1.The Coxswain S Responsibility

1.The Coxswain S Responsibility

Table of Contents

1.The Coxswain’s Responsibility

1.1.Why a coxing manual?

1.2.What skills will you need?

2.Safety

3.Navigation

3.1.Landmarks

4.Water Rules

4.1.Rules of the Water - Training

4.2.Rules of the Water - Racing

6. Maneuvering the Boat

5.1.Steering a Straight Course

5.2.Spinning the Boat Around

5.3.Landing the Boat

5.4.Wind moves Boats

8. Glossary

9. Commands

10. An Outing

Launching the boat

Coming out of the boathouse

Putting the boat on the water

Coming in off the water (Landing)

1.The Coxswain’sResponsibility

The primary responsibility of the cox is to ensure the success of his crew.

It is a broad responsibility but in one phrase; the cox is responsible for the team’s success. This includes managing sessions, schedules, motivating them to perform at their peak and beyond, carrying out winning strategies and looking out for their safety. Every action the coxcarries out should ultimately be in the name of success for his team. Coxing is a position of leadership.

1.1.Why a coxing manual?

Good communication and a strong understanding of rowing and its concepts are critical if you are to cox a successful boat. This manual’s aim is to get all coxes speaking the same language as the coaches. It provides information on the most basicimportant aspects of coxing. In short, the aim of this manual is to help coxes grasp the basics, to be decisive, knowledgeable and confident enough to breed success for their crews and ultimately ensure the success of the Bishops Rowing Club and all its members.

1.2.What skills will you need?

To start, you don’t need to possess any particular skill to become a cox, but you do need the desire to learn management and leadership skills and you will develop these skills if you are willing to: firstly listen to coaches and teams, then read, analyse, research andcommunicate. It is key towant to be a team member. When you assume this position of authority, you make the choice to lead. In Steve Jobs’ (Late CEO of Apple Computers) view, leadership is a choice. You will manage the team’s success and you will learn the discipline of getting things done right. Leadership is the art of doing what is right for thegood of the team. There are two steps to becoming a leader, and the first is the most important,to manage:

1.2.1.Management

Firstly you must learn to manage and execute correctly. Know the basics of boatmanship, get the boat in and out of the water, co-ordinate your commands,learn to manage the crew, the session (or race) and prepareequipment correctly for conditions. The best managers are those that are extremely knowledgeable in their area of expertise. Know your racing, training and boat terminology well, it will improve your commands.

1.2.2.Leadership

Once you can execute a session smoothly and manage your team easily, you will be well equipped and ready to lead, which is to provide teaching and inspiration. Usually a cox will be ready to lead in the senior years at school, where they will share their wisdom, knowledge and inspiration with the whole club. The ability to lead in an area of expertise doesn’t happen over-night, it takes commitment and desireand it can only be attained once one is able to manage effectively.

2.Safety

2.1.Be in Command of the boat

There is a good reason that a ship appoints one captain. It would be utter chaos if 100 people all took control of the navigation and manoeuvring of a ship. In any boat (even coxless), one person is appointed the cox, to take responsibility for the command of the crew. It enables that person to use the crew as an engine with which to drive and control the boat. All crew members must take instruction from the cox for their own safety even if they differ in opinion. IF a cox has been trained and tested according to Bishops standards, they will be the best equipped person to handle the safety of the crew.

2.2.Be prepared and you will prevent accidents

Always be aware that weather conditions change so come prepared with sunscreen andwaterproofs, decent sunglasses also help prevent scarring on the eyes over the long term.

Don’t do unnecessary things liketying ballasts or weights to yourself, or yourself to the boat.

2.3.Be Alert and Aware of the Situation

Be aware at all times, your eyes should constantly be scanning ahead looking for obstacles. Don’t let your attention be averted away from guiding the boat by anything. IF this happens, stop the boat and deal with the issue before continuing. All crew members must be able to swim proficiently.

2.4.Crew Safety

Make sure before you go on a session:
- You and your crew know how to get in and out of the boat safely.
- Your crew knows how to stop a boat quickly and safely, hold water command.
- Your crew know how to move a boat forwards, backwards and around.
- You know how to steer a boat.
- You and your crew know the river/water is in a safe condition.
- The boat is in a safe condition.
- If you are in a novice crew, you have a coach present before you go on the water.

