INTRODUCTION

MIT Rowing Club is fortunate to row out of one of the best-located boathouses on the Charles River, one of the world's most storied rowing venues. Coxing the Charles is rewarding, but the amount of traffic on the river, sharp turns, and proximity of Pierce Boathouse to the 2k course can all make it challenging. Many club coxswains are off-duty rowers, so this document is intended to summarize how to cox, responsibilities of the coxswain, and particular safety hazards on the Charles.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Of course, the primary emphasis of any row is safety. As a coxswain, you are responsible for the safety of the crew and the boat. From "hands on" to "get towels" the boat is yours. Treat it as such and expect your crew to do exactly as you tell them.

Be extremely aware of the boat when on land:

• Watch the bow and stern

• Call "heads up" when needed

• Protect the skeg

Know the hazards on the water:

• Bridges

• Other boathouses

• Race course

• Scullers

Know the river traffic patterns.

NOTE: At MITRC, the coxswain is especially important for maintaining the safety of the equipment and following the river pattern (especially near the 2K course). We row in shells on loan from the varsity program. There aren't funds to repair damaged shells because of us, therefore it is extremely important that MITRC coxswains are always acutely aware of the safety of the shells (the bow, hull, skeg, etc). Furthermore, since the MIT boathouse is very close to the 2K course, it is very important that MITRC coxswains are aware of any boats doing pieces on the course so they do not cross in front of the racing boats. Also, MITRC coxswains must be very careful to stay in the MIT lane when launching / docking.

COXING BASICS

Parts of the boat:

• Port - Left, as viewed from the coxswain's seat

• Starboard - Right, as viewed from the coxswain's seat

• Bow - The front of the boat, furthest from the coxswain's seat

• Stern- The back of the boat, where the coxswain sits

• Skeg - The small fin below the stern of the boat

• Rudder - The movable piece next to the skeg that the coxswain uses to steer

• Riggers - The metal extensions on either side of the boat that hold the oar collars

Seats:

• 1 (bow), furthest from the coxswain, starboard

• 2, port

• 3, starboard

• 4, port

• 5, starboard

• 6, port

• 7, starboard

• 8 (stroke), closest to the coxswain, port

Steering:

The coxswain controls the direction of the boat primarily by steering using the rudder.

• To turn the boat to the right, push your right hand forward

• To turn the boat to the left, push your left hand forward

• Anticipate your turns and plan ahead

The rudder effect is related to boat speed in the water:

• Slower water speed: weak rudder (harder to steer)

• Faster water speed: stronger rudder (easier to steer)

• Traveling with current: weak rudder (harder to steer)

• Traveling against current: stronger rudder (easier to steer)

You can also turn by asking for pressure from one side or the other:

• Port pressure: turn to starboard

• Starboard pressure: turn to port

Communication:

The communication chain should be coach -> coxswain -> rowers

• Coach tells the coxswain what to do, coxswain tells the rowers

• Always insist that the rowers react on your call only

• Caveat: the coach may prefer to call certain drills; always defer to the coach and ask if anything is unclear

The rowers should not be talking to each other during practice/drills

Keep conversations with the stroke private (cover the mic)

Acknowledge you have heard an instruction to you from the coach by raising your hand

Always make calls "in two"

• Count and make calls on the stroke's catch

• Be precise and crisp with the timing of your counting and when you say "go"/"row"; the words should be short and exactly in time

Your stroke should tell you if there are boats behind you; feel free to ask the stroke

GETTING THE BOAT INTO THE WATER

The following are the calls to get the boat out of the racks and into the water. Getting the boat into and out of the boathouse is where most damage occurs, so be very careful and deliberate. Stand at the stern of the boat for these commands and speak very loudly.

"Hands on"

• All rowers grab the boat on the rack you choose

"Pull the rack out, ready, pull it out"

• Rowers pull the boat out using the racks; make sure they don't pull on the boat

"Up an inch, ready, up"

• Rowers lift the boat up one inch to get it off the rack

• Make sure they lift together and on your call

• Make sure they don't lift too high, or else the bottom of your boat will hit the riggers of the boat above it

"Walk it to the middle"

• Typically don't say "ready, walk" for this one, but you can

"From bow, every other rower switch sides"

• Starting from the bow, have every other rower move to the other side of the boat so that it is supported on both sides

• This always confuses rowers, so feel free to use names if you want particular people moving to the other side

• There should be four people on each side of the boat, alternating sides

Have the nearby rowers push the racks back in

"To shoulders, ready, up"

• Rowers carefully lift the boat to shoulders

• Watch the riggers

• Only necessary if the boat wasn't already at shoulders

"Walk it out, ready, go"

• Rowers walk it slowly out of the boathouse

• Watch the riggers

"Take (Boston/Cambridge) side of the (Boston/Cambridge) dock"

• This tells the rowers which side of which dock to take

• Typically the club uses the Boston dock

"Up and over heads as you step down"

• The rowers should go from shoulders to heads as they step down onto the dock

• This keeps the boat level during the step

• If the step is large, have them go slowly and you might have to help with the boat

