First Degree Fitness Viking Rower User manual

Owners Manual

Congratulations on your purchase of the Viking rower. First Degree Fitness are proud to present the Viking Rower
as top of our exclusive range of commercial and home use products utilizing fluid-based resistance.
Our combination laminate/solid wood frames incorporate only the highest quality Scandinavian Beech, which is col-
lected using the latest technology in sustainable harvesting from renewable plantations.
Note that slight variations of colour are normal and part of Mother nature’s artistry. The wood grain patterns and
subtle hues of each Viking rower makes every unit highly individual and designed to compliment any environment.
Follow all instructions carefully for correct assembly, tank filling, water treatment, service and safety.
Access to our world-wide distributor and service network is available at www.firstdegreefitness.com

Training with the Viking Rower
1. As with any piece of fitness equipment, consult a phy-
sician before beginning your Viking Rower exercise
program.
2. Follow instructions provided in this manual for correct
foot position and basic rowing techniques.
Contents
1. Contents of Viking Rower Pack.
2. Assembly.
3. Tank filling and water treatment.
4. Operational instructions.
5. The Viking Rower Computer.
6. Replacing Rower belt.
7. Maintenance and Troubleshooting.
8. Parts list.
9. Warranty.
1. The Viking Rower can stand vertically for storage.
Make sure a secure location is chosen, such as the cor-
ner of a room or against a wall.
2. Keep hands and fingers away from moving parts, as in-
dicated by the warning sticker on the mainframe of your
machine.
CAUTION
www.firstdegreefitness.com

M10x140mm
bolt (1x)
M8
M6 Allen Key
M10x150mm
bolt (1x)
Filling Siphon M10 Washer (2x)
Chlorine Tablets
(4x)
Owners
Manual
(1x)
Vertical seat Rail
support bracket

Steps 1 and 2:
Mount the rower seat onto the seat rail as shown, making sure the seat
indentation is facing rearward as shown. Next, using 2x M6x10 bolts
and rubber bumpstop, install the bumpstop on the underside of the
seat rail with beveled edge facing forward.
Beveled edge
Indentation
Seat Rail
Rower seat
M6x10mm bolts and rubber
bumpstop

Steps 3 and 4:
First, position the seat rail insert inside the seat rail.
Next, insert the (2x) M10x180mm seat rail bolts through
the top of the seat rail, the seat rail insert, the upper leg
and finally into the lower leg metal threaded inserts.
Tighten assembly and then install the rubber end cap into
the seat rail.
Rear leg assembly
Seat Rail insert
M10x180mm bolts
Rubber End cap
Upper leg
Lower leg
Failure to install the seat
rail insert will damage the
seat rail during use
Completed assembly

Step 5: Insert the seat rail through the footplate and align with the
mainframe/seat rail bracket. Install and secure the Horizontal
M10x140mm seat rail bolt, washers and Nylock nuts.
Seat Rail/Frame attachment point
Hold bungee shock cord
under tension until
attached to rear leg
Once the seat rail is securely fastened, untie the
bungee shock cord, but hold under slight tension so
as not to allow it to fall off of the belt bungee pulley.
Connect to the rear leg hook as shown below.
Attaching Seat Rail to frame
M10x140mm Horizontal seat rail bolt,
M10 Washer and Nylock nuts.

Installing the Vertical Seat Rail bolt
M10 Nut
M10x150mm vertical
seat rail bolt and
plastic dome cap
Step 6: Install the 150mm Vertical seat rail
bolt and plastic dome cap through the verti-
cal seat rail support bracket and seat rail.
Important
Before threading the vertical seat rail bolt
into the lower frame bracket, install the M10
nut. Thread the nut upwards as far as it will go,
and then screw the vertical seat rail bolt into the
lower frame bracket. See following page to fine
tune seat rail bolt tension and mid leg height.
Side view
Thread M10 Nut onto bolt here
Vertical Seat Rail Support
Bracket, 150mm seat rail bolt
and dome cap . Top View
Vertical seat rail
support bracket

