Appledore Pilot Gig club. New rower Guidebook Co-written by Richard Kavanagh & Steven Locky Lock Edited by Linda Stella & Tracee Huey-Smith 2017

Transcription

1 Appledore Pilot Gig club. New rower Guidebook Co-written by Richard Kavanagh & Steven Locky Lock Edited by Linda Stella & Tracee Huey-Smith 2017 Page 1 of 44

2 A bit about the club. The club was set up in 2003 with the aim of providing the local community with the chance to take part in a growing sport, Cornish pilot gig rowing. Over the years we have grown from just one boat to currently having 4 boats. Whitford and Verbena are our two wooden boats, made of Cornish yew and a source of pride for the club. They are our racing boats and will glide through the water beautifully if rowed well. Costing around 30,000 each, with each oar costing 500 each, they are important assets and must be looked after well. Our other two boats are our training gigs, made of GRP (plastic) which are much hardier and used to enable us to train all year round. These are our daily use gigs, which cost us 9,000 and take less maintenance than our racing boats. Appledore is a racing club, which means our first priority is to support our members in training for and ultimately competing in racing events throughout the summer racing season. We also have social members who are an important part of our club, who don't compete, but enjoy rowing socially with other members of the club. This guide is designed to help you as a club member of the club to navigate the world or rowing, but please don't be afraid to ask questions too! Page 2 of 44

3 Contents page Chapter 1 - Getting started as a rower Page 4 Ø The basics Ø Knowing your way around the boat Ø Key language Ø Novice sign off sheet Ø Intermediates sign off sheet Chapter 2 - Use of the pilot gig boats Page 12 Chapter 3 Rowing preparation Page 14 Chapter 4 - Breakdown of the Gig Rowing Stroke Page 17 Chapter 5 Being a member of APGC (Appledore Pilot Gig Club) Page 22 Ø Fees Ø Types of membership Ø The calendar Ø Communication Ø Classification of rowers Ø Rowing kit Ø Crew selection Ø Regattas Ø Behind the scenes Ø Captains/coxes/coaches Chapter 6 - The Scillies Page 30 Chapter 7 Club roles Page 33 Chapter 8 Club rules & constitution Page 37 Page 3 of 44

4 Chapter 1 - Getting started as a rower The Basics - (Your first row, enjoy it!) Where are the gigs are kept and where do we meet to go rowing? The gigs (boats) are kept in a section of the car park next to The Seagate pub in Appledore (see page 5). When we are preparing to go out we will either be in the car park getting the boat ready or on the slipway, which is part of the public carpark (Churchfields) if the boat is coming in from another rowing session. What should I wear? We recommend weather appropriate sports based clothing. We also recommend footwear that you don't mind getting wet (as it will get wet!). In the winter we advise welly boots as they keep your feet dry and so warmer. If for any reason you need to buy kit to row, then it may be helpful to know that we normally wear predominantly black. What should I expect? You will have an hour-long session during which the Cox (Who is also the person steering the boat) will train you in the basics of rowing. This will include how to row, how to backup and how to deal with Catching a crab, the latter of which is a term for the blade getting stuck in the water. How do I get booked in for the next session? Speak to, text or the novice coordinator who will book you in for the next available boat. If it's for me what do I do? If you enjoy the rowing, then after 3 rows you need to join the club as a member. Speak to the novice coordinator and they will give you the details of the online form that you need to fill in. Membership currently costs 50, and can be paid online or by cheque or cash to the club treasurer. If it's not for me what do I do? That's ok, just let the novice coordinator know and they will take you off the novice list. How do I progress? You start off as a Novice rower this means you will then go out in boats that are put out especially for new people to come and learn the basics of rowing. Once you have the core skills you will then be passed up to the Intermediates. This takes different people varying lengths of time so please don't worry if you feel like it s taking a while for you. The next step is the Intermediates. This is where you learn to get your timing consistent, develop your core skills and start to get race fit. This is an important stage and you will be kept here until an experienced cox feels that you are ready to progress. This may Page 4 of 44

5 take a while as it's harder to master rowing than you may think! The next step includes social boats, mixed boats and crew boats. Depending upon how you would like to row you will get a chance to go for crew which means your relevant captain (either male or female) will assess you with the help of the coxes and will place you in an appropriate crew to allow you to develop. Please let them know what you wish to do. You are also free to sign up for mixed and social boat in order to ensure you get a regular chance to row. When you are skilled enough and fit enough your captain will let you know to put your name down for racing at regattas. (Though it never hurts to ask if they have not said anything yet!) Key Locations The boat park - This is where the boats are stored and it is situated next to the Seagate hotel in Appledore. You can find it by going to the Seagate Hotel, The Quay, Appledore, EX39 1QS. Gig shed what and where will this be? We plan to build a shed within which to store our gigs on the site of the boat park. This will make it much easier for boat storage and to perform maintenance work, so please watch this space! The Container what and where is this? This is a shipping container that the club owns and is located at Knapp House. You can find this by going to the Knapp House campsite, found on the way into Appledore from Northam on Churchill Way on the A386. Opposite the Marshford organic foods shop turn park up and walk down the private road overhung by trees. Blue lights Hall This is the hall were most club meetings are held. This is on Vernons Lane in Appledore. In order to get there, you need to park on the quay or in the car park then walk back past the Seagate and the coffee cabin, take the first right after the coffee cabin and walk up the alleyway about 100 yards up until you reach the hall on your left. Page 5 of 44

