# Motorized raft-like craft used by rowing crew coach **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753 "2018-10-31T00:08:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753/1 "2018-10-31T00:08:23Z")
I was watching some rowing crews on the river and they were being followed by tiny motorized rafts or raft-like watercraft being operated by the coaches. This was the first time I had seen a watercraft like that. It was quite small. I would guess that putting three people on it would get crowded, if you could even fit them comfortably around the single seat/control station. The seat was like an upright chair. It wasn’t a bench or a lowered seat, and there seemed to be a full control pillar/lectern-type console in front of it. What is that thing called? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753/2 "2018-10-31T00:57:13Z")
Do you mean something like this? [http://www.westportrowing.com/Coaching%20Boats.html](http://www.westportrowing.com/Coaching%20Boats.html) ---
**Author:** ![NBYodo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9a28c/32.png) [@NBYodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NBYodo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753/3 "2018-10-31T06:42:48Z")
Fancy. They just use a tin car topper boat and a bullhorn here. Or ride a bike on the path beside the river. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753/4 "2018-10-31T10:12:41Z")
That look right! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753/5 "2018-10-31T11:49:28Z")
They’re called coaching launches. Usually made to be as wakeless as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorized-raft-like-craft-used-by-rowing-crew-coach/823753/6 "2018-10-31T12:25:19Z")
Cool. Thanks!