A bow facing rowing system comprising the combination of an oar reversing device and a bracket device for supporting the oar reversing device. The oar reversing device includes a housing having opposing ends which terminate in a pair of upper and lower flanges defining fixed spaces therebetween. A train of gears is disposed essentially within the housing with one end gear of the train of gears forming a first terminal gear having an integral extension passing through the adjacent fixed space and terminating in an oar member and the opposite end gear of the train of gears forming a second terminal gear having an integral extension passing through the adjacent fixed space and terminating in a handle member. The gears intermesh in the same plane to thereby transmit motion in reverse from the handle member to the oar member. The bracket device for supporting the oar reversing device includes at least one mounting base plate, a pair of spaced side bearing plates attached to the base plate and a base bearing plate disposed between and attached to the side bearing plates which forms a receptacle to receive the housing member. The base surface of the housing member and the surface of the base bearing plare are configured so as to create a fulcrum point therebetween whereby vertical motion applied to the handle member is transmitted to the oar member.