[CUCBC Captains] [CUCBC Contacts] New Rule and other notices

[Chris Braithwaite]

Dear All

While it is admirable that the captains have tried to sort the early morning
traffic problem with a new rule, I do feel that the point has been missed
slightly. The current problem (which I certainly believe to be worse than in
previous years) does not seem to me to be being caused by too many boats,
but more by people acting stupidly and not obeying the rules that are
already in place. Just to remind people of some of the rules:

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25. When necessary, boats must queue to spin, and no boat may spin without
ascertaining that there is no other boat coming which might be impeded.

There is obviously going to be some lee-way on this (as sometimes at the p&e
stopping and waiting to spin will impede more than spinning straight away),
but there is no point sitting in a queue unless there are boats that have
spun coming in the other direction. Otherwise if everyone spins where they
are 5 boats can spin in the time it takes for 1 to do so (there is a reason
why they don't spin boats individually at VIIIs head). I would also argue
that unless people have to get back for lectures (i.e. so it is past about
8:10) then this rule prevents spinning at the bottom of the reach in the
mornings, as if this is done about 7:40 (as I have seen a number of times
recently it impedes practically everyone. Also the rules say you should move
off straight away, not stop for a chat.

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21. That when a boat easies it must draw close into the bank to allow others
to go by.

Sitting under the railway bridge in the middle of the river having a
coaching chat would seem to me to be in violation of this. It is fairly
simple, even if you are going to have a 2 sentence chat, pull in if you are
going to impede someone.

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23. That a slower boat being overtaken must give way (pulling in if
necessary) to allow a faster boat to pass.

I think this probably also prevents rowing in 4s very slowly and weaving all
over the river. If you must do this, then I think the above rule means you
need to let everyone past.

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5. a. That no boat may be on the water in the dark, save University crews
who, when with a coach and using lights in accordance with ARA regulations,
may row up until half an hour before lighting down and up to half and hour
after lighting up. 
b. That the defined "Hours of Darkness" for the CUCBC be as shown on the
"Hours of Darkness" page.

2. a) That blatant and/or wilful rule breaking may be penalised by a fine
greater than fifty pounds, at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Going past King's Churchill and Selwyn at 2 minutes before lighting down
when you have pushed off from (for the sake of argument) Jesus seems to be a
case of violation of the above (even if you are in a nice new fillippi I
don't think they have the ability to time travel).

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Finally it is worth having some common sense as well. I notice that there is
no rule that says you should stop when there is a boat spinning in front of
you rather than overtaking a crew who *is* stopping in order to ram the
spinning boat. I can only assume that FaT W1 thought we would like a
go-faster dimple in the boat, but in fact we were happy with the slightly
more continuous nature of the shell's surface.

Regards

Chris Braithwaite (KCBC)