6 Frequently asked questions. How long do we normally row for? 1 hour is the usual length of a rowing session. When do we row? Simply put it depends upon the tide because we must have deep enough water to row on. We can normally row for up to 3 hours either side of the high tide unless it's a neap tide which means it's only 2 hours either side. We can only row in daylight for safety reasons. In the summer we often have evening rows. However, in the winter we are mostly limited to weekend rows. Where do we row to? On a daily basis, we will normally go in one of two main directions; either up to Bideford New Bridge to visit the mermaid or out to sea passed the cannons and the green buoys that you can see if you go for a walk on Northam Burrows. We also travel all over Devon and Cornwall to take part in regattas, rowing in some beautiful locations such as Clovelly, Port Isaac, Rock and Dartmouth. We also have our yearly trip to the Isles of Scilly in which we compete in World Pilot Gig Championship. This takes place on the first bank holiday of May each year and it's a huge event! A few general rules that we follow when scheduling boats and making choices in the club. The general rule for safety on this is that you row against the tide going out and with it coming back in so that even if there were to be a problem we would be able to drift back in with the tide. When getting the boat into the water, using the boat on the water, recovering the boat and putting it away, the cox is in charge. They must be listened to for safety reasons. If you are unable to this you will not be able to row in our club s boats. Our weaker crews will always be given the easiest water to row in, meaning that they will often be given times to row when the water is at the top of the tide. On a very high tide we may have to cancel weaker crew boats. This is done for safety reasons. A cox may also cancel a row if the wind is seen to be making conditions dangerous. It is ultimately their decision and they will make it based upon whether they feel they could safely take a crew out and back without risk to them or the boat. The cox of you boat will always have the final decision as to safety choices. Should you have any problem with a club member, cox or coach, please speak to either your sex relevant captain first or the Welfare officer, the Chair or the Vice Chair. Page 6 of 44

7 Knowing your way around the boat Rowing positions: Bow rowers sit on the starboard side in positions 1, 3 & 5 and stroke rowers on the port side in positions 2, 4 & 6 The Oar Blade is also called the spoon Page 7 of 44

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9 Key language Key term Blades up Meaning Lift your oar vertically with spoon in the air Blades down Place the oar horizontally with the leather halfway between the pins Back up Front stops Back stops Safety position Square blade Feather Easy up Take off the pressure Row from stern to bow with square blade Sitting forward with the blade out of the water Sitting back at the end of the stroke Back straight, arms out, knees bent (spoon) flat on the water Spoon of the blade is at right angles to the water At the end of the stroke rotate blade (spoon) 45 o C Stop rowing and sit in the safety position Continue to row but no pressure 1 or 2 up Short stroke, arms only power stroke Tap it up Leathers Inside arm Outside arm Grip Spoon Handle Pins Hard wood pin Short stroke, arms only no pressure Band of leather towards the top of the blade Arm that is in the inside of the boat Arm that is nearest the gunnels Inside hand with knuckles to sky & outside with hand knuckles to the water End of the blade that goes in the water End of the blade that is held by the rower Black goes towards the stern/white towards the bow This is as strong and heavier pin that is not made to break, we paint the tops of these white and they go towards the bow. Page 9 of 44

10 Soft wood pin Stern Bow Gunnels Ready to row Stop Skimming Hard Catch This is the lighter and weaker of the pins and made to break. We paint the tops of these black and they go towards the stern of the boat. Back of the boat (where the coxswain sits) Front of the boat Edge of the boat, where the pins go and the leathers sit, (try not to lift wooden boats by these as it damages them!) Sitting at front stops, square blade and straight back Emergency stop, square blade, lean forward & brace On return the spoon sits at 45 o C on the water Drive down fast and powerful with the legs on the catch When the squared spoon dips into the water at the start of the stroke Wax blades Store blades ¾ stroke Return Stretches Crab Fend off A block Apply a film of wax to the leathers on each blade Lay the blades down the side of the boat stroke to the right/bow to the left, handles towards stern A shorter stroke, with very little lean back The part of the stroke when the blade in travelling out of the water Are the pieces of wood you push your feet against When your blade goes in sideways (not square) and gets dragged down into the water When you use the bamboo stick (best practice) or end of a blade (in an emergency) to stop the boat from hitting something when stationary A wooden block that goes over the stretcher upon which you can place your feet if the stretcher is to far away on one setting but too close on the next one. Page 10 of 44

11 Novice sign off sheets Checklist for new rowers Topic: You should: Coxswain s initials/date Rowing terms Parts of the boat Be familiar with the vocabulary used by the coxswain. Be able to name parts of the boat, blades and identify which side is which. Lifting the gig Using the trolleys Know how to correctly lift the gig, on and off the trolleys. Be able to use the trolleys to manoeuvre the gig from the carpark to the slip and vice-versa. Rowing technique Be able to complete the 3 parts of the rowing stroke catch/drive/finish Back up Emergency stop Row-both sides & different positions Catching a crab Stroke lengths & ratios Be able to back up the boat when needed. Be able to perform an emergency stop when rowing. Experience rowing on both bow and stroke, and row in a range of positions. Know how to respond when you catch a crab. Be aware of the different ratios and stroke lengths using in the boat. Racing start Buoy turn Be able to do a racing start. Be able to do a buoy turn from both sides. Name: Signature: Date: Page 11 of 44

