, stiffest and fastest ever Racing Shells. This is for orders received between 12 May and 31 December 2025.
Talk to your local Distributor for details.

Swift’s Racing Shells are manufactured using high quality materials and proven production processes, heat-cured under vacuum using epoxy resins and sandwich construction for maximum structural integrity and stiffness. We offer various grades, with varying materials to provide a wide range of customers with boats ideal for their needs at great prices.

Grades

Each grade is finished to the same high standard, but has a different price point, and may be more suitable for certain situations and environments.

All Swift racing shells share these features;

  • "Sandwich" construction (ie. A core material such as honeycomb, coremat, or PVC foam is sandwiched between 2 "skins").

  • Epoxy resin, cured at high temperture, under vacuum.

  • Enclosed seat decks for maximum buoyancy (exceed FISA's requirement).

:: Carbon Pro - (since 2023)

Overview
For when every second counts.

Hull & Saxboards
Honeycomb core with inner and outer skin of prepreg carbon, and prepreg carbon reinforcing.

Canvas Decks & Seat Deck
Honeycomb core with inner and outer skin of prepreg carbon.

:: Elite Carbon

Overview
For use in top level competition.

Hull & Saxboards
Honeycomb core with inner and outer skin of carbon, and carbon reinforcing.

Canvas Decks
Honeycomb core with inner skin of prepreg carbon, outer skin of carbon.

Seat Deck
Closed cell PVC foam core with carbon skins..

:: Elite Plus

Overview
For use in top level competition.

Hull
Honeycomb core with inner skin of mostly prepreg carbon for 2s, 4s and 8s
carbon for 1s, outer shin of prepreg K&C for 2s, 4s and 8s
carbon for 1s, and prepreg carbon reinforcing for 2s, 4s and 8s
carbon reinforcing for 1s

Saxboards
Honeycomb core with inner skin of prepreg carbon, outer shin of prepreg K&C, and prepreg carbon reinforcing

Canvas Decks
Honeycomb core with prepreg carbon skins.

Seat Deck
Closed cell PVC foam core with inner and outer skin of prepreg carbon.

:: Club A

Overview
Mainly for training purposes, although with only a small weight disadvantage over Elite Plus boats, can still be highly competitive.

Hull
Coremat core with kevlar skin, and carbon reinforcing.

Saxboards
Honeycomb core for 2s, 4s and 8s, closed cell PVC foam for 1s, with carbon and kevlar skins, and carbon reinforcing.

Canvas Decks
Honeycomb core with Prepreg FG skins.

Seat Deck
Closed cell PVC foam core with prepreg carbon skins.

:: Club B

Overview
Specifically built for training purposes. Quite heavy, but great “work horses”. This construction is relatively easy to repair.

Hull
Coremat core with fibreglass skins.

Saxboards
Honeycomb core for 2s, 4s and 8s, closed cell foam for 1s, with fibreglass skins, and carbon reinforcing.

Canvas Decks
Honeycomb core with Prepreg FG skins.

Seat Deck
Closed cell PVC foam core with fibreglass skins.

Boat weight

  • Carbon Pro with Carbon Reverse Wing Riggers are guaranteed at or below FISA minimum weight.
  • Carbon Pro with Aluminium Reverse Wing Riggers are at or below FISA minimum weight, except 1x at 14.3kg maximum.
  • Elite Carbon and Elite Plus are at or near FISA minimum weight.
  • Club A is APPROXIMATELY heavier than Elite Plus by 2kgs (4.4lbs) for 1s, 2.5kgs (5.5lbs) for 2s, 4kgs (8.8lbs) for 4s, 8kgs (17.6lbs) for 8s.
  • Club B is APPROXIMATELY heavier than Club A by 1.5kgs (3.3lbs) for 1s, 1.5kgs (3.3lbs) for 2s, 3kgs (6.6lbs) for 4s.

Fore more details contact your Distributor.

  • For all sculling boats that are underweight, we provide enough steel weights to meet World Rowing minimum weights for sculling. We do not provide extra steel weights for sweep boats that are underweight.
  • CPro or Elite Plus grade Pairs (2-) and Straight Fours (4-) will normally be less than World Rowing minimum weights. If customer want the boat to be built at the WR minimum, they need to mention this clearly in the Additional Notes page of the Order Form.

A note about general rowing boat construction

Sandwich construction (an inner and outer skin, with a core in between) is ideal for building stiff but lightweight boats. Carbon, kevlar or fiberglass cloths and a core material, usually honeycomb or Lantor coremat, are treated with resin and then heat-cured under vacuum at high temperatures. 

Honeycomb is the material of choice for the core in hulls for boats to be used for racing due to its low weight, while Lantor coremat or similar is preferred for “club” boats, where durability, easy repair and cost are more important that minimum weight.