The Vertical Seat Rail tensioning bolt is designed to
hold the mid leg 3-5mm off the floor when the rower
is un-weighted and to allow the mid leg lightly touch
the ground during a weighted rowing stroke.
Tighten the Vertical seat rail tensioning bolt until the
mid leg lifts 3mm-5mm above of the ground and then
tighten the M10 nut clockwise to secure the assem-
bly.
Note: Failure to tighten the M10 Nut could allow the
Vertical seat rail bolt to move out of alignment.
If the front of the Viking rower lifts during rowing, this in-
dicates the Vertical seat rail bolt is not correctly ad-
justed. Loosen the M10 nut and then adjust height as
specified above.
M10 Nut
3-5mm off the ground
Fine tuning the Viking Rower

Tank filling and water treatment proce-
dures.
Note: 17 litres of water is required for maximum filling.
1. Remove Tank Plug from the top of the tank.
2. Place a large bucket of water next to the Viking
rower and position siphon with the rigid hose in the
bucket and the flexible hose into the tank as shown.
Note: Make sure small breather valve on the top of
the siphon is closed before filling.
3. Begin filling tank by squeezing siphon. Use Level
Gauge decal on side of tank to measure volume of
water in tank. Note: The amount of resistance is
dictated by the amount of water in the tank; for ex-
ample, 9 litres of water equals light resistance, 17
litres of water provides heaviest resistance. Impor-
tant: Do not overfill tank!
4. After filling tank to the desired water level, open the
valve on the top of the siphon to allow excess water
to escape.
5. Ensure that tank plug is replaced once filling and
water treatment procedures are complete.
Tips on Siphon use: Putting the fill bucket higher
than the tank will allow the siphon to "self-pump"
when adding water to the tank.
Water Treatment Proce-
dures:
Add Chlorine tablet.
Add very small amount of blue
dye to colour water. Important!
Do not add blue dye for at least
72 hours following Chlorine
treatment. The blue dye adds
visual appeal as well as cutting
down the amount of light
reaching the tank water, thus
extending the amount of time
between water treatments.
Blue dye
Tank Plug
Tank filling and water treatment
In areas where tap water quality is known
to be poor, FDF recommends the use of
distilled water.
Tank Plug
Siphon

Removing/Changing Tank Water:
1. Remove Tank Plug.
2. Insert rigid end of siphon into the tank, and
flexible hose into a large bucket.
Note: If the siphon hose hits
the impeller blades, you can rotate the
blades by pulling lightly on the rower handle
to allow the siphon to reach
the bottom of the tank.
3. Drain tank and then refill following directions
for Tank filling.
Note: The valve on top of the siphon must
be closed to allow proper drainage.
Note: Water treatment will preclude the need
to change tank water if the treatment sched-
ule is maintained. Additional chlorine is re-
quired only when discoloration appears in the
water.
Note: Exposure to sunlight affects the water.
Moving the rower away from direct sunlight
and adding the blue dye will extend time be-
tween water treatments.
To refill tank
Rigid end of siphon
in bucket
Rigid end of Siphon
in tank
To empty tank

Operational Instructions
Always row with your feet
secured in the foot straps.
Caution
The Viking Rower has a unique and easy to use Heel SupportAdjuster (Pat. Pend.). Simply loosen the footplate
knob and slide the Adjuster up or down to required position. Adjust to place the ball of your foot directly under
the horizontal Foot Straps. Tighten knob and secure Foot Straps. The Heel Support allows the user to row with-
out shoes if desired.
Footstrap

How to row?
1. Begin the stroke comfortably forward and push strongly back with your legs while keeping your arms and back straight.
2. Begin to pull your arms back as they pass over your knees and continue the stroke through to completion rocking slightly
back over your pelvis.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.
How often?
Begin with 5 minute training sessions once a day and aim for around 2:30 to 2:45 for 500m time.
Progress a few minutes more each day until you are comfortable with 30-45 minutes training time 3 or 4 times a week.
This will provide aerobic endurance benefits, muscle toning and sufficient calorie burning to form part of a weight loss pro-
gram.
CAUTION Always consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program. Stop immediately if you feel
faint or dizzy.
Catch
Comfortably forward with
straight back and arms.
Drive
Push with the legs while
arms remain straight.
Finish
Pull through with arms and
legs rocking slightly back
on your pelvis.
Recovery
Upper body tips forward
over your pelvis and move
forward.
Catch
Catch and begin again.

