Safety guidelines

Rowing is a very safe sport because everyone treats safety as their first priority.

Safety advice for members of the club

👉All members of the club need to study this page, especially new members of the club, and members who are new to the sport of rowing.

👉All coxes, bow steerers of coxless boats, coaches, bank parties, and captains need to read the separate web pages on:

👉If you are going off-Cam read the separate page on rigging and trailering.

The British Rowing Learn-to-Row handbook includes vital safety guidance for rowers. Copies are available in our boathouse - you can also download the key sections here. Below we summarise the key points, including specific information for rowing on the River Cam.

Rowing safely starts with knowing the rules

You must be able to swim competently and be able to swim underwater with confidence. If you are not confident, you must learn to swim before going out on the water in a boat, at all. Some rowing clubs do allow non-swimmers to participate by using flotation devices - this is not the case at our club - we require everyone to be able to swim.
If you have any medical or fitness concerns then talk to your doctor. Let your coach know of anything that could affect you whilst rowing.
Listen carefully to Instructions. Your coach or coxswain will guide you on technique and safety. Rowing has its own vocabulary, so don’t worry if it’s unfamiliar at first - just ask questions when you’re unsure.
Do not do anything that would put yourself or anyone else at risk.
Be prepared for the activity that you are about to do: eat, drink, hydrate, and dress appropriately. You must not go rowing if you feel unwell.

The club has a Rowing Safety Advisor who provides guidance on safety matters: safety-advisor@xpressbc.org.uk.

The club Welfare Officer distributes information about safeguarding and is a confidential point of contact for any club members with any concerns about safeguarding: welfare@xpressbc.org.uk.

British Rowing also publish water safety information on their web site.

Capsizing

Like any water sport, rowing carries a small risk of falling into the water. If you are a beginner, you would be rowing in a wide, stable boat, and the risk of capsizing or falling in the water is very small. Capsizing is extremely rare for eights and fours and usually happens due to a mistake while getting in or out of the boat. Pairs and doubles may capsize occasionally if the rowers make a bad mistake. For a single sculler, capsizing is an occupational hazard.

What to do if you capsize on the river Cam

In places, the River Cam is not very deep - the area around the boathouses is typically waist deep, but at other points further downstream you would not be able to touch the bottom.

(1). After a capsize, your head might go under water. Do not panic - first get your feet out of the shoes. You should be able to pull your feet right out - if they do not immediately come out of the shoes, push the shoe heels with your thumbs and pull the release strap that will undo the velcro straps.

(2). Gently float, and get your head above water; relax and breathe. Beware that your head might possibly hit a boat rigger as you come up, so move gently.

(3). Hold onto the boat and stay with the boat. Don’t get isolated.

(4). Take a good look around in all directions. Look out for other boats that might hit you. Shout if necessary. Check that all the crew have surfaced and don’t forget the cox.

(5). Swim, pushing the boat to the side of the river. Be aware that the mud at the bottom of the river can be deep. Usually near the bank it is less so, and you can stand and sort the boat out and get back in. If you get cold, get out of the water.

What to do if you capsize on a big river:

Big rivers are wider and deeper than the Cam, and might have a very strong tidal stream.

(1) to (4) also apply here. Then:

(5). Stay with the boat, holding onto it as a raft. Do not leave the boat to try to swim to the shore. River currents may be stronger than the strongest human swimmers. On some big rivers, and most tidal rivers at particular times, the surface water is always moving to the centre of the river and the bottom water is moving to the shore. Swimmers get pushed to the centre of the river forever.

(6). Keep looking out for other boats who may be able to help you. If there is no help available, get the boat back the right way up. Take some of the oars out if necessary. Get back in the boat from one end, one at a time, with the others holding the boat level. If you are going to row on big rivers in small boats, this is a skill worth practising from your boat in a swimming pool. With a bit of practice, anyone can learn how to get back into any boat in the middle of the water.