12 Intermediate sign off sheets Checklist for intermediate rowers Topic: You should: Coxswain s initials/date Different strokes lengths and stroke rates strong square blade Control blade depth Drive through water Finish Recovery Racing start Be able to transition between different stroke lengths and rates. Able to make a strong square blade at the catch Be able to control the depth of the blade (spoon) on the catch and through the stroke Be able to alter the speed of the blade through the water to increase or decrease the power. Be able to ensure that the blade is feathered at the correct angle no more than 45 Oc (fast hands) Be able to control the speed of the body on the return of the stroke. Be able to do a racing start. Buoy turn Rough water training M.O.B. 20 minutes continuous row Be able to do a buoy turn from both sides. Have spent time with a more experienced crew rowing on rougher water conditions so you and your cox / coach feel confident prior to being passed out for crew boats Be aware of the procedure for Man Overboard. Need to be able to sustain technique for a 20 minutes continuous row Page 12 of 44

13 Chapter 2 - Use of the pilot gig boats Preparing the gig 1. The boat needs to have the cover taken off, so undo all of the ropes and then with another person fold the cover back 3 times and then place it over one of the orange barriers; then 2. Place the leather guards on the gunnels and insert the pins, white pins towards the bow of the boat (pointed end) and the black towards the stern of the boat; they always go in pairs; 3. Place the blades in the boat. Listen to your cox or captain as to which set of blades you should take out. You should place the 1,3,5 blades on the bow side of the boat and the 2,4,6 on the stroke side of the boat; 4. Use the wax to put a thin film of wax on the leather of the blade and the leather guard; 5. Line up the trolleys with the end of the boat with the rope between them. Launching the gig 1. Teamwork is essential, and at least 7 adults are required to launch a gig. Please be reminded that a gig costs a lot of money, so it is important to take good care of the craft. 2. When asked by the cox, lower the legs (that supports the boats on the trailer) and then push the boat out steadily on the trolleys keeping hold of the boat to stop it from tipping. 3. When walking down the slipway be careful not to let boat run away, hold it firmly and make sure it goes down the slipway under control. 4. The Bung - Locate and firmly screw in the drainage bung ensuring that the rubber washer is in place. If the bung is not secured properly, the gig will sink! The gig is now ready to lift for launching 5. Lifting the Gig - Gigs are heavy and lifting one can potentially cause back injuries. One person (preferably the Cox) must take charge of the lift and be responsible for the count. When lifting a gig, it is important to stand straight facing the hull with feet slightly apart and with your weight evenly distributed. Hold on to either a thwart (seat) or strengthening strut (never the gunwale, as this is not strong enough) to lift. During the lift, take the weight and use your legs and arms to execute the lift; try to keep your back straight and try not to twist your body whilst lifting. 6. Moving the gig ensure hands are on the gunwales at all times, minimum of two rowers each side and listen to the cox as you leave the boat park and cross the road into the main carpark. Be aware of moving vehicles. 7. If holding one of the trollies be vigilant as to how much space you have when leaving the boat park and the entrance to the carpark, i.e. don t squash rowers or scratch cars. 8. When at the water s edge, unclip the rope (check bung is in) and then as the cox asks you to lift boat off the stern trolley (move the trolley out and put to the side). Walk in the boat or pass it hand over hand to get it floating. 9. Lift the boat off the bow trolleys and walk in the boat or hand over hand until the whole boat is floating. 10. Place the trolleys far enough up the slip that they won t get washed away during the rowing session. 11. Crew order for getting the boat important that bow rower hold the boat securely until ready to move off the slip cox, 6, 5, 4, 3,,2 and then on the coxes instruction 1 pushes off and gets into the boat. Page 13 of 44

14 Recovery of the boat 1. At the bow of the gig, hold the boat by the gunnels or seats in a plastic Gig or in a wooden gig the support beams; then 2. Lift onto the trolley when asked, using your legs not your back; 3. Lift the boat hand over hand until in the keel touches the slip; 4. Lift stern up hand walk up the slip until the stern is out of the water; 5. Lift the boat on to the stern trolley as asked and attach the rope; 6. Walk the boat back up to the gig store and place it upon the trailer level with the legs being put back up to support it; 7. Strip the boat of all personal kit, blades and pins, putting them back in the blade rack and bucket accordingly; 8. Place the wooden frame on the gig and then the cover; 9. Tie the ropes by putting them under the boat, through the hole in the other side of the cover and then pulling it down tight; 10. To tie the knot, make a loop and tuck it through behind the rope. Then reach through the loop and pull making a second loop pull it through tight. all ropes must be tied. Pilot gigs Pilot Gigs are 32 feet long, no wider than 4 feet 10 inches wide (at the widest point) and are planked in Cornish Small Leaf Elm or GRP (a type of fibre glass). They are built to weigh approximately 7cwt (355.6kgs). There are 8 thwarts (seats); one for the Coxswain, 6 for the rowers and 1 (the Seagull ) for the Pilot. There are 3 rowers on each side of the gig. All gigs are built to the same specification and the Cornish Pilot Gig Club (CPGA) inspectors monitor each new gig during the construction. All modern gigs are built to the measurements of one gig Treffry, which was built by Peters of St. Mawes in The old oars (sweeps) were usually made of ash and would measure up to 18 feet long but now closer to 13 feet. Modern oars are made of silver spruce and differ in size according to the position in the gig. They can also be made of Carbon Fibre if used for training purposes only. The stroke and bow oars are shorter because the gig is narrower in these positions. Page 14 of 44

