An excerpt from
The BOY’S MODERN
PLAYMATE
Originally Compiled by the Revd J G Wood.
The undated book was
in the possession of my uncle, born in 1900.
Other editions were published around 1890.
However I think on
internal evidence the rowing section dates from earlier than this (outriggers
accepted, but slides not even mentioned) that this would place it later than
1847 and earlier than 1867. John Wood
was born in 1827 so it would seem reasonable that his boating experience dates
from around 1850. He was in
INTRODUCTION,— When sitting down to teach the art
of Rowing, we must confess that, had it been possible, we would rather have
taken up an oar than a pen. First impressions, however, are not always to be
depended upon: in this very instance, we are not at all certain that we cannot
give a good deal of information and do a considerable amount of good even
with the instrument to which we have been reduced.
If you know little or nothing about river-rowing, we may inspire you with a desire
to excel in that noble art; we can prevent you from acquiring a faulty style
and bad habits which are so fearfully difficult to drop; we can put you up to the
boating vocabulary, so that, though quite a young hand, you will be able to avoid
blunders which would turn a laugh against you. We can describe to you all the
different classes of boats on the river, so that you will know what they are
called, and what they are used for, when you see them; and when you hear people
talking about “tubs”, “canvasses”, “whiffs”, &c., you will know what they
are speaking about; and, finally, among other things, we can even if you are
somewhat of “an oar”—give much information which will he most useful to you
when on the river, and which, if you have not been taken regularly in hand by a
waterman, you must have had very little chance of obtaining. You cannot always
have a professional waterman at your elbow, but you may easily carry the
following advice in your mind.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.—Rowing is one of the most useful of
the outdoor sports, as it is far more than a mere pastime, and ranks almost on
a par with swimming. It is the most healthy of all exercises, as good rowing
exercises every part of the body equably and at the same time; and if the rower
is in a good state of health, and his strength is not over-taxed, it can not
only do him absolutely no harm, but much good; and all violent exertion is
hurtful to those of a weak constitution. However, it is not “boat-racing” which
we wish to recommended, as that may be, and often is, carried to too great an excess,
but the art of “boating,” from which you will derive pleasure, and acquire
skill, health, and strength. Before learning how to row, it is essential that
you should know how to swim. Boats are liable to be upset even when in the most
experienced hands, and any one unable to swim not only
risks his own life, but seriously endangers those of others. Many of the
rowing-boats on a river are so exceedingly light, or
cranky as they are called, that a young oarsman, as he takes his place in one,
cannot but feel that an upset is not an unlikely occurrence. The knowledge that
he would sink like a stone in such a case would not by any means be an assistance to him in learning how to row skillfully and
fearlessly. Almost the same arguments might be used as to the expediency of
becoming a good “waterman,” that is, mastering everything connected with river
navigation, as well as becoming a good “oar”. You may get into many an awkward
fix on the river which, unless you are an old hand or have the necessary skill,
will more than likely end in a ducking, a thing to be avoided under any circumstances.
Try and avoid being on the water either too early in the day, when the morning dew
is unwholesome, or too late, when the heavy evening mist is equally
objectionable. Darkness is infinitely more dangerous on the water than on the
land: however well you may know the river, only skill will save you from being
run down. Changing your clothes, both before and after rowing, is of great
importance. “Flannels”—as boating costumes are called —show what you should
wear. These should be taken off as soon as possible; and if you are not too
tired, a good sponge over, or even a dip in the stream, is a wholesome thing to
do before resuming your ordinary dress.
We shall restrict ourselves in this paper entirely to rowing on fresh water for
it is scarcely any exaggeration to say that on a river you see good rowing and
bad sailing, and on the sea good sailing and bad rowing.
The popularity of rowing is remarkable, it
seems so unmistakably a true British pursuit; and yet the first inter-University
match was only in 1829; and boating trips, of which there are now dozens every
year, were almost unheard of ten years ago.
