Save us Coxswains

written by Kourt de Haas

COXSWAINS: If you ever cox a boat at Austin Rowing Club, please carefully read and understand the following. Don’t be this crew!

Recently our Dockmaster (Taylor) and I have personally witnessed coxed boats approaching too fast, at poor approach angles, or being run up on our docks when docking.

This problem is totally preventable and should NEVER happen. If you are a coxswain YOU are responsible for properly docking your boat without damaging it by running it up on the docks.

If you are a coxswain and are in doubt of your ability to appropriately dock your boat in any given situation, you must do the following:

1) CHECK IT: stop your boat from moving forward; use the stern pair/four for this.
2) BACK IT: back your boat away from the docks; use the stern pair/four for this, arms and back only, with a neutral rudder.
3) TRY AGAIN: account for the wind, current, other boats and your crew’s ability, and try again; this is better than damaging boats or injuring people.

More tips:

• approach SLOWLY using the stern pair, arms and back only (*never* use rowers in the bow pair/bow four, *never* use legs when approaching)
• aim for the BIG GAP between our docks if you can’t make your intended target dock;
• SIT UP and look around at your surroundings, not your crew;
• SILENCE in the boat while docking–you are in charge and nobody should be talking except the coxswain;
• but ROWERS should speak up if they see something wrong with the docking attempt;
• KNOW which way the wind is blowing and how strong the current is;
• OBSERVE the other crews who are docking around you, both incoming and outgoing;
• only proceed if your docking is a SURE THING, otherwise CHECK IT/BACK IT/TRY AGAIN;
• STOP if your boat is not nearly parallel with the docks–you are risking equipment and rowers–and CHECK IT/BACK IT/TRY AGAIN;
• if you are on land, HELP OTHERS who are docking and having difficulty (thankfully, I see this all the time–great job to all on this);
• KNOW that others are watching you and will follow your example;
• if all else fails, use the gray CanDock that is parallel to the shore to dock your boat.

Please also remember that blind boats (singles, doubles, quads, coxless fours and pairs) must be backed into the docks–absolutely no exceptions.

Coxswains, despite your size you are big in importance. Help keep our members safe and equipment in top shape by properly docking every time.

You can learn more about coxing and brush up on your docking skills in a controlled learning environment by attending a regular coxswain clinic; please contact Sharon Smith, ARC’s principal coxswain, at:

coxing@austinrowing.org

…for more information about future clinics and coxing opportunities.

Capsize Recovery

Have you ever flipped in your single? Odds are, if you haven’t already you will someday. This blog has some important safety info that you should be aware of if you row a single.

Best case scenario – If you flip near shore, or in an area shallow enough to stand, you simply get up – take the oars out if needed – flip the boat back over to dump out the water – put the oars back in, and off you go.

Slightly worse case scenario – What happens if you flip in deep water? Number one – always stay with the boat. The boat is your only floatation device. It is your lifeline, do not leave it. Here’s how to get back in:

1. Roll the shell so that it is ‘seats up’

2. Get control of both oar handles so they are together over the shoes

3. You are facing the boat, treading water alongside the seat deck

4. In one hand, you have BOTH oar handles, and you are holding them together just over the shoes

5. Your other hand is on the seat deck – pushing the seat to the back

6. Just as you would get out of a pool –  leverage yourself  up and across the seat deck.

DO NOT let those two oar handles separate as you adjust and get back into the seat.

Keeping the oar handles together is the key element here. If the oar handles are not together, you will simply roll right back over.

Check out this video to see the process explained:

Check out this video of lots of people getting back into their boats:

Worse case scenario – What if I just can’t get back in? Again, STAY WITH THE BOAT. Flip it over, seats down. Climb on top and wait for someone to rescue you.

Finally, some of us are just so good at balancing that there is no worry about flipping. If this is you – you probably  look something like this:

The Heat Is On!

By Charles Barksdale, Coach, Austin Rowing Club

As the heat and humidity in Texas start to turn up, it is really important that everyone remembers to stay hydrated–this is for rowers and coaches as well.

As a rower, you should drink 3 – 5 oz of fluid every 10- 15 minutes.  This is the rate of absorption, and if you drink more than this you are likely to get that “jelly belly” feeling of water sloshing around in your stomach and this doesn’t help your workout.  It is a good idea in this heat to bring 2 water bottles of fluid with you for every workout.

Coxswains must make sure to take breaks for water and make sure your rowers bring water and are drinking it.

Dehydration can contribute to injuries, poor technical performance, poor physical performance, and extreme Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion (for symptoms see below).

Studies have shown that being dehydrated by as little as one liter can decrease overall performance by 50%.

And in the immortal word of Sgt Phil Esterhaus, Hill Street Blues “Hey let’s be careful out there, okay?!”

Charles B. Barksdale

ARC Men’s and Club Coach

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Heat exhaustion can develop into heat stroke suddenly without warning.

Common symptoms of heat stroke include:

• High body temperature
• Absence of sweating, with hot red or flushed dry skin
• Rapid pulse
• Difficulty breathing
• Strange behavior
• Hallucinations
• Confusion
• Agitation
• Disorientation
• Seizures
• Coma

How & Why: Backing in blind boats when docking

By Kourtney de Haas, Equipment Director, Austin Rowing Club

Austin Rowing Club has a policy of requiring all blind boats (in other words, boats that do not have coxswains–singles, doubles, pairs, coxless fours and quads) to be backed into the docks when docking without exception, including private equipment.  This explicitly means that when approaching the docks, the boat must be oriented so that the stern is pointing towards the docks and the boathouse, and that the faces of the rowers are also oriented towards the docks and the boathouse.  From this orientation, crews must use a backing maneuver to move the boat to the docks in a slow and controlled manner.  I am frequently asked why this policy is in effect and why coaches enforce it so diligently.

Why do we do this? I have personally witnessed boats attempt to row into the dock on the assumption that a short “over the shoulder” glance will suffice in making sure the dock space is clear.  In one memorable example there was already a boat in the water on the targeted dock space (it was near dusk and the lighting was poor), resulting in a collision which damaged both boats.  On another occasion someone placed a boat in the water in the brief period of time the docking boat glanced and the point at which the collision occurred, again with crippling damage.

ARC Safety: Fog

Here’s ARC coach Charles Barksdale with some timely advice about rowing in fog.  Remember the concern is not just that you dan’t see, it’s also that other boats can’t see you.  A single sculler may think “ah, I’m not rowing all that fast” but what if you happen upon a fool-hardy 8+ going full speed?

From Charles:

Here in Austin fog can sometimes interfere with rowing and activities on Lady Bird Lake.  A good rule is that if you can’t see across the lake, at lake level, the fog is too thick to risk going out; and is probably is a good day for a land workout.  The section of the lake from Mopac to Red Bud Island is more susceptible to dense fog. Try to avoid this area of the lake when rowing when fog is present.  It is also good to remember that if you are rowing in the morning that the fog will most likely thicken as the sun begins to rise.

Remember that in the race for safety, there is no finish line!

See you on the Water,

Charles B. Barksdale

Men’s and Club Coach

512.461.1348

charles@austinrowing.org