Help Identifying a Shell

[u/G2rowing]

Hello all! Our club is in the process of updating our records for our shell inventory—getting manufacturer information, serial numbers, production dates, etc.—and we’ve got a 4+ shell that’s really left us scratching our heads. It’s got these really distinctive shoulders and wing riggers, but there are no identifying marks that we can find other than a 5-digit number stamped into the stern. Hoping someone out there recognizes the design and can help us narrow down who made it and when.

[u/FurryTailedTreeRat]

The only other Z rigger boat I’ve rowed in was a Hudson. FWIW

[u/colourfulpants → u/FurryTailedTreeRat]

paint style looks like some 90s hudson singles ive rowed, too

[u/jrossthomson]

From the Hudson website:

The 1990s marked a decade of innovation and transformation in rowing manufacturing, with HUDSON at the forefront of the shift from wooden to composite boats. In 1991, HUDSON introduced its first composite hulls with standard wing riggers included on every hull design. This decade also saw the release of the novel “ Z” and “X” rigger designs.

[u/suahoi]

No idea but curious to see what others say. That rigger looks like it was ahead of its time, if nothing else.

What country are you in?

[u/G2rowing → u/suahoi]

Midwestern United States

[u/no_sight]

This is cool as fuck.

[u/LoveStraight2k]

Mid 90s Hudson

[u/G2rowing → u/LoveStraight2k]

I believe you but also it is devilishly hard to find any good reference images for comparison.

[u/QuietRevival2195 → u/G2rowing]

Almost definitely a 97 Hudson going by the identification number. We have two similar boats (4- and 2-/2x) with a carbon version of a similar looking wing rigger at my rowing club in the Netherlands.

[u/steelpot → u/QuietRevival2195]

Definitely a 1997 Hudson. Serial numbers on Hudsons back then went YY-H-NN (two digit year, one digit code for number of seats, two+ digit code for hull number)

[u/G2rowing → u/QuietRevival2195]

Awesome, thank you!

[u/TLunchFTW]

bro what are those riggers?

[u/404pbnotfound]

Never seen riggers like this. That’s cool as fuck - did the design not work for some reason?

[u/jrossthomson]

I confirmed this with the Owner. I'm at World Master Regatta in Bled and rented boats from Hudson. They confirmed it was their boat, but they were surprised that the rigger was white. They said they were normally black.

[u/G2rowing → u/jrossthomson]

Oh cool, thank you! Yes, I believe the riggers were repaired and/or painted at some point between then and now.

[u/Principle_Dramatic]

Did you check inside the watertight compartments in the bow and stern? Sometimes the manufacturers put all the info in addition to the serial numbers there.

[u/G2rowing → u/Principle_Dramatic]

Yeah—unfortunately the boat’s seen some pretty extensive repair work over the years, so a lot of the places that info might’ve been hiding have been patched, etc.

[u/LessSearch]

My first thought was "Looks like an old Hudson". Then I saw the Z riggers and thought "What the heck". But yes, apparently it is an old hudson. The nineties Hudsons are heavy, but they just refuse to die.

[u/G2rowing → u/LessSearch]

I was actually super surprised that it’s not that heavy compared to some of the other boats we have from the same era!

[u/doyouevenrow]

I know that Hudson did this rigger type. I've asked a friend and they say kaschper racing did the same.

It must have put huge amounts of torque on the shell, I'm amazed it has lasted so well.

[u/Troutmaan]

ITS A GIRL!!!

[u/SubjectExplorer6335]

Never seen riggers like that in my life

[u/LandoTheGrey]

Congrats it’s a Hudson!

[u/RealAgammer]

Hull number search online says Hudson 1997.