"Weigh enough, toes to the edge"

• Once the bow rower gets near the end of the dock, make this call

• Make sure the stern can go into the water without hitting the tall part of the dock

• Rowers will put one foot at the edge of the dock

"Roll to high waists, ready, roll it down"

• Rowers roll the boat to waist height, but keep it high and over the edge

"Push the boat out over the water, and in"

• Rowers push the boat out over the water and gently down into the water

• Make sure this happens together; the bow and stern should hit the water at the same time

• From your position at the stern, watch the skeg and rudder to make sure they don't hit the dock; push the stern out if you need to

"Ports get oars, starboards get oarlocks"

• Rowers will take care of getting the oars and putting them into the oarlocks

• Use this time to put the coxbox in

• Attach the light battery (if you are using it)

• Once everyone has attached their oars, go to the next command

• Try to minimize the amount of time spent on the dock

"(Ports/starboards) ship out your oars"

• The rowers with their oars over the water push them out

"(Starboards/ports) holding, (ports/starboards) one foot in, and down"

• The rowers with their oars in the water should get in first

• The rowers with their oars on the dock should hold riggers

"(Starboards/Ports) one foot in, and down"

• The other 4 rowers get in

• The coxswain gets in at this point too

Once you are seated and have the microphone on, turn on the cox box and ask if the volume is OK

"Number off from bow when you are ready"

• Rower should count down indicating that they are ready to go

"Lean to (Boston/Cambridge) and walk it down"

• The crew should lean away from the dock to keep the riggers off it

• Walk the boat forward using hands

Once clear of the dock, have bow pair row a few strokes to pull away before starting the warm up

Stay toward the Cambridge shore in the MIT lane until the Hyatt hotel; be careful not to drift to port into the race course lanes

ON THE WATER: GENERAL RIVER RULES

• Always stay on the right-hand side of the river, unless in the MIT lane on the Cambridge side of the river between Pierce Boathouse and the Hyatt hotel.

• Crews being passed should yield to the passing crew, typically by pulling to starboard

• Passing crews should pass on the port side of slower crews

• Always take the right arch through the bridges, with the following exceptions:

  • BU bridge either direction

  • Weeks Footbridge upstream (can take either center or right-hand arch)

  • Eliot Bridge (crews going upstream should use the center arch)

• Never stop near or under a bridge, or in any spot where you will not be seen by another crew (e.g. a sharp corner)

• Never turn in front of a bridge or in any spot where you will not be seen

• Be alert for other crews

  • Assume singles and other sculls cannot see you and give them right of way

  • Don't be afraid to warn another crew who is heading blindly toward you ("heads-up sculler" or "head-up Riverside")

• Move quickly through powerhouse stretch; do not stop or row in fours

TRICKY RIVER SPOT 1: WEEKS FOOTBRIDGE

Weeks Footbridge is tough because it is essentially a 90 degree turn. The key is beginning the turn before you get to the bridge and staying on the correct side of the river.

Upstream:

• Take the center arch as a default, although the coach may want you to take the right arch

• The key is to make a sharp and relatively late turn before you go under the bridge

• Get a lot of pressure from your starboard rowers

• You should be lined up with the Anderson bridge as you are going under the bridge (not after it)

• Look out for downstream crews who are going wide

Downstream:

• Take only the right hand arch

• Going into the turn, aim for the left abutment (i.e. the left-most of the two parts of the bridge that sit in the water)

• About 5 strokes before the bridge, have your port rowers bring it on hard

• Continue the turn until you are lined up with the right arches of the powerhouse stretch

• Stay close to shore; do not drift into the middle of the river

TRICKY RIVER SPOT 2: ELIOT BRIDGE

The Eliot Bridge is difficult because it is a 180 degree turn, although it doesn't feel like it (you have to see it on a map). Upstream is not so bad: just follow the shore around. Downstream is dangerous, though, since upstream crews tend to cut it close.

Upstream:

• Stay to the Cambridge shore throughout the turn

• But don't get too close to Cambridge Boat Club

• Take the center arch

• Keep on the lookout for downstream crews coming wide, so stay to starboard

Downstream:

• Stay close to the Boston shore

• Have the ports row hard starting from under the bridge

• Continue having the ports row hard for 15-20 strokes to complete the turn

• Do not stop turning until you have completely finished the curve; it is common to stop turning too early and you end up in the middle of the river

• Be very aware of upstream crews; the risk of head-on collisions is highest at this turn

DOCKING

Bringing the boat into the dock can be dangerous, especially at MIT's dock. If not done properly, you can crash into the dock and break the bow or injure rowers (this has happened to the club before). The key is to move very slowly.

If heading upstream, turn quickly into the MIT lane by turning to starboard.

• Make it a quick turn, and make sure you do it well past the MIT dock

• Do not turn if there is a crew on the course (just pull into the lane and let them pass)

• Ask the coach if you are unsure when/where to turn

If heading downstream, pass BU on the Boston side and turn to port roughly by the Storrow Drive foot bridge.