Have a look at this video before you go rowing on a big river.

Heel ties and foot release straps

Each shoe in a rowing boat has a cord which attaches the heel to the bottom of the footplate. The purpose of these ties is to save your life in the event of a capsize, by allowing you to easily pull your feet out of the shoes. Make sure the ties are fastened and that you cannot lift your heel beyond a horizontal position. Make sure your foot release strap is functional, so that you can pull on that strap to undo the Velcro fasteners of your shoes.

When you get in the boat, check that your shoes and heel straps are in good working order, and that you are certain that you would know how to get your feet out of the shoes if you became suddenly upside-down, capsized with your head under-water. Various shoes have different release mechanisms. Particularly in small boats, it is safest to not do up your shoes tightly, if at all.

Correct positioning of heel ties.

Emergency stop

Know the emergency stop commands from your cox and coach. "HOLD IT UP" is the rowing equivalent of an emergency stop. For a new rower, your coach will have explained to you how to stop the boat quickly in an emergency situation. An alternative is “STOP, STOP!!” or “X-PRESS STOP, STOP!!”. This is non-rowing jargon which everyone understands.

A "Take the run off" call from the cox means a gentler stopping manouvre. The rowers must slightly tilt the blades so that the trailing edge digs into the water, applying a gentle breaking pressure. The rowers need to take care to keep the boat level and moving in a straight line whilst taking the run off.

We believe that accidents whilst rowing can be largely avoided with proper planning and thoughtful preparation.

Keep a good look out!

A poor lookout by steerers is by far the most common reason for a collision. Not following the rules of the river is the second most common reason.

Coxes and steerers: Help to avoid collisions by keeping a good lookout, following the rules of the river, and making yourself easy to see.
If in doubt, shout! Look out for hazards ahead, and warn your crew and other crews if there is potential danger. Shout loud, and shout early!
The best way to avoid a dangerous situation is to take decisive action before it escalates. For example , if you see a narrow gap ahead, don’t simply press on and hope for the best. Instead, have the crew easy, drop the blades, and take the run off. If necessary, stop completely, and pull in some oars.

According to data from British Rowing, over 90% of accidents on the water are caused by poor lookout and failure to follow the rules of the river

Rules of the river Cam

The ‘rules of the river’ are the rowing equivalent of the Highway Code. The official rules are set out in Section 4 of the river bylaws, with additional rules agreed with the University rowing clubs. In simple terms, the rules we follow are:

Follow the flow pattern of the river. On the Cam, this means keeping to the right, except between the Plough and the Gut. There are clearly marked crossover points in that section - please take extra care when navigating them.
Know the right place to spin. The recommended spinning zones are:
- - - Baits Bite Lock - do not spin past than the ‘Danger, Rowers Spin Here’ sign.
    - The bottom of the Reach between the two posts - but no further downstream than the last post).
    - The P&E
    - Jesus Lock

If you spin elsewhere, this is at your own risk. Only spin if it safe. Clear the spinning zone after completing a spin. It’s courteous to approaching crews to make a wide U-turn, so that you finish the turn on the correct side of the river.

Don’t stop unless necessary. If you do stop, be alert for on-coming crews, and consider if you should pull into the bank to avoid creating an obstruction. There is a particular danger when all the crew and cox are talking to the coach on the bank, and nobody is paying attention to oncoming crews. Don’t stop on or near corners.
Give way to crews coming upstream.
Only overtake if it is safe to do so. Only ask crews to ‘come by’ if it is safe to do so.

ARU and CUCBC crews must follow the seperate rules mandated by CUCBC.

Before each outing - is it safe?

Captains and steerers must use common sense to decide if it is safe to go rowing:

👉 Consider the conditions: weather, wind, temperature, height of the water, the stream, visibility, and level of traffic on the river.

👉 Consider the crew: the experience of both the crew and the cox/steerer, whether that experience is appropriate for the expected conditions, whether a bank party will be present, and whether the class of boat is suitable.