3.Navigation

Navigation is a safety concern as well as a strategic advantage, certainly when a boat has run aground and opened the hull 10km from civilization. If this seems far-fetched then head up Kowie River for 8km and have a look at the treacherous hidden rocks, sandbanks and currents.

A cox is entirely responsible for manoeuvring the boat at all times. The rudder is one tool for manoeuvring the boat when moving forward. This is called steering. The crew is the other tool used for manoeuvring the boat. The crew changes the direction of the boat by rowing harder on one side, rowers holding water on one side or rowing backwards on one side.

3.1.Steering a Straight Course

This is the most sought after manoeuvre a cox can make. Some key rules which are very difficult to achieve:

  • The shortest distance between two points is a straight line
  • The fastest course is the shortest course
  • The less rudder applied during a race the less resistance
  • In a following stream (or tide), the deepest part of the river is the fastest
  • In an oncoming stream (or tide), the shallowest part of the river is the fastest
  • In rough water where the boat is taking water, the fastest route is the calmest route

3.2.Spinning the Boat Around

The most effective way of doing a 180 degree turn is to have one side of the boat back down and the other side, touch up. This can either be done whilst the crew is sitting at backstops or using full slides to get longer strokes.

Aligning on the Start for a Race

Umpires often rush coxes at the start in order to keep race day on schedule. Keep in mind that the umpire should not start a race until your hand is down. Holding your hand in the air indicates to the umpire that your crew in NOT ready to start. Some tips for being the most organized and ready crew on the start:

  • Be assertive, know your racing rules and inform the umpires clearly
  • Be ready to move onto your starting lane as soon as the previous race has gone
  • Move into your lane quickly and ask the aligners if you are in line
  • Have you crew respond to your requests to touch up, and back down, usually just the bow pair
  • Anticipate the wind and make allowances

3.3.Landing the Boat

The fine art of landing a boat is only mastered after many years. Junior coxes may be influenced to make aggressive fast landings after seeing senior coxes coming in with skill. Many a shell has been wrecked, blade crushed or rigger bent by coxes coming in to land too fast. Rather edge your way to the jetty or land by getting two crew members to touch up or back down. If the whole crew moves the boat, the momentum is hard to stop. Avoid building up momentum when landing, in other words come in slowly and edge your way in. Some tips on landing to avoid embarrassment and accident:

  • Land using two oarsmen as maneuverers rather than the entire crew
  • Land with the bow into the wind or tide if possible, this reduces momentum
  • Inform the crew to lift their oars early
  • Never let the shell touch land
  • Communicate with people on land to help grab oars politely

3.4.Wind moves Boats

The number ONE physical variable affecting races in a rowing boat is wind. Once you can anticipate its affects you will help gain massive advantage for your team. This applies to anticipating all conditions such as wake, stream, opponent’s tactics, umpires and even the lack of wind. When anticipating how much time you have to respond to wind affecting your course or your drift, always remember you have half the time that you think you do. Most coxes adjust at the last minute or when it’s too late, you have either run aground, been blown onto the buoys in a race or the bowman’s blade has flown into the air before you warned him of the upcoming gust you saw blowing white on the water. Wind can get you in trouble and show up your lack of judgment faster than you can say “The wind is blowing us”. It can ruin a session, waste 10 valuable minutes of a session, have a delayed, chaotic race start and either win or lose your race for you. When it comes to wind, the rule is to react early.

3.5.Landmarks

Always remember the tip “never dive into unknown waters headfirst”, many a man has broken his neck not heeding this warning. The same should apply to coxing and rowing, question locals about the water, and use your common sense. If the water has a reputation for sandbanks, find out where they are. The coach can play a role here by taking a launch on a reconnaissance mission. If you are unsure how to map your session out, converse with your coach and come up with a route for the session to follow. The way you identify where obstacles are located is by remembering a landmark close by. For example, “the sandbanks on the left after the start begin at Kowie River on Pigs Flats where the trees stop, I must be aware”.

Many accidents happen on race day, boats collide, coxes find inanimate objects to collide with and sandbanks miraculously appear. Be aware of other boats and their navigation before and during the race.

4.Water Rules

4.1.Rules of the Water - Training

Details of the rules for a particular body of water differ from place to place. There is a general rule of stay to the bow side of the water when moving, similar to driving on the road. Faster crews must overtake on stroke side.

