PERTH ROWING CLUB 2017 HANDBOOK Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 1
CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE 1. Handbook Purpose 3 2. Club Communication 3 3. Code of Conduct 3.1. Constitution 3.2. Safety 3.3. General Rules 3 3 4 4 4. Care of Equipment and Facilities 6 5. Fee Structure 9 6. Competitive Rowing 10 7. Social Rowing 11 8. Social Events 11 9. Fundraising and Sponsorship 11 10. Volunteering 12 11. Office Bearers 2017 13 12. Rowing Circuit 14 Attachment A: Boat Handling 15 Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 2
1. HANDBOOK PURPOSE The purpose of this handbook is to provide members with information on Club policies, competitive rowing, boat safety and handling, procedures and the contact details for office bearers (p. 13). 2. CLUB COMMUNICATION An important aspect of Club life is communication amongst the membership. Please ensure you advise the club secretary & treasurer of any changes to your contact details. Most club communications will be via e-mail. These are kept to a minimum, to avoid cluttering your inbox, however they are important and it is expected that all members will take the time to read and respond to club communications as required. In addition club notices & a copy of the approved minutes of the previous month s executive meeting will be displayed on the notice board at the rowing shed. The club website & Facebook page are other means of communication. Perth Rowing Club website: http://perthrowingclub.org.au Perth Rowing Club Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/perthrowingclub/ Parents/guardians of members under 18 will also be contacted with club notices. Requests for information to be displayed on the website are to be made to the Secretary. Contact: Website updates Mark Scully & Susan March 3. CODE OF CONDUCT A Club such as ours cannot operate effectively without the responsible and reasonable behaviour of its members towards each other, the club facilities, equipment, towards new and prospective members and towards members of the community. In joining the Club it is a requirement that all members comply with the guidelines set out in the handbook. The Club s Code of Conduct is made up of: 1. The Club Constitution, currently available from the club secretary, on the notice board at the club & on the Perth web page. 2. Information covered in this handbook: Safety; and Care of Equipment and Facilities. 3.1 Constitution The club constitution identifies the requirements & defines the way in which the Club is managed at committee level. For example it sets out requirements for the establishment of a Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 3
Committee, for the holding of Annual General Meetings, election of Office Bearers, membership categories and requirements. Contact: Member Protection & Concerns/Complaints Susan March Contact: Working With Children and other club policies Susan March 3.2 Safety Members should familiarise themselves with the Safety Reminders in the latest Western Australian Rowing Yearbook. This is available of the Rowing WA website: www.rowingwa.asn.au. This document provides relevant information on: Rowing in cold conditions; Rowing in hot conditions; Resuscitation; Requirements for clubs and equipment; and Responsibilities of Rowers, Coxswains and coaches. 3.3 General Rules All coaches and members that row must be able to swim at least 100 metres. No member who is under 18 may row without being accompanied or supervised by an experienced member/coach aged 18 years or over. It is strongly recommended that: All boats not accompanied by a coaching dinghy go out with a buddy; and If rowing a single without a buddy then, name, date and time written on whiteboard. All boats and dinghies must have appropriate continuous white lights during hours of darkness. Dinghies also require coloured port/starboard lights on the bow. No Dinghy or rowing boat is to be placed on the water during hours of darkness without an appropriate light. Club owned lights are stored in a white tub on the shelving unit in the back room of the shed. All boats with shoes are not to be rowed unless the heel restraints (the cords tied to the heel of each shoe and attached to the foot plate) are installed and set for approximately 7cm in length. The purpose of this is to ensure that, in the event of a boat overturning, the rowers feet will pull out from the shoes. If the heel restraints are not in place it can be very difficult to remove feet from the shoes. The shoes also require quick release cords. Every boat must have a Bow Ball a white ball of not less than 4cm diameter made of solid rubber or similar material attached to the bow of the boat. No boat may be taken out on to the water without a bow ball. All rowers and/or coxswains going out on the water are responsible for abiding by all local rules, regulations and traffic patterns. If visibility along the Canning River is less than 1000m and crews cannot clearly see the navigation lights on the Canning River, lights on Canning Bridge or lights along the Kwinana Freeway, then rowing boats should not go out onto the water. If thunder and/or lightning occurs in the vicinity of the rowing course before a crew leaves the shore, do not go out onto the water. If thunder, lightning or hail occurs while a crew is out on the water, the crew should make every effort to return to the shed as soon as possible. Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 4
