Glossary · Hull & structure
Scow bow
Also called: Étrave scow, scow, étrave ronde, nez rond
A very wide, rounded bow, shaped like a spoon, that rides over the waves.
A scow bow replaces the classic point with a wide, rounded front. The boat gains volume forward: it digs into waves less and, above all, its hull stays long and buoyant when heeled, which makes it very powerful downwind and reaching.
It appeared in offshore racing on Mini 6.50 prototypes in the early 2010s and has become the norm in the Class40. It is less comfortable upwind in a short sea, where it slams.