Computer Instructions
The Viking Rower Computer:
TIME: Auto start elapsed time.
500M TIME: Time to row 500 meters, updated at the
completion of each stroke.
PULSE: Requires optional receiver and chest
strap.
SPM: Strokes per minute updated each stroke.
CAL HOUR: Updated each stroke.
PROGRAMMING: Computer will auto start.
Note: Computer will reset and begin to
count up after 10 seconds of inactivity
Options (Hold button down for one second first to reset computer)
1. Add 1000m distance each button push to accumulate
required distance then begin rowing.
2. Interval training.
Row distance as above.
Stop rowing. Computer will wait 10 seconds then begin
a count up to a maximum of 6 minutes to allow you to
time your rest interval.

Detaching the rower belt:
1. To detach belt, simply pull beyond the range of the nor-
mal rowing stroke until the belt detaches from the belt
bungee pulley.
Tip: You’ll hear the Velcro separating just before the
belt detaches.
Reattaching the rower belt:
1. Begin reattaching the rower belt by threading
around the rower belt pulley with the Velcro side
facing upward as illustrated.
Velcro
2. Next, thread the belt around the idle wheel as
shown. Once around the idle wheel, attach the
rower belt to the belt/bungee pulley. There is
an obvious “lip” at the attachment point.
Idle Wheel
2. Unhook the bungee shock
cord from the rear leg. Then,
push out the inner clip from
the bungee hook end frame.
Pull the bungee through the
inner clip until free. This will
allow for the bungee shock cord to be threaded completely
out of the main frame and up to the belt bungee pulley where
it will be re-attached once the rower belt is in the proper posi-
tion.
Bungee hook
end frame
Inner clip

3. Wind the rower belt onto the belt/bungee pulley un-
til the rower handle is as it’s furthest forward position.
Rower handle
Belt/Bungee
pulley
4. Rethread the bungee shock cord (on opposite side of the
idle wheel) back through the bungee pulleys, the mid leg, re-
attach Bungee hook end frame and clip onto rear leg.
Bungee shock
cord
Bungee pulley
Inner clip Recoil tension can be simply adjusted to suit each user. To adjust, simply push the inner clip out of
the bungee hook end frame from behind, pull the required amount of bungee through the inner clip
and replace the inner clip into the bungee hook end frame.
Bungee hook
end frame
Hint: Before reattaching the inner clip/Bungee hook end frame,
tie a slip knot under slight tension at the rear of the mid leg.
This will keep the bungee under tension while reassembling the
Bungee hook end frame.

Fault Probable Cause Solution
Water changes colour or becomes cloudy. Rower is in direct sunlight or has not
had water treatment.
Local tap water is of poor quality.
Change rower location to reduce di-
rect exposure to sunlight. Add water
treatment and blue dye or change
tank water as directed in the water
treatment section of this manual.
Rower belt slipping off belt/ bungee pulley. Bungee not under enough tension.
Recoil not strong enough
Tighten bungee cord following the
instructions in "reattaching the rower
belt" section of this manual.
Front of rower lifts during vigorous rowing. M10X150mm Vertical seat rail bolt is
not correctly adjusted. Refer to the “Fine tuning the Viking Rower”. Tighten bolt in 1/4 turn in-
crements until problem stops. Note:
Over tightening this bolt can dam-
age the seat rail. Make sure M10
lock nut is first loosened, and then
retighten at completion.
The Viking Rower computer does not illu-
minate after battery installation. Batteries installed incorrectly or need replacing. Replace/reinstall batteries in correct position and try again. If the LCD
screen fails to illuminate, try rotating
the batteries slightly in the com-
puter. If this fails, contact your local
service center.
Viking Rower Computer screen illumi-
nates, but does not register when rowing. Loose or failed connection. Check that the computer lead is connected properly. If it is con-
nected then contact your local ser-
vice center.
Troubleshooting:

