Thank you for volunteering your time and effort to FALS Ops for the 2026 Head of the Charles Regatta. You help make the world’s largest three-day regatta a safe and fun experience for everybody.
For questions please email: FalsOps@hocr.org
FALS stands for the Finish Area Launch Site.
Our goal is to launch and land competitors both safely and quickly while ensuring that all of our participants have a great experience.
We are the face of the Regatta to nearly 80% of our racers and many thousands of spectators. It’s a challenging and engaging part of the Regatta. We encounter lots of excited racers, coaches, and parents, all trying to get to and from the water which makes for a challenging weekend. Our job is to temper that excitement (and exhaustion) with a focus on safety, efficiency, good humor, clear communications, and a desire to make everyone’s experience the best it can possibly be.
We work hard all day, regardless of the weather – be it sun, rain, or snow. You’ll be standing and possibly walking or carrying oars for much of that time. But it’s not all physical work. You’ll be speaking with world-class racers, coaches, and some uniquely colorful Bostonian spectators while you volunteer. This will involve things like answering questions, giving instructions, and conveying information that is critical to the launching and landing process. Our number one goal is safety. Please bring to the attention of the Committee Co-chairs anything that you feel affects competitor safety. We want to have everyone leave the Regatta saying that it was a safe, fair, and enjoyable experience.