Before describing all the different classes of
river-boats, it will be best to begin with the model of an ordinary pair-oar
GIG or DINGY
References to Numbers
1. Stem or Cutwater |
5. Stroke Thwart |
9. Yoke and Yoke-line |
2. Painter |
6. Stroke Rowlock |
10. Rudder |
3. Bow Thwart |
7. Stem Thwart |
11. Extra Rowlocks for double sculling |
4. Bow Rowlock |
8. Chain-Rail |
The other
parts of a boat, which cannot well be shown in the model, are
The Thole |
That part
of the rowlock against which the oar rests while pulling. |
The After-Thole or Stopper |
The
opposite side of the rowlock. |
Clockheads |
support
the tholes. |
Filling. |
The
leather at the bottom of the rowlock. |
The Keel |
A long
piece of wood running along the bottom of the boat. |
Straiks. |
The
planks with which a boat is built. |
Garboards |
Those [planks]
nearest the keel, |
Gunwale. |
The top straik. |
Bulwark |
Above the
gunwale; seldom used in river-boats. |
Stretchers. |
Against
which the feet of the oarsmen rest. |
Stretcher-pieces |
support
the stretchers, |
The Lands |
The
inside supports of the-boat. |
Knees. |
Pieces of
wood which fasten the thwarts to the boat. |
Burthens or Bottom-boards. |
The flooring
at the bottom of the boat. |
State-room |
The space
between the coswain and stroke’s seat. |
The Waist. |
Between
the midship and forward thwart. |
The Stern-post |
fits
into the keel, and on it is hung the rudder. |
Tintles |
attach
the rudder to the stern-post, |
Transom. |
Square-sterned boats are made with one. |
Bilge-piece |
A long
piece of wood tapering off at the sides, and placed at the lans of the second and third straik,
counting from the keel. |
Lans. |
Where one
straik overlaps the other. |
Skin. |
The
planking of a boat. |
Steerage |
comprises
yoke, yoke-line, and rudder. |
THE TECHNICAL TERMS IN
USE.
Bow. |
The name given to the rower who sits on the
forward thwart in a four or eight-oar; he would also be called No, 1 |
Stroke. |
The sternmost oar in a boat in a four or eight-oar; No. 8 or
No. 4 respectively. |
Coxswain. |
The steerer, who sits in the sternmost
thwart. |
Starboard |
is the
right-hand side of the steerer. |
Larboard or Port. |
The
left-hand side. |
[These
terms are really sea terms; on a
river it is sufficient to say bow and stroke sides.] |
|
Clinker-built |
boats
have the straiks overlapping one another. |
Corbel-built |
boats
have the straiks edge to edge, which gives a
perfectly smooth surface. (Wager-boats are corbel-built.) |
Hitcher or Boat-hook |
consists
of a staff or hoe, |
To Bale |
To throw
water out of a boat. |
Tracking. |
Another
name for towing. |
Kink |
A twist
in a rope. |
Beam |
Width of
a boat. |
Fore and Aft |
Front and
back part of a boat, |
Porting your Helm |
is more
a sea than a river term: the effect is
the same as pulling the right-hand yoke-line. |
Unshipping or Shipping |
Taking the oar or scull out of and putting it
in the rowlock. Unshipping is done by raising the hand smartly upward. |
Backing Water |
Reversing the blade of the oar or scull, and
rowing forwards. |
Boat |
in technical language means the crew of the
boat. |
Ship |
The boat itself. |
Catching a Crab |
a terrible sound to all beginners—is caused by
the oar turning in the water the wrong way; this forces the blade down, and
causes the handle to knock the unfortunate oarsman off his seat. The only way
of avoiding this misfortune is to unship the moment it is felt that all
control has been lost over the oar. |
Rowlocks |
There are three sorts of rowlocks: |
Outriggers |
introduced by the celebrated Clasper, of |
Swivel, |
principally used in sea-boats; |
Inrigged |
which may be of the gig or skiff clan. (Vide
description.) |
BOATS.
A GIG.—This plan of boat can be
described shortly by saying that it is a broad high boat, with inrigged rowlocks, a straight gunwale, a narrow keel,
nearly an upright stern, a transom, and that it carries a steerer.
There are sculling
gigs, pairs, fours, and eights. They are perhaps the commonest class of
pleasure-boats on a river, and the pair-oar (see model) are the most often seen
of the class. Gigs, with short movable outriggers, are very popular out of
DINGY.—Another
name for a short inrigged gig.
