NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program Purpose

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program Purpose

• Instruct basic Rules of Rowing Safety
• Instruct specific course requirements for each of
  the 4 NCASRA courses
• Occoquan
• Georgetown
• Anacostia
• Alexandria

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification ProgramReference
Material

• You will need to study more than this
  presentation. Coxswains should read the US Rules
  of Racing. Read carefully the sections on
• Start procedures
• Protests
• Safety

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program What you
need to know for each site

• Launch pattern
• Rowing to the starting line
• Course specifics (places you can sink your shell)
• Returning from the course

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program What you
need to know for each race

• If you are not ready to racedont go.
• If something breaks in the first 100 meters, stop
  and raise your hand!
• If you think someone fouled you during the
  raceraise your hand as soon as you finish the
  race.
• If someone in your boat is having health problems
  after the raceraise your hand.

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program Types of
Starts

• POLLING START
• The starter will poll each crew ..example TJ?
  After each crew is polled the official will say
  "ATTENTION," "GO"
• COUNTDOWN START
• The starter will align the crews and instruct
  the coxswains that they may not recognize hands
  during the countdown. The start will be 5, 4,
  3, 2, 1, ATTENTION GO
• QUICK START
• In this case the starter will get the crews
  aligned and will immediately use the starting
  commands. No hands are recognized.
• Never assume things are going to go by the
  book. Be prepared and have your crew ready to
  start the race once you are at the line.

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program Ways to get
warnings and false starts

• BEING LATE to the STARTING LINE (or not being
  locked onto the starting block/ stake boat 2 min.
  before your start time)
• GROSS MISCONDUCT (swearing, being belligerent
  towards another crew to name a few)
• IF YOU ARE NOT READY, DON'T GO (You will get a
  WARNING but that is much better than running
  your boat into another shell)
• TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS (disobeying the the traffic
  patterns)
• STARTS, POWER STROKES, AND FAILURE TO
  WEIGH-ENOUGH There are no power starts or
  strokes in the marshall area, or in the travel
  lane up to the starting line. Not stopping when a
  race is coming down the course
• STARTING BEFORE THE OFFICIAL SAYS GO IS
  CHEATING! And nobody likes a cheater.(this will
  get you a false start)
• TWO WARNINGS/FALSE STARTS
• YOUR CREW WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE EVENT

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program The
Protest Appeal Process

• At the end of the race, if you feel you have been
  fouled, or had breakage in the first 100 meters,
  or for some other reason you think the race was
  not fair, RAISE YOUR HAND, and tell the referee
  your issue.
• The referee will review your complaint and make a
  ruling on the water.
• If you dont agree, You have one hour from the
  time you hit the dock (not really a good choice
  of words) to get a written appeal to the
  authority having jurisdiction.
• The written appeal must be submitted with 25,
  and must be signed by the coxswain if the appeal
  is sustained..you get your money back.

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NCASRA Coxswain Certification Program What your
shells need to be race safe

• Bow ball (you must have one, and it must be
  secure)
• Shoe heels must be tied down (no more than 3
  inches of rise from shoe heel to foot plate)
• These items will be checked at each race by the
  race officials (heats and finals)
• You will not be allowed to launch and race if
  these criteria are not met first

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White Flag

• Raised at the start indicates alignment, be ready
  to race
• Raised during the race is used to instruct crews
• Raised straight up "Obstacle!" "Stop rowing!"
  "Keep apart!
• Dropped to one side steer that way to avoid
  collision or return to your lane
• Dropped forward "Resume rowing!
• Raised at the finish indicates a fair race and
  result
• (NOTE A referee will not steer you around a
  known obstacle, just warn you it is there)

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Red Flag

• Raised at the start--starts the race, boat may
  move when the flag is dropped
• Raised during the race, is used to stop the race,
  along with bells, whistles, sirens, and general
  screaming
• Raised at the finish, indicates the race is under
  protest