• Again, do not turn if there are crews on the course

• Head straight across the river toward the Hyatt hotel

• Turn quickly to starboard into the MIT lane and stay to the Cambridge shore

• Do not drift into the course lanes

We almost always use the Boston dock

Decide which side of the Boston dock to use

• If it is free, use the Boston side, since there is no backstop to run into

• If another MITRC boat is in the MIT lane too, communicate with the coxswain to figure out which boat is going where

By 100m away from the dock, you should be rowing with bow four only to take speed off the boat

By 50m away from the dock, you should be rowing with bow pair only

At 30m away from the dock, weigh enough and wait for a coach if there is none

• *Always* wait for the coach or another rower to be on the dock before you land

• This will allow them to pull you in, instead of having to row into the dock and potentially breaking the bow

Once there is someone on the dock, have bow pair slowly row it in

Weigh enough with bow pair once the boat is 15-20m away from the dock

Coast in, using the rudder to steer

Have the crew lean away from the dock (tell them "lean to Boston" or "lean to Cambridge") when the bow passes the end of the dock

The coach or rower will pull you in

Once the entire boat is on the dock, have the rowers number off from bow when ready to get out

• You can use this time to get out of the boat and remove the cox box

GETTING THE BOAT OUT OF THE WATER

Below are the calls to get the boat out of the water and into the boathouse. It is essentially the reverse of the process for getting the boat into the water, however the boat is spun around before putting it into the boathouse. As before, much care should be taken when moving the boat in the boathouse. Start by standing at the bow of the boat when making these calls

"(Ports/starboards) one foot up, and out"

• The rowers with riggers on the dock get out first

"(Starboards/ports) one foot up, and out"

• The rowers with riggers over the water get out second

"Ports get oars, starboards get oar locks"

• The rowers will put their oars on the dock

• Make sure that all oar locks get closed; this can cause problems in the boathouse

"Hands on"

• All rowers get their hands on the boat ready to lift out of the water

• Make sure the rowers are well-distributed along the boat

"Lift to high waists, ready, lift"

• *Before* this command, make sure the bow isn't going to hit the dock

• Rowers lift the boat straight up and out of the water

• Make sure the skeg and rudder clear the dock

"Up and over heads, ready, up"

o Make this call shortly after lifting to waists, as it's hard to hold the boat there for too long

"Walk it up"

• Rowers should walk forward

"Split to shoulders as you step up"

• Rowers should move to one side of the boat and take it to shoulders as they step up

• This keeps the boat level as it moves from the low part of the dock to the high part

• Make sure you have 4 rowers on each side of the boat

"Swing the bow to Cambridge"

• Stand at the bow so you can make sure it doesn't hit anything near the boathouse doors

• Have the bow 4 rowers start moving toward Cambridge as soon as they have stepped up

• Stay standing by the Club's bay door as the bow swings

"Weigh enough, spin around, bring the stern in"

• Once the boat is perpendicular to the docks, have the rowers stop and spin around so they are facing the other direction

• The stern will come toward the open door

"Swing the bow to Boston"

• Keep the stern stationary and have the bow rowers walk to Boston to line the boat up with the bay

• Make sure the bow rowers move slowly over the oars

"Bring it in"

• Once lined up, have the rowers walk the boat into the bay

• Keep the stern low and bow high, so that the boat stays level

• Watch the riggers as the boat comes in

• Stay at the stern end of the boat, guiding the stern in with your hand if needed.

"Weigh enough"

• Once the coxswains seat is lined up with the inner-most rack, stop the boat

"Pull the racks out"

• Have rowers near the racks pull them out

"Up and onto the racks"

• Have the rowers slowly lift the boat off shoulders and gently onto the rack

• Keep the boat low enough not to hit the riggers above

• Ask the rowers if the boat is lined up properly so that riggers don't hit

• You may have to go in or out of house to get the alignment right

"Gently down"

• Lower the boat onto the racks

• Check to make sure that no riggers are resting on the racks

"Ports get oars, starboards get towels"

• Port rowers get their oars and put them in the rack

• Starboard rowers get towels to dry off the boat

Once the boat is dry, have two people help you push the rack and boat back in

EQUIPMENT

• Our cox boxes are in the right-most column of the charging area; we have 4 of them

  • Be sure to plug in the cox box after practice

  • Don't take any of the varsity cox boxes

• Batteries for the lights are in a large charging station in the corner of the boathouse diagonally opposite the cox boxes.

  • Take lights if it is dark when you launch (typically in the fall season)

  • Take lights if the river is foggy

  • Make sure to match the battery number with the charging slot when you return the battery

• We have adjustable wrenches in our white plastic drawers; they are a good thing to have

• There are also small laminated river maps in the white plastic drawers that you can take (be sure to return them)

GENERAL ADVICE

• When in doubt, call "weigh enough". It is better to stop the boat and have to reset a drill or piece than run into a bridge

• Assume scullers cannot see you, especially the ones who wear those little mirrors. They give a false sense of awareness

• Stay to the shore when drilling or rowing slowly, allowing faster crews to pass to port

• Don't be afraid to ask questions of the coach or the stroke

• Plan ahead

• Be decisive