SKIFFS were
once very popular, but have now been to a great extent supplanted by gigs. A
skiff is not very unlike an inrigged gig; it is
rather heavier, has not so upright a gunwale, and has a different rowlock,
which is best explained by the annexed outline.
|
|
SKIFF ROWLOCKS |
SWIVEL ROWLOCK. |
It
is considered by some, and notably by the Author of the “Oarsman’s Guide to the
River Thames,” to be the best class of boats for travelling
purposes.
A SKIFF is
a short, light sculling boat, with skiff rowlocks.
A RANDAN may be either of the gig or skiff
class, and it Is the only boat which admits of a combination of sculling and
rowing. Three persons row in this boat.
1 pulls a bow-oar,
2 rows with sculls, and 3 pulls
a stroke-oar. It also carries a steerer. It is generally
from 30 to 35 ft. long and 4 ft wide amidships, in order to give ample space to the sculler. The work in it is very easy; it carries luggage
well, will sail very fairly and safely under a small lugsail, and it is easy to
get through a lock. On the other hand, it is barely possible to row or scull
properly in it ; the only chance is for the sculler to have outriggers.
A WHERRY is a boat we hear of more in history than see
on the water. It is of the skiff class, but shorter, broader, stronger, and
heavier, with bows projecting out of the water.
A SHALLOP. An old-fashioned and large
boat, used for pleasure parties and picnics. It may have any number of
oars. Has a large state-room, and
bows out of the water.
TUB BOATS, originally a Tub, was a name given
to a boat which was not used for racing purposes; now the term is applied to
all the heavier kind of racing-boats. They are long, narrow, gig-shaped boats,
with long fixed outriggers, and may be either scullers,
pairs, fours, or eights; the two first seldom carry a steerer.
These boats on rough water, from their greater steadiness and from their
carrying a keel (an immense advantage in steering), are almost as fast as the
canvas or wager-boats. To all-right boats a strap is attached to the stretcher
for the rower to put his feet in.
A Pair Oar Wager Boat
RACING OR WAGER-BOATS. —These boats are often called Canvasses or
Outriggers. These, however, are wrong terms, there being canvassed and outrigged boats which are not wager-boats. A racing-boat,
as may be imagined, is the lightest class of boat, the special characteristics
of which are
- whether sculler,
pair, four, or eight (the first two never carry a steerer)—no
keel, corbel-built, bows and stern canvassed over and barely out of the water,
and extremely long outriggers. (See engraving of wager, pair-oar, and sculler,) All, the principal races are rowed in these
boats. An eight-oar is about 6o ft. long, and 2 ft. 3 in. wide; a pair-oar is about
36 ft. long and 1 ft. 8 in. wide; and a sculling-boat is 30 ft. long, 1 ft. 3
in. wide.
SCULLERS or SCULLING-BOATS have been already described under
their different classes. In a wager-boat, very great care should be taken in
getting in and out of the boat; but when the sculler
is once seated and the sculls are flat on the water, they are difficult to
upset. Whenever choosing a sculling-boat, the size and weight of the sculler should be borne in mind. The same sculls do not
suit every one, and outriggers may sometimes be found to be too small for the
sculls.
A FUNNY is a heavy wager sculling-boat; it
has a keel, is canvassed over, and is generally clinker-built. It is shorter
and broader than a racing-boat. At
A NOAH’S ARK.—The
A WHIFF is a light sculling-boat, very like
a Funny, except in not being canvassed over; it is easily upset.
A GALLEY.--Another name for a tub eight;
originally it was only applied to an inrigged eight.
A CUTTER is, properly speaking, any boat
which takes a full-lengthed oar. Now the name is
generally given to a racing eight.
TOM-TIT or JOLLY-BOAT.—A very
short broad boat, useful for sailing.
A PUNT.—A very strongly-built boat,
with straight sides, flat bottom, and square ends. It is used for fishing and
wild-fowl shooting. It is shoved along by means of a punt-pole, and has no
rudder. Punting is a favourite recreation, but the
art is by no means so simple as it looks. It may be
easy enough merely to shove against the bottom of the river and keep the boat
moving, but the knack of keeping it straight will take a long time to learn.
