[CUCBC Captains] Use of mornings

[Mark Jacobs]

Dear All,

Since the beginning of term I've come across a few points relating to 
use of the mornings which I think need addressing.

1) Warm-ups
Warming up using less than half crew at half slide is not permitted in 
the mornings, as it creates an unnecessary hold-up. It also leads to 
people trying to overtake in unsuitable places. Crews breaking this rule 
and obstructing crews behind, when not obliged to do so by traffic 
ahead, will be fair game for fines. If you insist on having a slow 
warmup, by all means do so but don't boat until crews upstream have 
pushed off and gone by, and be prepared to either speed up or pull into 
the bank and stop as and when other crews approach from behind.

2) Flag
Setting of the flag is not so much about the individual competence of a 
boat, but how many boats can safely use the river at once in the given 
conditions. Typically a yellow flag would limit the number of boats on 
the water in the morning to 30/40. This term we have the advantage of a 
30(ish) boat limit, meaning that we are able to be a give a green flag 
in otherwise marginal conditions, such as the foggy mornings earlier 
this week. Remember though that THE DECISION TO GO OUT, OR NOT TO GO 
OUT, RESTS WITH THE COACH AND COX OF EVERY BOAT. If your cox is 
inexperienced, or known to be less than entirely aware of what's going 
on, an outing in fog where the bank party cannot easily see/communicate 
the situation ahead may not be a good idea. Likewise, a scrappy crew of 
last term's novices perhaps oughtn't be going out in higher winds. One 
outing will not make much difference to your crew's training, but a 
poorly chosen time to go out could lead to serious damage/injury to your 
crew or to others.

3) Lights
The quality of lights of late has been bad, and in the fog diabolical. 
Lights must be BRIGHT, they must be WHITE and they must be VISIBLE.
Get some decent batteries for your lights - in foggy conditions they 
should be the first thing crews behind see. I know that people take a 
relaxed view to lights in clear conditions, but to do so in thick fog is 
highly dangerous.
Lights should be white on both ends of the boat. A additional red light 
on the stern is used by some CRA crews, but not required for college 
boats. A red light on your bows (the FRONT end of your boat!) is not 
acceptable, Sidney.
Lights must be visible. A light attached to your bowman's rigger may 
only be visible from one side of the boat - potentially hazardous at the 
crossover points. Lights really ought to be attached to the canvas of 
your boat / the back of your cox/bowman, but if you insist on using 
rigger mounted lights put them on both sides of the boat, Churchill.

4) Spinning
At the lock boats should queue and spin one at a time. No, it might not 
be the fastest thing for your boat. But it is the fastest way to get 
everyone spun and everyone off in good time, Emmanuel.
On a similar note, please row out of the spinning zone before pulling 
in/stopping for a coaching chat.

5) Boating times.
First boat can push off at lighting down, lower boats not for another 15 
mintues, LMBC.
Given that we get 3/4 boats through the lights every few minutes at 
Chesterton, you're really not losing out on water time this term!

Crews named above are for the sake of making examples - consider 
yourselves warned! You will not be fined on this occasion.

Play nicely...

Regards,

Mark Jacobs
CUCBC Safety Advisor