Coxing the Tideway Heads

1. Coxing the Tideway Heads Rachel Quarrell Tuesday 4th November 2008

2. P.P.P.C.C.C.

3. Planning • weather? • kit and equipment • meeting times and locations (parking?) • READ THE ***ing RULES (!) incl. marshalling • start order • race plan and visualise • warm-up plan

4. Marshalling • Which station? (bank) • Near which point? • Which crews around you? • What time must you be there? • => what time to boat?

5. Stuff - useful and necessary • Tools (i - rigging and ii - in the boat) • Kit (warm, many layers, wellies) • Race numbers (on boat and on crew) • Accurate watch (set to speaking clock) • Lifejacket, coxbox, mic, headband? • hat/cap, shades, gloves? • marshalling map? • sponge? • Two black bin-bags and a kind friend

6. Boat Stuff - mostly vital • ARA ID numbers • Race numbers • Hatch covers • Heel restraints • Bow ball • Anything else required by race organisers • check centre joint, fin, rudder, riggers, speaker cables and joints

7. Timetable • Get numbers • Meet up • Rig and check boat • Crew chat • Down to boating area • Push off and warm up • In place by correct time

8. Warm-up • Fours • Short slide work/timing synchronisation • Steady rowing • High pressure/rate • Sitting about.... • Make use of gaps and clear stretches

9. Sitting about • Stay warm (all the time) • Respond to marshals • Stay clear of other crews • Bows slightly to the bank • Not stopped close upstream of obstacles • Vary who rows on • Remember you can back down to get clear • Clever manoeuvres • Amusing jokes? • Check the boat • Keep an eye on the time

10. Turning • Don’t stay too close to the bank - let yourself come into mid-stream • Turn when asked, and turn efficiently • Stay with adjacent numbers • Think about positioning once turned • Kit off before you turn (or during) • Psych crew up to be ready straight away

11. Racing • Know where you are • Know when you are • Remember the race plan • Give rowers time to think • Use other crews just enough • Consider overtaking and conditions • Racing line

12. Mental approach • Stay calm • Motivate both crew and individuals • Always sound positive and focused and keen to do well • Track what the rowers need to remember - technique, race plan, tactics, waypoints • And always make steering a priority

13. After the race • Wind down safely and listen to marshals • Kit on after turning out of the way • Safety checks? • Stick to return lanes as you go back • Stay positive but don’t talk too much! • Cross safely if necessary

14. Steering • - during training • - during the race

16. Steering in training • Know which way tide’s going • Working the slacks • Crossing points • Starboard rule in main stream • Tide turn warnings • Observe landing and crossing rules

18. Useful pointers - against stream • Point bows slightly to bank in strong stream • Stick near the riverbanks • ….. but beware mudflats/gravel islets • Know where to cross • ….. and give way to other crews while x’ing

19. The Theory River profile - deepest point ≈ maximum stream

20. BE FFC Where’s the depth? => The fastest stream is not always in the middle of the river

21. Silting Lack of dredging: - stream slows down and broadens

22. Useful pointers - with stream • Know where the fastest stream is generally • Curve with the bends, don’t cut them • You don’t need to steer much • Steer from the tops of the banks, not mud • Beware mid-stream obstacles

24. Chiswick to Barnes Bridge • Centre of Chiswick Bridge • Approximately halfway between the banks • Don’t be drawn in towards Middlesex as you approach Barnes Bridge • Angle slightly towards the Mdx pier of bridge

27. Cox’s view from Barnes - again at low tide

28. Looking back at Barnes Bridge - rower’s view Very low tide - note shallows on Surrey bank

29. Barnes to Chiswick Eyot • Up to moored boats, stay same distance off Mdx bank, past Bandstand • Parallel to moored boats before Eyot • approx. 1-2 widths away from them • Parallel to Eyot - midway or slightly to SS

31. Eyot to Hammersmith • At end of Eyot, look at Surrey bank • Stay this distance away from it (ignore Mdx bank), round to St. Paul’s School • Continue at same distance • stay parallel to BS bank • Under “second lamppost” or v slightly to SS

34. Hammersmith to Barn Elms • By now you’re 1/3 off Surrey bank • Keep this distance away from BS bank • Harrods Depository wall: bad water? • Stay parallel to Surrey bank • By Barn Elms, 1/4 off Surrey bank • avoids Fulham Flats

36. Barn Elms to Putney Pier • At apex of Barn Elms bend, look to Black Buoy • Let yourself re-aim to pass it on SS • 1-2 widths off Buoy (pref. 1) • Stay parallel to moorings until LRC • Head for centre of Putney Bridge

38. Useful links Safety: WeHORR - http://www.wehorr.org/safety-plan.html HORR - http://www.horr.co.uk/CoxNote.htm TRRC - http://safety.thames-rrc.org/tideway/hor-advice.html Maps: WeHORR - http://www.wehorr.org/course-map.html and http://www.wehorr.org/marshall-map.html HORR - http://www.horr.co.uk/CourMap.htm and http://www.horr.co.uk/Marshal.htm VHORR - http://www.vrc.org.uk/vets_head/2006/Documents/Marshaling%20map.TIF Rules: WeHORR - http://www.wehorr.org/instruct-cox.html HORR - http://www.horr.co.uk/Rules.htm VHORR - http://www.vrc.org.uk/vets_head/2006/Documents/General%20Instructions%20for%20the%20Vesta%20Veterans%20Head.doc

39. Any Questions ?