Rowing Terms & Instructions
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1. Boat & Crew Organisation
| * Crew | Stroke, stbd aft; No.2, port; No.3, stbd; Bow, port for’d. All wearing life-jackets |
| * Spare crew | Spare bow; spare cox’n. |
| * Load | 4 oars; 4 rowlocks; 2 paddles; 1 bailer; 1 sponge |
| * Place oars | 2 stbd (1 blades aft, 1 for’d) & 2 port (1 aft, 1 for’d) Oars ready for easy handling |
| * Bow & No.3 | Face for’d; 1 each side. Paddle out of cut; Then stow paddles. Turn to face aft |
2. Preparation for Rowing - Carry out each step (below) working together, as a team
| * "Ship Rowlocks" | Insert with “U” athwartships |
| * "Check Oars" | Check oar positions:- 2 x Aft oars - blade aft; 2 x For’d oars - blade for’d |
| * "Blades Out" | Lift blade outboard, rest them on gun’l, inboard of rowlocks |
| * "Fit Oars" | Lift loom of oar into rowlocks; Keep blade & loom as above |
| * "Ready Oars" | Slide oar outwards; then rotate looms so oars lie at 90’ across boat |
| * "Out Oars" | Slide out until collar is in rowlocks, blades flat |
3. Rowing Orders by Cox’n Don't be shy; don't mumble; don't ask; Give ORDERS!
| *Stand-by | Extend arms; bend from waist towards stern of boat; turn blade vertical. |
| *Give way -TOGETHER! | (Stress on “TOGETHER!) Follow these four steps:- |
| * 1 | Full blade just below surface, lean back from waist, row with stomach |
| * 2 | Pull oar firmly, complete stroke with arms, pull until loom reaches chest |
| * 3 | Sit upright, press down on loom to raise blade, rotate blade to horizontal |
| * 4 | Lean forwards to return to the “stand-by” position. (See above) |
| **1,*2,*3,*4 | Repeat steps as above; Crew ALWAYS take their timing from stroke |
4. Turning - You should row on the right of the river; Turns are therefore usually to the left (port)
| *"Hold Water, Port (or Stbd) | - 2 oars stationary in water; other 2 give way; - to turn quickly |
| *"Back Water, Port (or Stbd) | - 2 oars push not pull; other 2 give way; - to turn on the spot |
5. Resting - or waiting for another vessel to get clear
| *"Oars" | – Stop rowing; oars held at 90"; blades flat; - Allows boat to drift with the tide/wind |
| *"Hold Water - all" | - Keep oars steady in the water; To keep boat stationary |
| *"Rest On Your Oars" | - Resting; oars slid inboard; To let crew rest, oars across both gun’ls. |
| *"Out Oars" | - To continue; oars slid out until leather is in rowlocks; blades flat. |
6. Berthing – ALWAYS berth into the tidal flow; if slack water berth into the breeze
| *"Oars" | – Stop rowing; oars held at 90’; blades flat |
| *"Trim Oars" | - Aft oars, swing blades aft; For’d oars, swing blades for’d. |
| *"In Oars" | - Lift oars from rowlocks; rest on gun’l inboard. |
| *"Stow Oars" | - Slide oars to fit inside boat; Aft slide oars for’d; For’d slide oars aft; |
| *"Stand-by" | - Bow & Stroke stand and prepare take lines ashore or connect to wall. |
7. "Man Overboard!" ** DO NOT PANIC **
| *Casualty | “HELP!” Assume recovery position. If safe and competent, make for nearest bank. |
| *Cox’n | “Man Overboard (Port/Stbd)”. |
| *Bowman | Stand; Throw flotation/oar; Point at casualty; Keep eyes on him; Do nothing else._ |
| *Cox’n | “Row on”; 1 to 2 x lengths past casualty; Depends on tide and room to manoeuvre |
| *Cox'n | “Back water, port” Turn; Approach into tide. Bring to port side; |
| *Cox'n | “Oars”; Bring casualty to port quarter; Stroke & Cox’n recover him. |
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