After the shove, which should commence at the head of the punt and be continued
to rather past the middle of it, the handle of the pole should be pressed
against the side, by which means the natural impulse which the stern has of
swinging round is checked. Beginners should be careful that, after a vigorous
shove on a soft bottom, they are not left minus the pole, or that the punt has
not slipped from under their feet, and left them suspended for a second in
mid-air, to be shortly soused into the water. In deep water, punts are fitted
with swivel rowlocks.
CANOES—There are
four different kinds of canoes.
1.
The ordinary river canoe, which is built of deal, is about 12 ft. long and 22 in.
wide, and is canvassed over fore and aft. It has little or no keel, and is not
suited for sailing;
2.
A long, narrow, and light canoe with a long spoon-shaped paddle, only used for
sailing;
3.
A heavy canoe, with a fan keel, used almost entirely for sailing;
4.
The “Rob Roy,” a travelling canoe, designed by Mr.
Mac Gregor “to sail, to paddle, and to bear portage
and rough handling.” The sketch, on a scale of a quarter of an Inch to the
foot, gives a section of one of these canoes.
The original “Rob Roy”, the one in which “a thousand miles” were compassed, was
not nearly so perfect a boat for its purpose as the present one, which was
designed for the cruise in the Baltic, and is now the model for all travelling canoes, (Searle of Lambeth
has built over a hundred of these canoes.)
The “Rob Roy” is built of oak, except the top straik, which is of mahogany, and the deck of cedar. It
weighs 6o lbs,, and, with fittings complete, about 70
lbs. (An ordinary river-canoe weighs little more than half this.) Its length
over all is 14 ft., beam outside fl In., keel i in.,
and extreme depth it in. The paddle should not be too long; one about 7 ft.
long, with flat blades of 5 in. in width, will be found to be the most useful;
but for speed a longer paddle, with a spoon or clasper
shaped blade, is better. The paddle should have a leather cup or India-rubber
ring on the clasp of each blade to catch the dripping water. A waterproof apron
must also be used by the canoeist, The canoe sails
very well and safely, but care should be taken that the sail—a working lug—is
not too large. Canoes are not nearly so dangerous as
is supposed. If you sit fairly straight and do not overreach yourself in your
stroke, you cannot come to much harm. In paddling, work from the shoulder, and
not merely from the elbows, and the exercise, though not nearly so fine a one
as that of rowing, and particularly that of sculling, will develope
and strengthen some important muscles.
THE ART OF ROWINC.
In the beginning of this article we laid
considerable stress on the importance of beginning to row well and in good
style. This can only be done by the young oarsman placing himself in the hands
of a good oar, and implicitly following his directions. Unfortunately, as good
oarsmen are not to be found everywhere, the result is that by far the larger
majority of young people learn how to row on a sort of innate
“rough-and-tumble” way, which is not conducive to good style, though it may
enable them to row sufficiently well for enjoyment.
The best test of good rowing is “pair-oar”
rowing without a steerer. A pair-oar wager-boat is
shown in [an] illustration [above]. The men are “forward all,” and on the point
of commencing their stroke. The attitude should be carefully compared with the
directions which are given below. The best way of beginning to learn is in an inrigged pair-oar, with a coxswain who should act as coach.
The very Worst way is pulling seven “land-lubbers” in an eight-oar with a
decent oarsman as stroke, and an old hand to steer, teach, and race. You should
choose, therefore, a heavyish boat to begin with. Row
really well in that, and a little confidence and practice will soon do the
rest.
Step into the boat carefully—no jumping in—and
notice how the waterman holds the boat against the bank in order to steady it.
See that the mat is fairly fastened to the thwart, and on the proper side of
the boat, and take your appointed place. Stroke (No. 2) always sits on the
right hand of the steerer, and rows on the port side
or left hand of the steerer; Bow (No.1) exactly the
reverse.
Understand your stretcher—how to lift it, and
what length you require; your knees should be neither too high nor too low.