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Traffic Pattern, launching area at Occoquan
Launch Dock
Fairfax County
Stay on the far shore when rowing to the course
Return Dock
Return to the landing dock (Fairfax side of the
reservoir)
Shallow water... stay away
Blue buoy
Row to the start line on the Prince William side
of the course
Finish Line
Row to the start Line on the Prince William side
of the race course
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Prince William County
Direction of Racing
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Awards dock at Occoquan (Championship races only)
When you medal, turn 90 degrees to the Fairfax
shore and row close to the shore. Follow the
shore and approach the awards dock as indicated.
Awards Dock
After you receive your medal row back to Sandy
Run, staying close to the shore and away from the
lane one.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Finish Line
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Race Course Occoquan
NOTE Crews who row off the Point (only!)
during a regatta are allowed to follow the
Fairfax shore to the starting line.
Fairfax County
Finish Line
500 Meter mark
If you launch from Sandy Run, row to the starting
line on the Prince William side of the course.
Stay close to shore. High rate rowing is not
allowed here because it could wake the course.
1000 Meter Mark
Starting Line
Power lines at roughly the 750 meter mark.
Power Linesdo not go past these lines! It will
place you dangerously close to the dam.
Prince William County
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Starting Line Procedure Occoquan
500 Meter Mark
Fairfax County
If you are in lanes 4, 5, or 6 come to the
starting line from the Prince William side.
1 2 3 4 5 6
If you are in lanes 1 ,2, or 3 come to the
starting block from the Fairfax side.
Power Lines above Do not go past the power
lines. It will place you dangerously close to
the Dam.
Prince William County
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Georgetown Course Information

• Traffic Pattern crews leave TBC, cross the
  river, and follow the VA shore to the starting
  line. Crews launching from PBC (W-L) have a
  different traffic pattern. Look closely at the
  included map.
• Beware of shoals and shallow areas along the VA
  shore! Keep a straight path that keeps you off
  the shore, but out of race traffic. The narrowest
  area is just downstream of the starting line.
• When there is no race waiting to start, crews
  should proceed above the starting line and cross
  the river above the Three Sisters islands and
  follow the instructions of the race marshal.
• Crews will be called down to the starting line by
  race. Be positioned in your corresponding lane.
  Crews will float with the current to the
  appropriate start position on the course. The
  Potomac can have a lot of current pushing crews
  downstream, so keep your point and stay parallel
  to the shore!
• Crews should stay parallel to each other but
  point in the direction of the flag pole located
  at TBC. Do not follow the VA shore during the
  race! This is especially true towards the end of
  the race.
• Lane 1 goes through the middle arch of Key
  Bridge, lanes 2 thru 4 go through the second arch
  from the VA shore (looking from the start line to
  the finish line).
• At this finish of the race, crews should row to
  starboard, make a loop, and line-up to land at
  TBC. Be aware of the current and crews crossing
  the finish line area headed upstream to the
  starting line.
• The last point is that crews must always be aware
  of unofficial river traffic on the race course,
  especially near the finish line area. This can
  include power boats, fishing boats, canoes and
  kayaks. These groups do not understand how shells
  steer, how fast they are, or how hard they can be
  to stop in an emergency. They often times can
  not get out of your way in time to avoid a
  collision. Keep your eyes open and avoid a
  collision!

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Anacostia Race Course
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Alexandria race course map
Washington Street
The Commonwealth of Virginia (Alexandria)
The Charthouse Restaurant is the 750 meter mark.
King Street
Boathouse
Union Street
There will be a marshal boat above the start.
Check in with the marshal.
Start
500 M
1000 M
Finish
Tower on the bridge. Rowing up up to the start
always stay on the Virginia side of the tower.
North
The finish line is the middle of the
boathouse..you should row past the dock before
you stop
Wilson Bridge
Maryland this way.
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Alexandria Launch and Landing Area
Robinson Terminal
Very Shallow water..stay away
Pilings
Launch to the north. Row towards Maryland and
check in with the finish line safety launch. The
row to the 1000 meter safety launch.
1000 meter mark
Paper dock
Lane 1
Lane2
Lane 3
Safety Launch
Safety Launch
Finish Line Safety Launch
Stay on the Maryland Side of the safety launches.
Check in with the 1000 meter safety launch and
proceed to the 500 meter safety launch.
When returning to the dock, wait for approval
from safety launch to cross the course.
Finish Line
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Alexandria race course starting area
Robinson North Terminal
Big Town Houses
Fords Landing town houses
Starting Line
Route you must row to get to the starting line
Coxswains must check in with each of the safety
launches (1000 meters, 500 meters, and starting
line) as you row to the staging area.
Staging area
The Aligner will meet the shells in the staging
area, place you in lanes and have you paddle to
the line by pairs.
500 meter safety launch
Wilson Bridge Bridge Tower
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Alexandria race course starting procedure

• The Aligner will place the crews in lanes
  approximately 200 meters from the starting line,
  and have the crews paddle to the line by pairs
  very slowly
• As the crews are approaching the line, the
  coxswains will be instructed on the buoy
  locations and where to point.
• After the shells pass the starting buoy, the
  aligner will say stop it down
• The aligner will wait until the boats are aligned
  then announce I have Alignmentat which point
  the Judge Referee will poll the crews and
  sayAttentionGo! at which point you should
  go.