Exploded Diagram

P/N Qty Description P/N Qty Description P/N Qty Description
A058 1 Rowing Handle Complete 65007 1 Verticle Seat Rail Bolt/Lower Frame Bracket 65907 1 Lower Tank shell
10079 1 Seat LS-E28 65011 1 Heel Adjuster Knob External Plate 65908 1 Upper Tank shell
10121 2 3M Foot Plate Non Slip 65012 1 U Bolt 8mm with 2xFlange Nuts #65940 65909 1 Bolt M10X150 -B
10176 2 Foot Strap with Buckle # 10177 65101 1 Main Frame 65910 3 Nut M10 Nylock -B
60108 2 Bungee Pulley Spacer 8mm 65102 1 Mid Frame 65911 1 Bolt M8X70 -B
60109 2 Bungee Pulley 50mm 65103 2 Bungee Wheel Bracket 65913 4 Bolt M6x20 -B
60110 4 Belt Pulley Spacer 65104 2 Lower Frame Left/Right 65916 1 Knob & Decal #60618
60111 1 Belt Pulley 100mm & 2x Bearing #60112 65105 1 Mid Leg 65918 1 Bolt M10x60 -B
60113 1 Main Shaft Oil Bushing - Lower 65106 1 Front Leg Base 65921 8 Washer M8X18 -B
60114 1 Magnet Ring & 6 x Magnet #60124 65107 1 Sensor Bracket 65922 1 Bungee Clip 8mm
60115 1 Flywheel Shaft Spacer 65108 1 Idle Wheel Shaft Bracket (Lower) 65923 1 Bungee bracket 8mm
60118 1 Tank Large Ring Seal 65113 1 Seat Rail - Viking 65924 1 Bungee 8mm
60119 1 Idle wheel & 2x Bearing #60112 65114 1 End Cap - Seat Rail 65925 6 Bolt M6x15 -B
60120 1 Roll Pin 6mm 65115 1 Rear Leg Upper 65926 1 Heel Strap
60124 6 Rare Earth Magnet 5mmx4mm 65116 1 Rear Leg Lower 65929 1 Grub Screw M4x6 - B
60126 2 C Clip 10mm 65119 2 Transport Wheel 65930 2 Bolt M8x15 -B
60132 24 Screw M3x20 65121 2 Seat Frame Bracket 65931 18 Nut Nylock M8 -B
60133 24 Nut Nylock M3 65122 1 Wheel Spacer 65934 10 Screw M6X40 -B
60138 1 Impeller End Cap 65123 1 Shaft Spacer Lower 65938 2 Handle Catch
60140 2 Computer Mount Plastic Bushing 65125 2 Bump Stop - Main Frame 65941 1 Bolt M8x50 -B
60143 1 Sensor 65129 2 Bolt M10x180 for Rail End - B 65942 1 Decal - Heel Adjuster
60300 1 Impeller/Main Shaft Complete 65134 30 Bolt M8x35mm -B 65943 2 Decal - Seat Rail Viking
60304 1 Flywheel Upper Shaft 65135 2 Foot Leveler Mid 36.6*8.5 65944 1 Decal - Tank Level
60506 2 Rowing Handle Rubber Grip 65137 3 Bolt M8X140 65945 1 Decal - How to Row
60605 2 Rubber Heel Support Pad 65139 2 Transport Wheel Bracket Complete 65947 4 Seat Wheel Short Spacer
60613 4 Washer M6x16 65141 1 Computer Viking 65948 2 Seat Wheel Long Spacer
60709 1 Nut Nylock M8 65210 1 Computer Stalk Complete 65949 2 Washer M10X21X2t -B
60711 4 Bolt M6x20 -B 65702 4 Seat Wheel 65950 1 Nut M10 -B
60803 2 Rubber Bump Stop - Seat Rail 65810 1 Seat Rail Internal Support Bracket 65951 2 Bolt M10X140 -B
60809 1
Plastic Dome Cap For Vertical Seat Rail
Bolt 10mm 65820 1 Bungee Hook Bracket Complete 65952 1 Bolt M6x8
61001 5 Tank Bonding Strip 3M-VHB 65900 1 Belt/Bungee Complete with Bearings and Velcro 65953 8 Bolt M8x45-B
63144 1 Tank Plug 65904 7 Wood Screw M3X15mm 65956 1 Decal - To adjust see manual
65005 1 Main Frame / Seat Rail Bracket Complete 65906 1 Idle Wheel Shaft 73016 4 Foot Leveler M8x30 PVC