There are three kinds of stretchers: the common old-fashioned one, secured by
means of stretch-pieces; those which, in addition to the stretch-pieces, are
fastened with an iron band and hook and eye; and those which are secured by
means of screws. Stretchers in light boats have straps attached to them. Place
both your feet in them, otherwise you may pull sideways, or screw. You ought,
however, to be able to row without the assistance of any straps.
The oar, which should be roughened in the
handle, ought just to clear the side of the boat; a full-lengthed
oar is about 13 ft. 5 in. long, but in an inrigged boat
the oar is shorter. Grasp the handle of the oar with both hands, thumbs under,
the top hand close to the end of the oar, the other two inches nearer the
rowlock. Some oarsmen keep the thumb of the outside hand over; in rough water
they must be liable to have the oar jerked out of their hands altogether.
Stretch out your arms before you to their fullest extent, elbows straight,
hands low, and the blade of the oar at a right angle with the water. Your head
should be erect, though a little forward, the shoulders square, the back
straight, and your knees well bent. The men in the pair-oar illustration are
exactly in this position. Drop the oar into the water and feel the water at
once—that is, begin to pull instantaneously. This is what is called the catch in the beginning, and it is,
perhaps, the most important part of the stroke. The blade of the oar should be
covered and no more, but this should be done at the very commencement of the
stroke, and kept to exactly the same depth in the water to the end. There is no
greater mistake than beginning with a shallow stroke, and then deepening as you
go on. We now come to the end of the stroke. You have been pulling with the
whole weight of your body as well as with your arms; you have been pulling with
your feet pressed hard against the .stretcher, so as to bring every muscle in
your legs and thighs into play. Continue the pull until your body is rather
past the perpendicular and your knees straight, when you will find that your
stroke has done its utmost, and, that it is mere waste of power to continue it.
Bring your oar out of the Water, drop your wrists and turn the back of your
hands towards the chest; this will bring the blade of your oar in line with the
water, which process is called feathering.
Feathering will require some practice; you
should not attempt it at first. At
Your oar out of the water, recover your body
with an elastic bound from the hips. Throw forward
your arms simultaneously with your body, as already described still keeping the
blade of the oar horizontal with the water until you have got your hands well
over your toes, when you are ready to turn the blade at a right angle with the
water, and recommence your stroke.
We have not half done yet. Besides rowing well
on your own account, you should try to row in the same style and pull the same
kind of stroke as the other man or men in the boat. You should keep exact time;
hurrying on the stroke is a very common fault. Your oar should drop into the
water at the same moment as the other oar or oars are dipped, and you should
finish the stroke at the same time. This can only be done by keeping your eyes
in the boat, carefully watching and imitating whoever is in front of you.
The stroke should be as long as possible: it is
the length and strength of a stroke which wins a race, and not the number of
strokes which can be pulled in a minute. In swinging up and down on the,
stroke, you must swing straight and evenly. Any jerking, screwing, or pulling
sideways is utter destruction to yourself and to everybody else in the boat.
In a light or outrigged
boat more care will he necessary than in a heavy inrigged
one. In the case of outriggers the oar is placed in the rowlock after you have
taken your seat, but before you arrange the stretcher.
Sculling is rowing with two small oars or
sculls. A sculling boat may be of any size or of any class, only the heavier
sort carrying a steerer. The sculler
sits exactly in the centre of the boat. The sculls, which should not be too
heavy, should overlap three or four inches. The sculler
should grasp the handle of each scull, thumbs under, and scull according to the
directions given for rowing, with this difference—that each hand has to do in
sculling the work of two in rowing. The two pictures give an accurate
illustration of the beginning and end of the stroke.
To prevent the handles of the sculls dashing against each other, one hand
should be kept slightly uppermost. Sculling, to a beginner, is certainly more
difficult than rowing. To make the two sculls do exactly the same amount of
work and act as exact counterparts of each other will require considerable
practice.
Another difficulty is the steering. At least
once in every half-dozen strokes the sculler will
find it necessary to turn his head and neck—but not his body—to look behind
him. The principal
most of
which are given in treatises on the subject, are:
1.
The
rower or sculler omits to straighten both arms before
him.
2.