15 Chapter 3 Rowing preparation Remember - the Cox is in charge, so it is important that you do as the Cox commands as quickly as possible! Getting into the gig It is advisable to walk along the centre line of the gig to your rowing position. Remove sand from feet as it acts like sandpaper on the floorboards and stretchers. The Cox should get into the gig first and if possible with dry feet! The rowers should get into the gig one at a time in rowing order (Stroke first (position 6) and Bow last (position 1)). If there is no one else to hold the boat, position 1 must hold the boat until the cox tells them to get in. Preparation of the boat. Place the oars in the boat: 1,3,5 on the starboard side and 2,4,6 on the port side The pins locate within the pair of holes in the gunwale on the opposite side of the gig to your seat. The softwood pin goes in the aftermost hole with the hardwood pin closer to the bow. Remember Soft to Stern (S to S). It is important that the pins are put in the correct holes. Do not push them in firmly. Sit down in your rowing position facing aft (towards the Cox) as quickly as possible. Check that the stretcher is in the right position for you before you start rowing. When instructed by the cox, lift your oar into a vertical position and wait for further instructions from the Cox. In windy or rough weather, the Cox may ask you to fend off or back water as soon as you are in the gig and before you have adjusted your stretcher; in these circumstances, it is important that you react as quickly as possible to the Cox s instructions. If you are asked to fend off, you should use the shaft of the oar (never the blade)! The Stretcher The stretcher is a wooden bar upon which you rest your feet and this is used to push against whilst rowing. When sitting in your rowing position, your feet should be on the stretcher with your legs slightly bent. If the stretcher is not in the right position for you, remove the metal pin at the end of the stretcher by pulling it towards the bow of the gig. Lift the stretcher up at the pin side and slide it out of its fixing. Reposition the stretcher and replace the pin, making sure that it is secured properly. If you cannot find a comfortable stretcher position, it may be necessary to place a block over the stretcher. After a few rowing sessions, you should become aware of your preferred stretcher position. Your Oar The oars are long, heavy and your responsibility! Each oar is individual and has a number on the shaft close to the handle. You must make sure you have the correct oar for your rowing position. Page 15 of 44

16 When you are in the gig and the cox instructs, locate your oar and lift it into a vertical position, when instructed to by the cox with the blade uppermost. Sit in your rowing position while holding your oar firmly with its shaft between your knees. This is blades up. As soon as the Cox commands, blades down place the leather part of your oar between the thole pins with the blade in the water. Holding the Oar Hold the handle of the oar with two hands. The hand nearer the end of the oar should be under the oar with the palm facing upwards. The other hand (nearer the centre of the gig) should be on top of the oar with the palm facing downwards and knuckles in line with the spoon in the squared position (90 o to the water). Your hands should be approximately one hand width apart. Ready to Row Hold the oar with the blade out of the water with the curve of the blade facing the stern. The middle of the leather on the oar should be on the gunwale. Straighten your arms pushing the oar handle away from you. With a straight back, lean forwards as far as possible but with your hands no further forward than your feet. Tilt the top edge of the blade towards the Cox so that it is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The Stroke Place the blade in the water so that the whole blade is covered with water; this is the Catch. Keeping your arms straight and pushing against the stretcher with your feet pull backwards; this is the Drive. Breathe out during the Drive. The blade of the oar should now be vertical in the water. Lean backwards and then pull the handle of the oar towards your chest. At the end of the stroke, lift the blade out of the water the Finish. Push the handle away from you, straighten your arms and lean forward this is the Return. Breathe in during the return. Make sure the Leather on the oar is always in contact with the gunwale (never row on the wooden part of the oar)! DO NOT RUSH THE RETURN AS THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BREATHE AND RECOVER Holding Water The purpose of hold water is to slow or stop the boat. Put the oar blade into the water so that it is vertical. Hold the oar so that it is at right angles to the side of the gig. Backwater This enables the gig to move backwards. Turn the oar so that the curve of the blade is facing the bow. With the oar blade vertically in the water push the oar handle away from your body and lean Page 16 of 44

17 forwards. Lift the oar blade out of the water and lean back. Catching a Crab This is when the blade of your oar becomes horizontal when it is in the water. It usually happens for one of two reasons: 1. Your blade was not vertical when you put it in the water. 2. You have tried to feather your blade before it was lifted out of the water. If this happens, you need to act quickly to avoid breaking a pin this is known as the crab drill. 1. Lift the handle of the oar upwards (so that your hands are vertical hands up robbery style ) and out of the thole pins. 2. Allow your blade to wash out to the side of the boat and at the same time feed it, hand over hand, back into the boat in front of you and over your shoulder. 3. Lift and place back in-between the thole pins. 4. Push the blade out, ensuring that your do not obstruct other rowers and come back in on next stroke. Feathering your blade. We feather the blade to stop the wind drag on the blade as we recover and to stop the blade getting caught on waves when the conditions are choppier. This is when you rotate the oar so that the top edge of the blade is tilted no more than 45 degrees towards the bow of the gig during the return of your stroke. The method is that at the end of the stroke, roll the top of the oar handle towards your body for the return. Take care not to feather before the end of the finish of your stroke, whilst your blade is still in the water (otherwise, you will catch a Crab!). The top edge of the blade should be tilted towards the bow of the gig so that when you go to take your next stroke the blade goes in square at 90 degrees. Page 17 of 44

