Transverse Pitch
The gate can be rotated so that the blade is presented to the water at a slight angle, usually so that the top of the blade is further towards the stern than the bottom while it is in the water. This makes it easier to keep the blade at the right height during the stroke and to extract it at the end. Usually 3 to 5 degrees of transverse pitch is used, and when rowers talk of 'pitch' they are referring to transverse pitch.
Transverse pitch may be achieved by rotating the pin on which the gate pivots, or by adding shaped wedges into the back of the gate for the oar to rest on.
Transverse pitch is usually set the same for all members of a crew. If the rowers on one side had a different transverse pitch than the other it would tend to unbalance the boat.
In the UK it is called Stern pitch.
Read more about this topic: Boat Rigging (sport Rowing)
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