Continues
to place his hands forward by a subsequent motion after the shoulders have
attained their full reach, which is getting the body forward without the arms.
Every part of the person should move in unison.
3.
Extends
the arms without a corresponding bend on the part of the shoulders, which is
getting the arms forward without the body.
4.
Catches
the water with unstraightened arms; thus time may be
kept, but not stroke.
5.
Hangs
before dipping downwards to begin the stroke.
6.
Rows
shallow; that is, does not cover the blade up to the shoulder.
7.
Rows
too deep; that is, covers the bladed part of the shank of the oar or scull.
8.
Rows
round and deep in the middle of the stroke, with hands high and blade still
sinking after the first contact.
9.
Curves
his back forward or aft. Persistent stooping is most injurious to the rower.
10.
Keeps
one shoulder higher than the other.
11.
Jerks,
12.
Rocks.
13.
Bends
over the oar at the feather, thus bringing the body up to the handle, instead
of the handle up to the body.
14.
Strikes
the water at an obtuse angle, instead of at a right angle.
15.
Rows
the first part of the stroke in the air.
16.
Cuts
short the end of the stroke, prematurely slackening the arms.
17.
Shirks—a
combination of Nos. 4 and 16.
18.
Screws
or rolls backwards, with an inclination towards the inside or outside of the
boat.
19.
Turns
his elbows at the feather, Instead of bringing them sharp past the flanks.
20.
Keep
the head depressed between the shoulders instead of erect.
21.
Looks
out of the boat instead of straight before him. This inevitably rocks the boat.
Looking at the blade of the oar whilst rowing is a very common fault with
beginners.
22.
Throws
up water forward instead of aft,
23.
Causes
a splashing by dipping the oar in the water before finishing going forward.
24.
Leans
on the rowlock.
25.
Runs
away with the stroke.
26.
Rows
a single careless stroke.
27.
Moves
in his seat whilst rowing.
The steering of a sculling-boat
has been already explained.
In a light pair-oar without a coxswain
the bow-oar steers, so regulating his stroke as to keep the boat straight in
its course. The stroke-oar rows on steadily, in no way interfering with the
steering.
A Coxswain should commence learning his
duties, which are as important and as difficult to learn as those of a rower,
in a small but heavy boat. When he has learnt to steer this boat with a
moderate use of the
rudder and as few zigzags as possible, let him try a larger one. The coxswain
sits on the steer thwart, keeps his legs well under him, and the yoke-lines
twisted round his hand. At each stroke his body may bend forward vvenly, but on no account with a jerking motion. To whatever side he wishes the boat to
move, he pulls the line on that side. The pull should be a steady and even one,
not hard or jerking; the yoke-line should also always be kept tight. Whenever
necessary, the coxswain should call upon the bow or stroke-side oars to assist
him, by pulling, backing, or holding water, in altering the course of the boat.
The only chance of keeping a straight course while steering is to steer for
some fixed point. The strength of the current or tide, the effect on the waters
by a projecting point of land or by a small bay, the nature of backwater and of
eddies, can only be learnt by experience. Wind is one of the greatest
enemies of the young steerer. With a strong side wind
the stern of a boat has a tendency to turn away from the wind, which gives increased
labour to the oars on that side. As in such a wind
the boat is driven bodily to leeward, the bows should be directed to some place
to windward (the point from which the wind comes) of its destination.
The coxswain, if a good oarsman, has other
duties besides that of steering. His position enables him to see what all the
crew are doing, and he should not allow any fault to
pass unnoticed. Coaching may be done from the river bank, but it is more
effective from the coxswain’s seat. It is for this reason that we advise the
captain of the boat occasionally to assume the yoke-lines. In a race, besides
steering, the coxswain should keep an eye upon the other boats, to prevent
fouling. He should keep the stroke informed of the position of the race, state
when a spurt is absolutely necessary, and, in fact, bring to bear all the
intellect and pluck he possesses on the race.
Boats are generally kept under cover in a boat-house,
and the crew are expected to lend a hand both in
launching and stowing away. The captain should tell off the crew according to
the position they are to row, each man taking his proper oar, which for fours
and eights are always numbered. Bow or coxswain should be the first person to
enter the boat. The getting into a boat has already been described. All the
directions of the coxswain should be implicitly obeyed.
