EmPower Oarlock
Get simple technical feedback while you row with the EmPower Oarlock system. Install in minutes with no special tools, and see information about your length, engagement and power right on your SpeedCoach Model 2 with Training Pack.
The EmPower Oarlock requires a SpeedCoach GPS Model 2 with Training Pack firmware. If you have a SpeedCoach GPS 2, but it doesn't have the Training Pack firmware upgrade, you can upgrade now.
Not sure if the EmPower Oarlock will work on your boat?
Practical Feedback
after Every Stroke
Three steps to Free Speed

Step 1.
Replace your existing sweep or sculling oarlock with the EmPower Oarlock.

Step 2.
Pair it with a SpeedCoach GPS 2 with Training Pack.

Step 3.
Get simple feedback about your length, blade engagement, and force on the SpeedCoach screen while you row.
Extra:
For deeper insights over time, upload the Oarlock data directly to a mobile device or computer.
Three Major Areas of Technical Feedback
Length
Catch Angle: Long strokes make fast boats. Make sure you reach full compression every time with instant feedback on your length at the catch.
Finish Angle: When is the best time to release your blade from the water? Set and hit solid targets with real-time information on your length at the finish.
Blade Engagement
Slip: Compression at the catch means nothing unless your blade is locked onto the water. Keep an eye on slip to minimize wasted reach.
Wash: A good send makes all the difference. Stay confident in your connection at the finish with stroke-by-stroke feedback on your wash.
Force
Empty the tank at precisely the right moment when you pace yourself with work or power.
Stay accountable in team boats: know exactly how much energy you’re putting into the oar.
Classic Screen

Paired with an EmPower Oarlock in Classic Mode, the SpeedCoach GPS 2 with Training Pack still has the same four windows it always did, but now you can customize those windows with any of the following metrics:
- Stroke Rate
- Effective Stroke Length
- Current 500m Split
- Distance Traveled Per Stroke
- Average 500m Split
- Power
- Stroke Count
- Average Power
- Total Distance
- Work
- Catch Angle
- Average Work
- Slip
- Peak Force
- Finish Angle
- Oar Angle at Peak Force
- Wash
- Force (average over whole stroke)
- Total Stroke Length
- Elapsed Time
- Heart Rate
Skill Screens
Focus on specific aspects of the stroke with five dedicated Skill Screens.
Catch and Slip
- See how the oar angle at the catch affects how quickly the blade is engaged.
- Keep athletes in team boats focused on the front end of the stroke so they can align their catch angles better.

Finish and Wash
- Quickly determine whether changing the amount of layback is helpful or hurtful to find the sweet spot for back-end length.
- Monitor Wash throughout a race or practice piece to make sure fatigue doesn’t affect how powerfully you’re sending the boat.

Length
- Stay long and connected in the last 500.
- See Total Length and Effective Length at the same time to make sure you’re getting the most out of every inch of your drive.

Work (joules):
- Use a performance metric that is unaffected by current, wind, weight or stroke rate.
- Measure individual contribution in team boats to keep athletes accountable and help them improve.

Power (watts):
- Continue your dryland training on the water with the same metric used in many ergometer workouts.
- Pace yourself more accurately in races with a performance metric that is not influenced by factors outside the boat.

Testimonials

"It makes rowing more intellectual, conscious, better control. What we feel is very different from what we really do. This measurement tool is objective."

"You certainly have something there that athletes will like! Your system is actually quite a good help for us at this stage. Everything works so easily and without changing anything on the boat, it is indeed helping us!"

"This system helped us so much in becoming better technical rowers. We were able to set up our foot stretchers to exactly match the angles at the catch and finish together. Seeing angles, slip, wash, and force measurements made us work on every stroke to be longer, more efficient, and faster. This is the best tool for rowers since the invention of the SpeedCoach."
Specifications | |||
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Included in Package |
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Water Resistance | Waterproof (IP67, NEMA-6). | ||
Control Unit Weight | sweep: 0.63lbs (288g) (including magnet bar), scull 55lbs (251g) (including magnet bar) | ||
Unit Dimensions | 6.5"x4"x1.75" | ||
Controls | One waterproof button for pairing/power | ||
Battery Type | AA battery | ||
Battery Life Expectancy | Rechargeable AA's can provide 8-20 hours of operation | ||
Case | Impact resistant (MIL-STD-810G, Transit Shock, Method 516.5, Procedure IV). Sun and saltwater resistant. | ||
Warranty Period | 2 Year Warranty |
Measurements | |||
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Metric | Units | Range | Notes |
Catch Angle | Angular Degrees | Angle of the oarlock when direction of motion reverses from recovery to drive direction. | |
Effective Length | Angular Degrees | Total degrees traversed by the oarlock between the 100N for sculling/200N for sweep slip and wash thresholds. | |
Finish Angle | Angular Degrees | Angle of the oarlock when direction of motion reverses from drive to recovery direction | |
Force | Newtons | to 1/10 | The force applied to the oarlock face averaged over the full stroke. |
Max/Peak Force | Newtons | to 1/10 | The maximum force applied to the oarlock face at any point in the stroke. |
Peak Force Angle | Angular Degrees | The degrees of angle at which the peak force occurred in the stroke. | |
Power | Watts | to 1/10 | The rate of work being output. Power can be increased by doing more work per stroke, or taking more strokes per minute. |
Average Power | Watts | to 1/10 | Power per stroke averaged over the entire interval (if using a SpeedCoach). Resetting the clock will reset the average power. |
Slip | Angular Degrees | Angle degrees traversed by the oarlock before the force exceeds 100N for sculling/200N for sweep - a threshold below which the work being done on the oar is doing relatively little to increase the speed of the boat. | |
Wash | Angular Degrees | Angle degrees traversed by the oarlock after the force drops below 100N for sculling/200N for sweep – a threshold below which the work being done on the oar is doing relatively little to increase the speed of the boat. | |
Work | Joules | to 1/10 | The force times the length of the stroke. Work measures the effectiveness of each stroke. |
Average Work | Joules | to 1/10 | The average force times the length of the stroke. Work measures the effectiveness of each stroke. |
Length | Angular Degrees | Total degrees traversed by the oarlock between catch and finish. | |
Effective Length | Angular Degrees | Total degrees traversed by the oarlock between the 100N for sculling/200N for sweep slip and wash thresholds. |
LiNK is NK’s connected environment which greatly expands the performance improving capabilities of the SpeedCoach GPS platform. The LiNK environment will include Bluetooth® low energy wireless connectivity to heart rate belts, sensors, phones, tablets, PC’s (dongle required) and Macs as well as cloud connectivity, web analytics and real-time tracking via apps. At the moment, our LiNK features include:
- Wirelessly transfer just go and workout interval data to PC or Mac, Ios, or Android device for viewing and storage.
- Export data to charting and analysis programs, such as Excel, via CSV.
- Export data to FIT file format to enable transfer to third-party websites, such as Endomondo, Strava and any FIT-compatible site.
Note: Bluetooth® low energy products will NOT work with ANT+ heart rate belts. Bluetooth ® low energy belts are compatible with all iOS fitness tracking apps.
NK offers LiNK programs for Windows and OS X, which require the use of a NK Bluetooth Low Energy USB Dongle to provide compatible Bluetooth support. We also have the NK app for iOS and Android, allowing you to download and save your SpeedCoach data before you even leave the boathouse.
Learn More about LiNK | Get LiNK Now! |
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LiNK for Windows | |
LiNK for OSX | |
LiNK for iOS | |
LiNK for Android |