1873. Sliding seats were first used in Eights. Unlike other changes in
boats they produced a convincing improvement in pace from the first.
'Many and ominous were the rumours among the watermen and old Oxford oars
as to the slides that would be broken, and the crabs that would be netted
on the first night of the races, and Exeter,
with a conservatism worthy of a better cause, determined to row upon fixed
seats.' Results — they were bumped by Corpus
on the first night, by Wadham on the second, by
Queen's
over two places the third.
On the fourth
they had slides fitted, but were bumped by Merton,
after which they kept their place until Keble,
who had been bumped by St Mary Hall on the first
night, took to slides and rebumped them on the seventh, and now caught
Exeter on the winning post.
Worcester had fixed seats for the first three
nights, then took to slides, and made a bump
over two places.