Rowing is a much more efficient way to transfer energy to the water from
your muscles. Think for a minute, if that weren't true, we'd have eight
man yuloh sculls.

I wonder if this is true. Sculling off the stern involves primarily
leaning back and forth. Very little muscle activity. Mostly just
changing your center of gravity. Rowing is a much more direct
expenditure of energy for movement but it also involves the recovery
part of the stroke which gives you no return.

On a calories expended per pound of thrust I wonder if rowing is truly
more efficient. Or is it instead just more powerful and fast at the
expense of true efficiency?

Just a thought.

Tom