18 Chapter 4 - Breakdown of the Gig Rowing Stroke Seat, Hand and Oar Position The body position is a key element, not only to the rowing stroke but also the balance/drag of the boat itself. A poorly balanced gig will run far less efficiently than that of a gig that is balanced which is a big disadvantage to its unbalanced crew when competing or training. The correct positioning at the beginning of the stroke is shown in the diagram above. The inside hip coincides with the centre line of the thwart and thwart support. This ensures that the rower s body weight is kept as close to the centre line of the boat as possible and is to be maintained all the way through the stroke. Being seated in the correct position will help the rower reduce twisting and the possibility of back problems. Positioning of the hands is shown in the diagram to the right. Please note the outer hand being turned upside down on the oar handle. Holding the oar: Note that the outer hand is upside down. The way in which a Cornish Pilot Gig is rowed differs to a normal rowing boat or sliding seat style craft. The hands in the above position allow the rower to increase their length of stroke as the outer hand passes over the chest, finishing with the outer hand s thumb sitting next to the inside chest/nipple of the rower, whilst also feathering the oar at the end of the stroke. Feet Positioning Silly as this might sound but the position of your feet will make a big difference in which direction your body will transfer the power when implementing the explosive catch from your legs. If the rower is using the arch of the foot on the stretcher it will drastically limit the rower s ability to angle their leg drive in a backward direction resulting in some power being lost in an Page 18 of 44

19 upward direction. Using the arch of the foot causes the heel to be away from the bottom boards making the foot pivot on the stretcher. The pivot action on the arch of the foot occurs as the leg straightens making the initial catch a slightly upward movement rather than a straight back one. In this position the heel of the foot is also unsupported which restricts the ankle in adjusting the direction of the catch. Using the ball of the foot on the stretcher, with the heel of the foot on the bottom boards gives the rower the ability to push with a firm footing spreading the load over the ball and heel area of the foot. This allowing more muscle groups in the foot to be used and using the ankle to angle the power from the catch. The correct foot stance is shown by the yellow footprints, on the diagram to the right. The heel of the foot on the bottom boards and the ball of the foot against the stretcher. The feet should be no more than shoulder width apart as this helps the rower drive from both legs equally. The red foot prints show the rower has spread their stance, far past shoulder width and has used the arch of the foot, with the stretcher being very slightly angled. This promotes the leg drive (catch) of the stroke being driven from one leg more than the other giving far less power. Blade work: The oar position never changes with the top third of the leather being used to pivot on the thole pins as in the diagram. The illustration below shows the entry/ exit of the blade during the stroke. Note the blade returns fully to the start position before being dropped into the water. The blade enters the water (the catch) at 90 degrees to the water line and remains at this angle until the blade reaches the very end of the stroke, where the blade is feathered to the surface. The time taken to exit the blade from the water is normally referred to as the pause or end of the stroke. This gives the rower the appearance that the oar has stopped at the end of the stroke when the blade is constantly moving in the water but the feather of the blade allows the blade to spill off any water before the start of the return. Page 19 of 44

20 This action combined with the rower s body weight pausing behind the seat allows the boat s speed to remain at its optimum for a longer period. Once the blade has spilled all the water it then remains feathered until a couple of inches before the oar is fully returned and ready to be dropped in for the catch at 90 degrees. The Body position throughout the stroke Position one: The body start position with arms straight, back and body core taught. Make sure that the lower back has a curve projecting the shoulders back. This is known as the strong position, when the body is at its strongest. At this point your bottom should be at the front of the thwart, positioned just offset from the thwart support. If rowing stroke side your left hip will be in line, and on the bow side your right hip will be in line with the seat support. Legs bent ready for the start of the stroke. Position two: The catch. This is when the body and legs use their potential energy making the legs explode from the stretcher and the body core pulling backwards into an upright position which starts pulling the blade through the water, ensuring arms remain locked straight. Position Three: At this point the body is now at an almost upright position and has used most of the power stored from the legs muscles. The rower must use their body weight and back muscles to force the body square backwards increasing the speed at which the stroke is pulled through the water, giving the stroke sustained power. Position Four: The oar will be at a 90 o angle to the side of the boat. This is at the point when the blade is at its most efficient allowing the delivery of the most power at any time throughout the stroke. Your body should be at full acceleration to deliver maximum power into the stroke. Position Five: The boat should be at optimum speed and the body has used its full potential of power. The body and legs will almost be straight. The body stays back past the thwart as the rower starts to relax the power off the oar handle. Page 20 of 44