TURNING.—A sculler would turn his boat by backing or holding Water
with one scull and rowing with the other. A rowing-boat is turned on the same
principle, with the assistance of the rudder.
BACKING.—How to back water has been already
explained. It must not be forgotten, whilst backing with the rudder fixed, that
the yoke-lines are to be pulled on principles the exact opposite of ordinary
steering.
LANDING.—In landing or
getting a boat alongside, it is better, if possible, to row up stream. The head
of the boat should be steered for the landing-jetty or wharf, and the tide or
current will drift the stern level with the shore. In a heavy or inrigged boat, the oars or sculls would be unshipped and
placed in the boat blades forward. In a tub or wager-boat, each man, after
unshipping, would—according to his turn—rise, take the oar with him, and stow
it away.
PASSING.—In passing, a
boat—unless there is plenty of room between the boat and the shore—keeps on the
outside.
MEETING. —If the boats are very close, the
sculls or oars should be unshipped and allowed to drift alongside. The boat
which has the tide in its favour must get out of the
way. The general rule is, that boats pass each other
on the left side; that is, a steerer would pull his
right yoke-line, and a sculler would pull his left
scull. The rule is the same on a river for boats as it is on a footpath for
pedestrians. Different rivers have sometimes different rules. On a race-course
every boat is expected to get out of the way of any boat going over the course,
whether racing, practising, or otherwise.. The winners should also always be allowed their own
course as they return.
CROSSING.—A boat crossing another should, if
coming down stream, keep astern of it; the same if crossing the course of a
barge, as by so doing you avoid the danger of “heading” it.
TRACKING or TOWING.—All pleasure-boats should be
furnished with a towing-rope and mast. If there is any tracking to be done, the
steerer should at starting so hold the rudder that
the bows of the boat are sent out into the stream, otherwise they would to a certainty
be pulled into the bank.
WEIRS.—In going down stream great care should be taken not to
approach too closely to a weir, which in
LOCKS are the greatest nuisances on a river.
They occur every two or three miles on the
On arriving near a lock, call out, “Lock, Lock,
Lock, Lock, Lo-o-o-ck!”
and keep well away from the gates. You
will find all sorts of cross currents and back-waters will try to get the upper
hand ; but as long as you keep clear of any obstructions and have the free use
of your oars and sculls you are all safe.
On entering the lock you will have to contend
against the strength of the water, which, in issuing out of the lock gate, has
a tendency to turn the boat round the moment her nose shows inside the gates.
Ship your oars and be ready with the boat-hook; and if you have outriggers, be
particularly careful they do not hit or get jammed against anything. When
inside the lock and the gates closed, you may either keep in the middle of the
lock with the sculls out, or be alongside, holding fast to the sides, but
1ooking out that the boat’s gunwale or outriggers are clear of any projection.
The boat must be kept as close as possible to the lower gates - the one which
has just been passed - as the drawing of the upper sluices, in order to fill
the lock, will cause an eddy out of which it is better to keep. When the water
has risen to its proper height, the upper gates are opened, through which it is
easy enough to pass.
Passing a lock down stream is much more simple. The water outside it is quiet; the principal
thing to be avoided is not to go in too fast. When inside, keep by the upper
gates, as the water which is being let out of the lock always sucks the boat
towards the lower gates. Inside a lock strict command should be kept over the
boat otherwise she will either hitch against the side, or be thrown athwart the
lock and inevitably be filled.
1. All boat-races shall be started in the
following manner; —The
starter on being satisfied that the competitors are ready, shall give the
signal to start.
2. If the starter considers the start
false he shall at once recall the boats to their stations; and any boat
refusing to start again shall be disqualified.
3. Any boat not at its post at the time
specified shall be liable to be disqualified by the umpire.
4. The umpire may act as starter, as he
thinks fit ; where he does not so act, the starter
shall he subject to the control of the umpire.
5. Each boat shall keep its own water
throughout the race, and any boat departing from its own water will do so at
its peril.
6. A boat’s own water is its straight
course, parallel with those of the other competing boats, from the station
assigned to it at starting, to the finish.
