Spinning at the Head
 Spinning at the Head | |
 Sahil Sinhasahil.sinha@st-hildas |  18:10, 24th Nov 2009114 weeks ago |
| I spent much of this morning watching disaster after near-miss unfold at the head of the river. Please can I urge a number of things to consider when spinning at the head, particularly when the stream is quite strong, as it was this morning. 1) Please have a coach/bankrider with Novice coxes. For crews on boathouse island this does not mean that the coach comes around to the towpath side when their crew is spinning. The coach must be on hand to supervise the spin. I know that Tom is treating this very seriously and you can be penalised for effectively having a novice cox out without a bankrider. 2) Go deep into the spinning area. This means that when you are spinning with someone, the higher crew should be past the second steamer and the bridge on the left. This is to allow plenty of room for you and possibly the crew below you. When the stream is strong your boat will drift considerably downstream and it is worth going higher to give yourself more room. 3) Know where the spinning area is. R6(a)(i) " upstream of the second large mooring post on the City side at the Head of the River." This means that your stern must be passed the second mooring post, which currently has the bows of the first Salters steamer moored to it. A number of crews today span well below this, risking damage to their own boat and the crews below them. 4)When waiting to spin, please tap up so that you are close the crews in front of you. However, do not tap up to crews that are actually spinning. Give the crews in the spinning area the room they need, considering that they are going to come down towards you fairly quickly when side-on to the stream. 5) During the spin itself, please be aware of the effects of the stream and where it is fastest. This morning, and usually, it was fastest on the City or meadow side of the river. If when you spin you make sure that you cross to the county side, this will reduce the chance of you drifting downstream and becoming speared by a crew waiting. The stream also means that many novice crews will not have a strong enough stroke or stroke and six to back down and swing the stern in. It is worth remembering that when side on, bow will be able to turn you much more effectively that stroke; they are working with and not against the stream. 6) Finally, even if you have permission to spin with another crew, if you feel that they have not left you enough room, do not spin with them. It may be inconsiderate of them, but you must look after your own crew and not put yourself in a position where you may clash with other boats. | |
| RE: Spinning at the Head | |
| Sahil Sinha sahil.sinha@st-hildas | 12:14, 11th Feb 2010 103 weeks ago |
| I will restate that coxes and coaches should know where the spinning areas are. If you don't - go and look now. | |