👉 Check the boat: Bow ball secure, heel ties, hatch covers secure, runners correctly positioned and screws present, seats working, footplates secure, rigger top and bottom nuts secure, rudder functional, fin straight, hull undamaged, life jacket for cox (operational and secured), cox box equipment functional.

If the weather is poor - especially when you’re in a small boat - think carefully about how far from the boathouse it’s safe to go. Consider what would happen if you fell in and became cold and wet at the far end of your route: how far could you realistically row or run back without risking exhaustion or hypothermia? This concern is greatest in midwinter, when bad weather and icy water make conditions more dangerous.

Avoiding serious incidents

We want to prevent all accidents that would cause injury to rowers or damage to equipment. We especially want to avoid very serious, life threatening incidents; therefore, please pay special attention to the following:

(1) Locks and weirs. Do not spin close to Baits Bite lock - especially if the stream or wind are strong. You would not want to capsize and get sucked into a sluice gate. There is a ‘DANGER, ROWERS SPIN HERE’ sign just upstream of Baits bite Lock; do not ignore that warning.

(2) Powered boats. Take special care near powered boats when they are in operation. For obvious reasons, you would not want to capsize near the propeller of a motorboat. Do not pull in front of a powered boat immediately after performing an overtake.

(3) Heel ties (again). When you get in the boat, check that your shoes and heel straps are in good working order, and that you are certain that you would know how to get your feet out of the shoes if you became suddenly upside-down, capsized, with your head under-water.

Avoiding other injuries

Accidents that cause injuries are uncommon, but it’s important to be aware of the following:

Slipping whilst getting into and out of the boat, or on a wet floor in the boathouse.
Trip hazards around the boathouse and the hard.
Strain whilst lifting boats.
Scratches and scrapes from riggers and bolts when maneuvering boats.
Sunburn and dehydration.
The Cam is not a particularly clean river - washing your hands after rowing is essential. A quick wash with soap and water helps prevent the spread of germs. It’s a simple habit that makes a big difference.

Serious injuries are thankfully very, very rare, but are a reminder that we should take them seriously, and take proper steps to mitigate the risk.

Avoiding damage to equipment

Take a look at our page on Boat Care which lists out all the ways that we have damaged equipment in the past. The list is there so that you don't have to repeat the same mistakes.

Avoiding damage to moored boats

Please take extra care when rowing near moored boats. Avoid letting your oars touch them wherever possible. If you find yourself close to a moored boat, try to drift away gently. If you do need to push off with an oar, do so carefully and preferably against a fender. Never push off below the waterline of a moored boat, as this can cause costly hidden damage.

Respect wildlife

Please be mindful of swans and other wildlife on the water. Swans can be protective and slow to move out of the way, especially during nesting season, so always give them plenty of space and slow down if needed. Avoid steering directly towards them, and never try to pass between adult swans and their young. If swans are blocking your route, stop rowing and wait for them to move on rather than attempting to push past. Being patient and considerate helps protect the birds from injury and keeps everyone safe on the water.

Respect other river users

Please be courteous and considerate to all other river users at all times. Keep noise to a minimum, especially near residential areas, and respond politely to other river users and the general public, even in busy or challenging situations. The river is a shared space, and your behaviour reflects on both you and your club.

Report incidents

If you are involved in, or witness, an incident or near-miss on or around the water, it is important that it is reported promptly. Please inform a club representative as soon as possible so the details can be recorded and any immediate action taken. Where required, incidents should also be reported to British Rowing in line with their safety guidance.

Reporting helps to identify risks, improve procedures, and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future - it is about learning and keeping everyone safe, not assigning blame.

Summary...

Keep a good lookout and follow the rules of the river.
Never pull in right in front of any power boat having overtaken it.
Never go near the bottom lock when the river flow is fast.
Row and scull safely, and enjoy our relatively safe river.

Next Page: Safety for coxes and steerers →

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