7. The umpire shall be sole judge of a
boat’s own water and proper course during the race.
8. No fouling whatever shall be
allowed; the boat committing a foul shall be disqualified.
9. It shall be considered a foul when,
after the race has commenced, any competitor by his oar, boat, or person, comes
in contact with the oar, boat, or person of another competitor; unless in the
opinion of the umpire, such contact is so slight as not to influence the race.
10. The umpire may, during the race, caution
any competitor when in danger of committing a foul.
11. The umpire, when appealed to, shall
decide all questions as to a foul.
12. A claim of foul must be made to the
judge or the umpire by the competitor himself before getting out of his boat.
13. In case of a foul, the umpire shall
have the power :—(a) to place the boats—except the boat committing the foul,
which is disqualified—in the order in which they come in; (b) to order the
boats engaged in the race, other than the boat committing the foul, to row over
again on the same or another day; (c) to re-start the qualified boats from the
place where the foul was committed.
14. Every boat shall abide by its
accidents.
15. No boat shall be allowed to
accompany a competitor for the purpose of directing his course or affording him
other assistance. The boat receiving such direction or assistance shall be
disqualified at the discretion of the umpire.
16. The jurisdiction of the umpire
extends over the race and all matters connected with it, from the time the race
is specified to start until its final termination; and his decision in all
cases shall be final and without appeal.
17. Any competitor refusing to abide by
the decision, or to follow the directions of the umpire, shall be disqualified.
18. The umpire, if he thinks proper, may
reserve his decision, provided that in every case such decision be given on the day of the race.
1. A row-boat going against the stream
or tide should take the shore or bank—which bank is immaterial—and should keep
inside all boats meeting it.
2. A row-boat going with stream or tide
should take a course in mid-river, and should keep outside all boats meeting
it.
3. A row-boat overtaking another boat
proceeding in the same direction. should keep clear of
the boat it overtakes, which should maintain its course.
4. A row-boat meeting another end-on in
still or open waters or lakes, should keep to the right, as in walking, leaving
the boat passed on the port or left side.
5. A row-boat with a coxswain should
give way to a boat without coxswain, subject to the foregoing rules in so far
as they apply.
6. A boat towing with stream or tide
should give way to a boat towing against it, and if it becomes necessary to
unship or drop a tow-line, the former should give way to the latter; but when a
barge towing is passed by a pleasure boat towing, the latter should give way
and go outside, as a small boat is the easier of the two to manage, in addition
to which the river is the barge’s highway.
7. A row-boat must give way to a
sailing-boat.
8. When a row-boat and a steamer pass
each other, their actions should, as a rule, be governed by the same principle
as on two row-boats passing; but in shallow waters the greater draught of the
steam vessel should be remembered, and the row-boat give way to her.
In selecting a crew for a race, great care should be taken that there is not
too great a difference between the weight of the
rowers. In an eight-oar the heaviest man rows No. 5, and in a four-oar No. 3.
The stroke need not be the captain of the boat or the best oarsman; but he
should possess an even temper, sound judgment, indomitable pluck, and, above
all, a perfectly steady stroke, so that the time from one stroke to the other
should not vary by a fraction. Nos. 3 and 7 in a four or eight-oar respectively
are very important oars; they have no one directly in front of them, and upon
them depends all the oars on the bow-side keeping time.
Before going in for a race, training is considered
to be necessary. This may be described in a few words as getting up at seven
and going to bed at ten o’clock; meals at stated periods; the most moderate use
of liquids; no smoking; ‘a couple of hours’ sharp exercise on land, and three
hours’ practice on the water. The great aim in practising
is to row well together. A moderate crew which has arrived at this invaluable
result is more than a match for a much more powerful crew unaccustomed to pull
in the same boat. The more pair-oar rowing the men have,
the more likely will they be to keep good time and pull the same kind of stroke
both as to form and trength. Practising
should be easy at first; but towards the expiration of the training time, the
whole course should be rowed over with a long swinging stroke; the time taken
should be kept; short spurts should he attempted and good starts effected.
Whenever the crew is found to be rowing wildly, an “ease all” should be
immediately called.