Rowdy: a rowing app for Apple Vision Pro that takes you down real rivers
Indoor rowing is one of the best workouts there is, and one of the most boring. You sit facing a wall, watching a number count down. We built Rowdy to change what you see while you row. Put on Apple Vision Pro, sit on your rower, and the water is all around you.
Rowdy: Row on Water is in App Review now, and we plan to release it on 24 October 2026.
Row real rivers, a little at a time
The heart of Rowdy is its journeys. Each one follows the real course of a famous waterway, and every meter you row moves you along it. Your place is saved, so you can row the Nile from Aswan to Luxor over a week of short sessions and pick up where you left off each time.
- The Nile: Aswan to Luxor, past the Tombs of the Nobles, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor Temple
- The Thames: Oxford to Westminster, past Windsor Castle and Big Ben
- The Amazon: deep rainforest, pink river dolphins and the Meeting of the Waters
- The Grand Canyon: named rapids under towering red walls
- Loch Ness: misty highland water, and something in the deep
- The English Channel: Dover to France, with dolphins and passing ships
As each landmark comes into view, a postcard arrives with real facts about the place. Finish a journey, hit distance goals or chain gates together, and you earn medals.
Works with the rower you already have
Rowdy connects over Bluetooth to Concept2 PM5 monitors and to rowers that use the standard fitness machine protocol (FTMS), which covers many smart rowers. Your stroke rate, split, watts and distance come straight from the machine.
No rower? Rowdy can estimate your rowing from hand tracking, so you can try it with a rowing motion of your hands. Connect a real rower for exact numbers.
Three ways to row
- Peaceful: just you and the water.
- Adventure: tilt your head to change lanes, hit gates for a speed boost, dodge rocks, and stay ahead of whatever is chasing you.
- Race: beat your best time or a pace boat.
If you would rather not follow a route, there are Free Row spaces too: a Tropical Lagoon, an Arctic Fjord with a glacier and northern lights, and the synthwave city of Neon Night.
Music and sound
Bring your own Apple Music playlist, or let Rowdy pick high-energy tracks by genre. Recorded water, waves, rain and jungle sound play underneath.
No subscription, no account
The Tropical Lagoon is free. Journeys are a one-time $4.99 each, other Free Row spaces are $1.99, and All Access unlocks everything. There is no subscription, no sign-in, no ads, and Rowdy collects no data. Our privacy policy has the details.
Questions
Do I need a rowing machine to use Rowdy?
No. Without one, Rowdy estimates your rowing from your hand movement. A Bluetooth rower gives you exact power, pace and distance.
Which rowing machines work with Rowdy?
Concept2 rowers with a PM5 monitor, and rowers that support the Bluetooth fitness machine standard (FTMS).
Does Rowdy save workouts to Apple Health?
No, so your rows are never counted twice. To log heart rate and calories in Health, start an Indoor Rowing workout on your Apple Watch before you press ROW.
Is it comfortable to row in a headset?
Rowdy is designed for seated rowing. Sit on your rower, upright at mid-slide, before pressing ROW so the water is centered on you. Short sessions are a good place to start.
More help is on the Rowdy support page. Questions, or a rower you would like us to test? Email hello@flyingtofuproductions.com.
Rowdy: Row on WaterRowing workouts on real rivers, for Apple Vision Pro.Apple Vision Pro · Coming 24 October 2026