Indoor boat for rowers - The nostalgic Newell Boathouse at Harvard

Possibly nowhere on Harvard’s campus is as untouched and nostalgic as Newell. The boathouse is not open for recreational use, only to Harvard’s male oarsmen, which is perhaps why so much of the place is intact after 125 years. Besides the hundreds of framed photographs, duct-taped scrapbooks are overflowing from the shelves, piles of ancient wooden oars, and silver winners’ cups randomly strewn about. An enormous black-and-white photo of the “Rude and Smooth,” the undefeated crew team of 1974, dominates the landing of the tired stairwell.
On the first floor of Newell are two water-filled tanks with boats inside. Both were once motorized with moving water. These days only the newer 1973 tank continues to move water. Mirrors line the walls of these rooms so rowers can check their form during practice.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Wouldn't it be cheaper and more realistic just to put a real rowing boat into a normal pool and tie the stern end to a cleat on the pool's edge?
Seems like you'd get a better idea of balancing the craft as well as the actual resistance of normal oars.