21 Position Six: The oar travels through the water with the rower ready to angle (feather) the blade at the end of the stroke allowing the blade to rise to the surface of the water. (Feathering of the stroke is done with no effort on the oar and at the very end of the stroke). The blade is allowed to drift to the surface at the end of the stroke keeping the inner elbow (elbow on the inner most of the boat) alongside the body. This will help guide the oar handle toward the side of the trunk area of the body. Position Seven: The inner hand has twisted the oar handle backwards fully turning the blade into a feathering position (Min 25 o ) which causes the blade to float on the surface efficiently. The outer hand has moved across the chest with a loose grip on the handle allowing the oar to move in an arch around the pins, also stopping the oar being pulled into the boat. Position Eight: The finish position of the stroke, the body and the oar are in a stopped position. This allows the blade to totally free itself from the water and the boat keeps its momentum as the blade isn t acting as drag in the water. Position Nine: Return with your hands. First allow the body to stay past the thwart then slowly move the body to an upright position leading with your hands and the leg starting to recover into the bent position. The oar should still be in the feathered position and the blade about 6 inches (15cm) above the surface of the water. Position Ten: The hands start to move away from the body with the blade of the oar still feathered. Between positions ten and eleven the speed in which the hands move away from the body increases. Position Eleven: The arms are almost fully extended moving away from the body. Legs are fully recoiled ready for the start of the next catch. Page 21 of 44

22 Position Twelve: The body is back in the power position with the taught abdominal and back muscles shoulders spread ready to start the next stroke What am I trying to achieve? The theory behind the style in which we currently row is to try and make the boat move forwards at the fastest speed possible with the least amount of effort. To achieve this there are a few factors that need to be considered. These are: 1. Boat length and wet area. 2. The trim of the gig. 3. The shift of weight/movement of the crew. The above image shows the water length. The water length equates to the physical speed that can be achieved by a gig. A very basic overview would be that the longer the boat is, the faster the speed it can achieve. As the image above shows when the boat is moving the waterline will decrease meaning that the boat speed will reduce. Keeping your body past the seat at the end of the stroke forces the bow down lengthening the boat s water line length and allowing it to run faster for longer. A another way to increase the boat length is to load the boat so the heavier crew are in positions, 2, 3 and 4 with lighter rowers in 5 and 6. This means when stopped the gig is bow heavy and with momentum levels out, maintaining the faster boat speed with less effort. Remember the cox is in charge from the moment the boat leaves the trailer to until the moment the boat is returned to the trailers, it's a matter of safety. Page 22 of 44

23 Chapter 5 Being a member of APGC (Appledore Pilot Gig Club) Club fees The club is a non-profit organisation, all the money we raise is spent on the looking after the club equipment and covering the costs of running our club, such as insurance. The Membership fee of 50 covers you for one year s membership. It is renewed in April of each year by all members. If you are joining in the second half of the year we discount it to be 25. What does this cover? Basically, it covers Insurance for you to row and a little bit towards the cost for running the club. This means that any row you then turn up for will not cost you per session. We try to keep the cost low so more can row but this does mean we also need to fundraise throughout the year too. If you wish to donate to the club above the sum of 50 that is always welcome but not a requirement. Making Payments to the club We accept payments online, cheques and cash as payment of subs, for club kit, camping pitches for the Scillies, etc. The preferred method for the club is to have an online payment made to directly into the club account, the details are: Bank Name: HSBC, The Quay, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2AF. Reference - Please include your name and a reference such a s Subs or camping Sort Code: Account Number: Due to the way the club works we can t give you instant confirmation of funds going into the club account, however, if you do wish to have confirmation then please send an to our club address and we will get it to you as soon as we can. Membership After your third row, for insurance reasons, if you wish to continue rowing, these are the 3 options: Full member If you are an adult and wish to row either socially or competitivity you will need to complete a full membership form annually and pay a fee of 50, renewable each April. Half way through the year in September we half to the cost to 25. Associate member - these are people who wish to be part of the club but are not able to row themselves. They may support the club at events and attend social functions run by the club. The cost of this is 5 annually. Junior member - If you are an under 18 and wish to row then you require a junior membership which will mean an annual fee of 15 together with completion of the membership form on an annual basis each April. The calendar This is a key part of our club organisation! It's a way that we all communicate together within the club to arrange boats, meetings and social events. This is run using joint access right to one calendar which is based upon Google. To gain access you must first sign up for membership with the club, this will then result in access being shared with you through the you have provided. I would point out at this point that having a Page 23 of 44

24 Gmail.com account makes this much easier, it is totally free and you can set one up very easily. How do I set up my calendar access? PC, Latop or Apple Mac: Try to download google chrome as your web browser as it works best with everything google. Once you have logged on to your account you should be able to access a calendar function, and to add in a shared calendar at which point you select appledorepilotgigclub@gmail.com and add it to your own. For an Android phone: Download an app such as S planner, and then sign into it with the address you have told the club about. You should then be able to find the club from there. For Apple devices: Download Tiny calendar and then sign into it with the address you have told the club about. You should then be able to find the club from there. Any problems please speak to Rich Kavanagh by ing him on rich_kavanagh@hotmail.com How should I use the calendar? When you are a member you will be given access to the calendar and may start to put your name on different boats (except Novice rows) intermediates to start, then social boats and crew boats. You should seek to put you name down a few days in advance, normally a week if possible. You will start off by putting yourself down with available next to your name. The captain will then pick the crew from the available rowers. It is worthwhile checking the calendar the day before any row and the day of any row. If you have to pull out of row for any reason with more than 48 hours you can simply put a comment next to your name apologizing and saying you cannot make it. If less than 48 hours beforehand you should seek to let your cox and your captain or crew organiser know as soon as possible. Things do change e.g. the weather can deteriorate quickly and a row may be cancelled, so please check the calendar on a regular basis to ensure that you are up to date. WARNING!!! Please be careful when using the calendar that you do not delete events or people and do not sync it with any personal calendars. Communication Below are the main means of communication (other than the calendar) that we use within the club. All members should receive copies of meeting minutes, if you are not, make sure we have an up-to-date address for you by contacting the club through the main address. the main address being appledorepilotgigclub@gmail.com Facebook - Website - Classification of rowers Junior members whom are under the age of 18 are classed as a junior. Races are normally set for Under 14 and / or under 16 s. An under 14 year old can row in an under 16 boat if needed and if they are capable enough. Equally an under 16 year old can row in an adult boat if capable. These members are legally required to wear a life jacket regardless of the crew that Page 24 of 44

