Choosing your Van Dusen Racing Shell

Van Dusen racing shells are designed for athletes competing at top international levels, but their lightness, strength and responsiveness have also commended them to rowers who value their engineering excellence, durability, and functional grace.

CURRENT PRODUCTION MODELS

Our current production model is the ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE shells are available in the following configurations:

SINGLES

  • Advantage Flyweight
  • Advantage Lightweight
  • Advantage Heavyweight

DOUBLES, PAIRS, PAIR/DOUBLE CONVERTIBLES

  • Advantage Lightweight
  • Advantage Heavyweight

HULL SIZE AND WEIGHT CLASS

Hull Sizes are based on weight class. Each Van Dusen hull size is designed to minimize hydrodynamic resistance and to optimize athletic performance for rowers in a particular weight class.

SINGLES

FLYWEIGHT

  • up to 155 pounds

LIGHTWEIGHT

  • 140 – 175 pounds

HEAVYWEIGHT*

  • 165 – 220 pounds
DOUBLE AND PAIRS

FLYWEIGHT

  • Not available

LIGHTWEIGHT

  • 130 – 185 pounds

HEAVYWEIGHT

  • 170 – 240 pounds
*Please inquire about a custom heavyweight single for people over 220 lbs

DIMENSION OF VAN DUSEN SHELLS COMPARED WITH PAST MODELS

Dimensions of the ADVANTAGE shell and our previous model, the TRADITIONAL shell
Hull ID* Length Overall Waterline Beam Maximum Depth Weight Range
Advantage Hulls (in production since 1992):
Advantage Flyweight 1x: 20000 25.15 ft 9.58 in 8.72 in up to 155 lbs
Advantage Lightweight 1x: 14000 25.98 ft 9.64 in 8.72 in 140 – 175 lbs
Advantage Heavyweight 1x: 16000 26.49 ft 10.38 in 9.00 in 165 – 220 lbs
Advantage Lightweight 2x/2-: 17000 32.54 ft 13.46 in 9.90 in 130 – 185 lbs
Advantage Heavyweight 2x/2-: 18000 33.53 ft 14.11 in 10.17 in 170 – 240 lbs
Traditional Hulls (in production from 1974 – 1997):
Lightweight 1x: [0]4001-[0]4233 25.89 ft 8.92 in 10.50 in 135 – 175 lbs
Midweight 1x: A1-A42, [0]1043-[0]1421 26.51 ft 10.00 in 10.50 in 155 – 195 lbs
Heavyweight 1x: B1-B23, [0]2024-[0]2179 26.50 ft 11.60 in 10.25 in 180 – 200 lbs
Midweight Double/ pair: C1-C3, [0]3003-[0]3081 31.51 ft 13.70 in 11.25 in 150 – 200 lbs
* Hull IDs can be found engraved by the stern cork plus a hidden number written underneath the seat deck. Older shells may have a metal plaque or written number visible inside an inspection port. Modern IDs start with CIG (company code) followed by the model number as indicated in the table, followed by a date code (a letter for the month plus 3 numbers for the year, with the first number duplicating the last). For example, CIG 14001 B292 is Lightweight Advantage #1 built in February 1992. Note that Traditional hulls may have a 4-number ID without the leading zero. 
Composite racing shell being rowed in competition