4.2.Rules of the Water - Racing

On race day rules often change to cater for the course and traffic to and from the start. On a boatrace course, be aware of rowing in another crew’s water and how this should be done. The general rule on race day is to listen to the umpire. Try not to row on the course on race day at all (unless you are racing) but if you do need to cross, make it snappy and be aware of races coming your way.

5.Commanding the Boat

Being in command of the boat is a subtle job. It is mentioned under safety because without one person controlling the vessel, chaos will reign. When there is chaos in the boat, the cox is neglecting their primary responsibility - to ensure the success of his crew. The one simple rule when giving commands, it is to communicate effectively. This means:

  • Calling with a voice which can be heard
  • Giving your crew the right command
  • Giving your crew the time to digest your message
  • Keeping the cox-box in working order and charged
  • Giving your crew confidence in your knowledge of rowing

When giving commands in a race, in training or on land it is critical that the commands are well timed. In a race the stroke rate is faster so commands require fine co-ordination but this comes naturally after time and when coxes get a feel for rhythm. The following tips will help co-ordinate crews to react as one unit together:

  • For commands calling for a stroke change, call on the finish
  • For commands calling for a recovery change, call on the catch

6.Session Management

A session is the time from getting the crew together to pick up the boat until the point where the boat is set carefully on the rack. The crew must not talk but rather leave the navigation, safety, management and execution of strategy up to the cox. A common mistake made by coxes is getting in and out of the water and manoeuvring the boat on the water in a sloppy manner. This often leads to equipment being damaged and loss of focus and anger within the crew. Moving a boat to and from the water as well as manoeuvring the boat on the water requires the full attention of the cox and crew and a massive amount of co-ordination. Moving a rowing boat is about 5 times more difficult than a car:

  • A car has brakes, a boat has a rowing team with oars which can be used as brakes
  • A car does not need to be carried out of a tightly spaces area or building, a boat is heavy and needs to be carried by people
  • A car has a reverse gear and rear view mirrors, a boat does not
  • A car and the driver have clear road rules to follow, a rowing boat most often is exposed to the rules of nature and a thin set of usually contradictory rules requiring the use of common sense – remember that if common sense was common, more people would have it.
  • A car uses petrol, your feet and hands to be propelled and navigated, a rowing crew relies on instructions from the cox and navigation with a tiny rudder which never seems to work properly

These challenges are not to be moaned and complained about and it is not the coxes given right to use these points as an excuse, they are intended to make the cox aware that their job is a difficult one and it needs to be mastered. Controlling a rowing boat successfully is an extremely rewarding art. It is similar to flying when one can handle the crew an boat to make it seem effortless and fluid.

A typical session follows three steps, this also applies to racing:

6.1.Get Together and Briefing

  • Always get the boat ready before the briefing and ensure the blades are at the launch area before calling the crew to get together for the briefing
  • Ensure you get your team together at least 10 minutes before the “on the water time” scheduled or well in advance if the boat must be carried far.
  • An important part of any session is understanding the purpose, whether it is a race or session so a cox gets their crew together by rounding them up in an assertive yet considerate way. If a crew member is doing something important, don’t yell at them.
  • Always have a pre-outing briefing even if it is short. The pre session briefing is always given by the coach and if the coach is busy they will assume the cox has taken this responsibility. Be brief and to the point, crews are not your audience on the stage, they are a team with which you need to gel.
  • The start of any session, particularly a race sets the tone for the entire Outing so ensure you and your crew are in a good mindset. The rule here is to be organised and assertive and to always convey a clear purpose. This will ensure respect from the crew and enable the team to work towards the ever-present objective and ultimate goal for the season.
  • Once the briefing is complete, don’t dilly-dally, say to the crew “we’re going to get hands on” which means go to the boat and be ready for “hands on”. Call the command “Hands On!” in a clear and loud voice.
  • Getting the Boat to and onto Water
  • Usually you will say “Lifting out together! ... (Pause for 3 seconds) LIFT!”, this can be more complicated depending on where the boat is sitting, for example under another boat on a rack, you may need to prepare the crew by saying before “hands on” something like “Bow side go onto the other side of the boat first, we are going to lift across, once clear of the other boat, stroke side will hold and bow side will come around to grab the gunwale on their side, does everyone understand, OKAY HANDS ON!, (Pause for 10 seconds) lift across together, LIFT, (Wait) stroke side hold and bow side come around the other boat and hands on your side, (Wait) okay shoulders together, LIFT”
  • The boat is carried on the shoulders usually
Top View