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Rowing

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Rowboating, Boating, Rowboat, Rowing Boat, Non Powered Boating

Category

Sports, Water Sports, Sporting Activities, Activities, Leisure Activities, Tourism, Recreation

Message / Function

For notice in general and to signify a rowboat or the activity of rowing/rowboating

 

Source Description
Modley & Myers page 112, Swedish Standard Recreation Symbols (SSRS): Pictogram Rowboat 1) SSRS Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
BS 8501 Public Information Symbol No 9045: Rowing – Recreational BS 8501:2002 Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
Hora page 163, CNIS Public Information Symbol Rowing CNIS Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
ÖNORM A 3011 Public Information Symbol No 157: Rowboating ÖNORM A 3011 Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
Tern Pictogram TS0224 Rowboat or rowing Tern Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
NZS 8603 Outdoor Recreation Symbol No 28: Rowboats NZS 8603 Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
Pictogram No IS,14: Non Powered Boating (Australia, National Aquatic and Recreational Signage Style Manual NARSSM Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
Pictogram ST-Esp 04 Boating, Paseos en Bote (Peru) Peru MST Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
BS 8501 Public Information Symbol No 9045: Rowing – sports BS 8501:2002 Side view of human figure in racing shell, water shown as two wavy lines
U.S. National Park Service, Recreation (water): Map Symbol Rowboating U.S. National
Park Service
Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as wavy line
Pictogram No Pict-35: Rowboat (Embarcation à rames) from Québec Québec Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as wavy line
Hora page 69: Canadian Road Sign Rowboating by the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) TAC Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as wavy contour
Modley & Myers page 88, NPS: Row boating 3) NPS Side view of human figure in rowboat, water shown as wavy contour
Icon No 109544: Rowing by Dutchicon (Iconfinder) Dutchicon Side view of human figure rowing, racing shell indicated by horizontal line and water shown as wavy line
Summer Olympics Tokyo 1964: Rowing O'64 Side view of human figure rowing, racing shell indicated by horizontal line
Sagamihara Map Symbol: Rowing Sagamihara Side view of two human figures rowing, water shown as wavy line
Summer Olympics Munich 1972: Rowing O'72 Side view of two human figures rowing
Summer Olympics Paris 2024: Pictogram Rowing O'24 Top view of double sculls racing shell, water indicated by lines
Erco Pictogram Boating 2) Erco Front view of rowboat, water shown as six wavy lines
SN 640 827 Symbol 9.14: Boat Rental SN 640 827 Front view of rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
Modley & Myers page 111: Boat Rental, modified 4) SSRS mod. Side view of rowboat, water shown as two wavy lines
Summer Olympics Mexico City 1968: Rowing O'68 Four oars above each other, size increasing, water below indicated by three wavy lines
Summer Olympics Berlin 1936: Rowing O'36 Two oars crossed, water shown as wavy line, grey ring in background

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The set of symbols above already indicates that no single visual stereotype exists concerning the message Rowing / Rowboating. While renderings side views of a human figure in a rowboat are very frequent, one also can find front views of a person rowing, but also solutions just showing a boat or details with oars as characteristic element signifying this activity. There also are significant differences in the appearance of rowboats for leisure activities used by the general public and racing shells employed for rowing as a com­petitive sport.

In our research we discovered that there is only very limited test data available for the referent Rowing / Rowboating:

The results of an Appropriateness Ranking Test of four variants conducted by Gehringer (1977) indicate that pictograms with a human figure rowing are preferred to versions without a human figure. Nevertheless the variants marked with 1) and 2) were quite close together. The numbers 1) to 4) represent the final rank order of the symbols tested.

Recommendations

Tern Pictogram TS0224 Rowboat or rowing

Based on the test results known and regarding further considerations, we recommend the use of a pictogram like symbol TS0224 of the Tern symbol set, an improved version of Public Information Symbol No 157 of the Austrian Standard ÖNORM A 3011 part 10 to signify the activity of rowing/rowboating.

Tests of pictograms of referent Rowboating

Bräuer, E. (1977): Die Wirkung verschiedener Darstellungen von Verbotspiktogrammen. Dissertation, Psychology Department, University of Vienna.

Gehringer, J. (1976): Reihungstest über 18 Begriffe aus dem Sportwesen - Priorität I. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated January 1976, Vienna.

See also

Canoeing / Kayaking, Rafting
Jet Skiing, Sailing, Surfing, Windsurfing
Beach, Lawn, Sunbathing Area

 

Updated 2024-10-28 by Ch.Brugger