25 they are rowing in. Adult anyone over the age of 18 who rows in the club and has a full membership. Novice a person just starting to learn the core skills and build their strength as a rower. Intermediate a person developing their skills and stamina so that they may then enter the more advanced boats. Crew rower a person whose skill level and fitness level makes them suitable to enter race crews. Social rower a person who chooses not to race but to row only in non-competitive crews. Vet a rower over the age of 40 years. Super Vet - a rower over the age of 50 years Rowing kit We have official club kit, but to train and row socially you don't have to have this. Subject to the weather, (which can be unpredictable at best) most rowers would keep the following kit in their wardrobe. Below is a list of kit that you may choose to wear. Club kit goes from our basic racing vest, which comes in male or female, sizes small to extra-large, to the rather nice but not cheap avalanche jacket. If you become part of a racing crew then you will need to get one of our racing vests, all other kit is Lycra shorts or leggings Jogging Bottoms Vest Top Training Top Light Weight Coat opti ona l, but it goe s loo k rath er goo d! Trainers Sandals Sun Cream Dry Bag Cap Gloves Vaseline Plasters Water Bottle Hand Towel Page 25 of 44

26 THE ABOVE EQUIPMENT IS A GOOD STARTING POINT Page 26 of 44

27 Full kit list Price list from last order - due to currency exchange rate prices do vary from each order to order, so please take the prices below as an advisory price and speak to the crew We try to hold a limited stock of racing vests so you may be able to get one quickly. Men s Racing Vest Ladies Racing Vest The rest of the kit is optional and will need to be order from the manufactory which does take some time to arrive but it is worth the wait as the kit is really high quality and lasts well. T Shirt 18 Long Sleeve T Shirt Long Sleeved Polo Shirt Soft Shell Gilet Polo Shirt Fleece Hoody Smock (Wind proof not water) proof Avalanche Jacket (Water proof) Page 27 of 44

28 Crew selection This happens based upon a few things: Firstly, whether you are deemed able to compete in a race based upon your skill and fitness level. This is decided by your captain and is based upon your captain s assessment of your readiness in conjunction with the feedback from coxes and coaches. Secondly, the availability of people to row. We are a competitive club and seek for the best possible results by putting best teams out that we can. Yet we also know that we need to give new people a chance to row and so we will often seek to give people a chance to row at regattas that are suitable for people's first few races. The sprint races in the summer are often a good chance for this to happen. Thirdly, the difficulty of the race itself. Some races are harder than others, with more swell, or tighter turns or simply a lot longer. Your captain will know about these races and will select people to suit the conditions, and that might well be you! General do s and don t Do s Don'ts Do arrive minutes before your row to get the boat ready Do allow 15 minutes at the end of the row to put the boat away Listen to coxes, do as you are asked, often this is for safety reasons. If (later) you wish to ask why then do so but at the time do as you are asked. When events, i.e. regattas, are happening sign up to take part both as a rower and as a helper. Don t talk when the cox has asked you to focus or row. Don't do anything that may put you or others at risk. Don't do anything to cause upset or harm to anyone else in the club. Don t carry more than one blade at a time, they cost 500 each so need to be treated carefully. Pins are placed in the in the holes, but must not be pushed in tight. Don t lift the wooden boats by the gunnels as this can damage them, reach further down the boat to do this. Page 28 of 44

29 Events Throughout the year we attend a variety of events, both local and further away and we also host a few events ourselves. The two largest are: The World Championships for gig rowing. This is based upon St Mary s in the Isles of Scilly which kicks off the season and is held on the first bank holiday of May each year. More on this shortly! A full weekend event. The Newquay Championships Takes place in September when we once again test our skill and strength against the best there is to see if we have progressed over the season. A full weekend event. Our frequently attended events include: Barnstaple regatta Boscastle regatta Clovelly regatta Ilfracombe regatta Rock regatta Paignton regatta Torridge regatta our local rivals regatta. Zennor regatta Other regattas also happen but depend upon our invites. We run both CPGA and Non CPGA events: There is a mixture of events that we run, some are governed CPGA rules which are quite strict, while non CPGA events are not. CPGA event Our own regatta - a standard regatta where every racing crew can row. Non CPGA Event The History race (stamina race) long race from the quay out to the furthest buoy and back only for the boldest at times! The Two Bridges race (stamina race) Men race from the New Bridge in Bideford to the New Bridge in Barnstaple and the ladies then race the boats back to the anchor on Appledore quay. Our Super Vet regatta one especially for the over 50 s, with teams coming from all over to compete for the weekend. One of the North Devon league competitions a winter league of races to help the local clubs train out of season for the Scillies. Cost When it comes to the cost of attending these we ask for a towing fee of 5 to be made by each rower for each event that is not based in Appledore. As far as attending the event itself, often you may share a ride with other rowers and thus share the cost of fuel. If you want more information on these then please speak to your captain or cox. Page 29 of 44

