NOTES FOR COXSWAINS - THE HEAD OF THE RIVER RACE

BEFORE THE RACE
	Study the Rules of the Race
	Watch the HOR video ‘Coxing a Tideway Head’ several times. Make the rest of your crew watch too!
	Study your General Instructions. You should carry with you in the boat a card showing the details that affect you, such as numbers of neighbouring boats and the flags you need to locate, where you have to go, what time you have to be there, your signals for turning.
	Check that the number, bow-ball, hatches and heel restraints are secure
	Make sure you know which side of the river is Surrey and which Middlesex - and which side is your marshalling station. Get on that side as soon as possible after boating. If your linen numbers are Black on Pink background, your station will be on the Surrey (south) side; if they are Black on Yellow background, your station will be on Middlesex (north) side of the river. Do not approach your station on the wrong side of the river as you may not cross at the last moment in the marshalling area.   Look out for the PINK & YELLOW boards on the downstream sides of Barnes and Chiswick Bridges.  Crossing points downstream of the marshalling area are controlled by an umpire/marshal.
	The linen numbers must be clearly visible before and during the race. They are waterproof - do not cover them with polythene - reflected light makes it difficult to read. Your bowman must wear one number on his racing vest, the other on his tracksuit.
	GET AFLOAT IN GOOD TIME TO GET IN POSITION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. If you are late in the marshalling area, or disrupt the marshalling process your crew may receive a substantial time penalty.
	Remember you are on a TIDEWAY. When easied, your boat is not stationary - it could be moving at 3 - 4 mph, ahead or astern. When going against the tide keep well clear of the middle of the river, this is used by people going with the tide.
	DO NOT ENGAGE IN WARMING-UP ROWING IN THE MARSHALLING AREA (Kew Railway Bridge to Chiswick Eyot)
	Listen for marshals orders and locate your station flag. Keep closed up with the crew ahead when moving upstream with your section. You may have to paddle hard to keep closed up.
	Crews in Divisions 4 - 8, nos 156 - 400, must appreciate that you are rowing against the tide when marshalling. As you come under Chiswick Bridge you are moving into an area where the section ahead has turned and is moving with the tide. To maintain a steady flow over the start line you must be prepared to paddle hard into the turning area and not to easy unless physically obstructed or instructed to do so by a marshal. The whole division must be well above Chiswick Bridge, with the top crew at the Railway Bridge (Surrey) or Petrol Pier (Middlesex) before the turning signal can be made. Turn in a wide turn with your bows towards the middle of the river. Do not attempt to ‘spin turn’ close to the bank.
	After you have turned on your signal, paddle downstream towards the start in the middle of the river: EVEN numbers on the Surrey side of the middle of the river, ODD numbers on the Middlesex side of the middle, one length of clear water behind the next boat in the adjacent line. Don’t let large gaps open ahead of you.
DURING THE RACE
	Steering the course
	Study these notes even if you think you know the tideway. Your steering can save your crew valuable seconds. You will also gain valuable assistance from the video which has been provided to your club.
	Your fastest course is in the line of deepest water, shown as a dotted line on the attached chart (this line does not alter). As the tide goes out, shoals appear (shaded on the chart) and as the water drops your best course is less likely to be midway between the shorelines. For example, just downstream of Barnes Bridge the best course at high water is roughly midway between the Surrey and Middlesex banks, but by low water it is close to the drying Surrey shoreline.
	You will see from the chart that the stream generally goes round the outside of each bend. As the tide goes out, this is more clearly seen. In particular from opposite the Crabtree to the finish, the stream runs down the Surrey side to close outside the Black Buoy, yet every year many coxswains lose their crews lengths by cutting across the Middlesex bend by Fulham Football Ground. Remember you must race OUTSIDE (that is the Middlesex side ) of the Black Buoy and the line of moored boats downstream, to the finish. Failure to do this will result in automatic disqualification and would be very dangerous.
	Another important point is to ensure that you take up position sufficiently early to shoot Barnes and Hammersmith bridges without having to use a lot of rudder. Hammersmith is the harder of the two, every year there are coxswains who hug the Surrey shore opposite Hammersmith pier and have to change direction very sharply to avoid hitting the Surrey buttress of the Bridge. If you look at the chart you will see the best course is just to the Surrey side of the centre of the river when you are opposite the pier and you should steer to go through the bridge just to the right of its centre. Then keep the same distance from the Surrey bank as you pass Harrods. For the rest of the course, steer by the Surrey bank and do not let your eyes be drawn by the other bank, which becomes extremely shallow. Be careful approaching the Black Buoy and line up in good time to pass it with your boat towards the centre of the river.
	Although you will try to steer the ideal course, you must give way to any overtaking crew. Do not wait until their bow is almost on your rudder before changing course: your crew will lose far less time if you move gently a few yards across the stream than if there is a collision or you have to use hard rudder to avoid one. When the boats are clear work equally gently back to your chosen course. If you are overtaking, manoeuvre so as to do so at a point where you will be as close as possible to your best course - do not be tempted into taking what may appear to be a short cut.
	If you cause serious interference to another crew, your own crew may be disqualified. This will apply also if you interfere with boats racing while you are proceeding to your disembarkation point after you have finished racing.
AFTER THE RACE
	YOUR CREW MUST PADDLE ON AFTER CROSSING THE FINISH LINE AND PASS THROUGH THE CENTRE ARCH OF BOTH PUTNEY BRIDGE AND FULHAM RAILWAY BRIDGE BEFORE TURNING RIGHT. ANY CREW TURNING BEFORE FULHAM RAILWAY BRIDGE MAY BE DISQUALIFIED or receive a time penalty. Be prepared to return outside Putney Pier, if the route under the Pier is obstructed or if a marshal directs you, before moving inside the line of moored boats by the boathouses.
	All crews must turn right towards the Surrey (south) shore after going through the bridges and return home in accordance with rules 16 and 17. Crews returning to Barnes, Mortlake, Chiswick and Kew, please note rule 17(d).
	If you have an accident on the Tideway and your boat fills with water, it is advisable to stay together as a crew so that strong swimmers can look after the weaker members. If your boat still floats, you should make sure your crew hangs on to it until the rescue boat arrives, or you have pushed it ashore.
	DON’T FORGET TO STUDY THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS, THE RULES OF THE RACE AND THE CHART OF THE COURSE, BEFORE THE RACE.
	Enjoy your racing

Major Revision 15 March 2010

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