30 Behaviour When it comes to behaviour we expect you to behave in a suitable manner, not swearing or insulting other club members or acting in an inappropriate manner whilst wearing club kit. If you feel that you have witnessed such things please speak to your captain, vice-captain, chair, vice chair or welfare officer. For a more detailed statement of what is expected please read the club constitution which is included in this handbook. To put it as simply as possible please aim to be a considerate and helpful person, doing nothing to bring the reputation of the club into disrepute. Should such conduct occur then the committee will carry out a disciplinary hearing during which we will ask one of the committee who is deemed to be neutral in the matter to look in to the issue and report back to the committee. They will seek to find out what has occurred and then the committee will make a decision as to what action to take. This may be a formal warning, a period of suspension of membership or in extreme cases removal of membership. This is rare and can be avoided by simply behaving in a positive way as you would wish to be treated by others. For more details please see our constitution. Commitment This does vary, as different members are able to offer varying levels of time and energy. Put simply it means that if you put your name down to row please show up! If you can t make it please let your cox and or captain know as soon as possible as they will need to fill the seat. We all get ill or have a problem which prevents us doing what we want sometimes but please try to be considerate. Behind the scenes The club is run by a group of members that have been elected into key roles (see key roles) to form the club committee and along with specific meetings there are also the following regular meetings: Committee meetings These are meetings held by the committee members on a monthly basis to enable the effective running of the club. Only committee members are expected to attend these unless invited. Members meetings These are meetings open to all members and we welcome your attendance at them. They are your chance to raise anything and are where the main decisions are made in the club. You as club members are welcome to put items on the agenda. If you do so please put your name behind it so we know who wishes to speak about what. Coxes meetings These are meetings to help the coxes ensure they are delivering a consistent training program for the different crews. AGM (Annual General Meeting) This is held once a year in November and all members of the club should attend if possible. It is at this meeting that the club roles are voted upon for the following year and any changes to the rules and constitution are ratified. EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) This can be called at any time of the year when there is an important issue for members to address, i.e. a change to rules/constitution Fundraising We try to keep the cost down for our members in as many ways as possible because we want everyone to be able to afford to take part in our club. This does mean that throughout the year we will be seeking to raise funds by applying for grants and bursaries or sponsorships. If you know of any, or have a boss who may be will to help out, please let us know! Page 30 of 44

31 We also raise funds at our regattas, selling food, running a raffle and by doing quizzes or activities or sponsored challenges. Please get involved in these where you can even if it just to say you have an idea or you have a raffle prize you can spare. Helping out We have a variety of non-committee roles and committee roles. The non-committee roles tend to require less input of time than the committee roles. We vote people into roles at our annual AGM and we always welcome new people taking up roles. They are listed below for you to have a look at. We will often need help to do something and if you can help out please let us know by or often there will be an event on the calendar which you can put your name to, so please get stuck in! Captains The captains and vice captains are elected members who have experience of rowing and are in charge of race crew selection. They will pick people to row in crews based upon the rowers indicated availability, the fitness, skill and level of commitment that the rower has shown. If you have any problems or want something to change then your captains or vice captains are the first port of call for you. Coxes These are the people who steer the boat and give you instructions. Just like you, they may either be experienced or learning. They are giving up their time to help other people to row so please listen to them when they ask you. Coxes may also be coaches or race coxes depending upon their experience level and skill set. Coxes are vital to getting the gig into the water at the start the session, for the safety of the crew and boat and then getting the boat out and the put away safely at the end of the session. So please listen and do what they ask of you as they are doing it for your own good. If you want to ask a question later please do so; however often for safety purposes you are invited to act now and ask questions later. Should you have any issue with your cox please speak to your captain or the head cox. We are all responsible for ourselves in rowing and that means that legally you are liable for yourself and row at your own risk. However, we also need you to think of others, be considerate and seek to avoid letting people come to harm by carelessness. We have quite few It s how it s done in rowing. The main reason for this is safety of the crew, the boat and the people around us. So please look out for yourself and others throughout your session. If you have an injury please let the coxes know ASAP. Coaches Are experienced rowers who help us to develop our technique and stamina throughout year. This may be a coxswain or it may on occasion be a person who just coaches. Please listen to them and have a go at what they ask you to do. Not everything will be clear to you at once and exercises may be designed to help you to solve a problem that you don t yet know you have or to help a different member of the crew. If you really don t feel that your coaching is hitting the right spot for you, speak to the cox/coach after the row about what you are looking for and they will try to adapt to include this where possible. If you have a cox and a separate coach in the boat often the cox will be in charge getting the boat out on the water and then when you come in to land with the coach being in charge the rest of the time. If the cox does need to interrupt the coach for safety reasons, you should at that time listen to the cox as they are in control of the boat. Page 31 of 44