Reporting of incidents Following treatment of the injured person, please inform the Captain and Safety Officer as soon as is possible.. Any incident involving injury to a person or damage to a boat must be reported in this way giving time, place and nature of accident, injuries/damages sustained and names of person/people involved including witnesses. Contact: Safety Officer Susan March Rowing Areas A plan of the Swan River from Canning Bridge to Shelley is included in Section 12 with a normal circuit indicated. The hazards should be learnt during accompanied sessions. These include: The fixed navigation beacons, lit and unlit; The shallow water along the freeway side of the Canning River, the sand bar near Mount Henry Bridge and the shallow water along the river edge in Rossmoyne; and Mooring buoys along the length of the circuit. Other rowing areas, such as downstream towards the Old Swan Brewery, should only be rowed with a coach and dinghy in attendance and must be rowed with caution due to the number of navigation beacons, strong current and the width of the channel. The rules of travel on the river for a rowing boat are the same as those for other craft. Stay on the right hand side of the channel in the direction of travel from the point of view of the coxswain. Avoid all other water craft and it is important to position the boat sideways to any wash. In avoiding other boats remember that if you go close to shore into shallow water that the height of the wash increases considerably in shallow water. When there are white caps on the water it will be uncomfortable and potentially unsafe, rowing is not recommended in these conditions. Remember that depending on the direction of the wind the white caps may not be visible from the shed. Contact: Rowing Areas Craig Huxtable Recreational Skippers Tickets (RST) All dinghy drivers are required to hold an RST. All coaches, officials and volunteers driving dinghies must ensure they have an RST. Use of a dinghy for coaching purposes provides the rowers with added security, a dinghy is preferable to coaching from a bicycle on the river bank. New & inexperienced dinghy drivers must be accompanied by an experienced coach until they are deemed competent to coach unsupervised from a dinghy. Contact: RST Mark Scully Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 5
4. CARE OF EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES Safe Use of Equipment Boat usage The following boats are allocated as a priority for competitive rowing. Less experienced competitive rowers must be under the direct supervision of experienced competitive rowers o GlenRay; o Judith McCombe; o Mark Scully (this boat may also be used for social rowing if not required for regattas); o Gary Scrase. Other boats in the shed are used under the supervision of club coaches and experienced rowers. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that new members progressively become aware of which boats they are approved to use and also to ensure that the new members are appropriately trained for each of the boats. Privately owned boats and oars are not to be used without the permission of the owner. Adjustments to boats by individual rowers are to be limited to foot stretcher, slide positioning & gate height. Other equipment and rigging adjustments including the steering arrangements on coxless boats are to be carried out only after consultation with the Captain. Club dinghies are only to be used for coaching or safety purposes. Contact: Use of Equipment Craig Huxtable Safe Handling of Boats Boat repair is very expensive. The basic (but not exhaustive) rules for boat and oar handling are: All movements on and off the water are at the direction of the Stroke or Coxswain of your crew. Move all boats slowly. When removing or returning boats to the racks or the trailer, be particularly careful that the boats do not come into contact with the riggers of other boats or the racks/framing. When boats are being placed onto or being removed from trestles be sure to place the boat so that the riggers are well clear of the trestles this will reduce the risk of rigger damage. Buoyancy compartments, bow and stern tank lids should be loosened whilst the boat is stored in the shed & closed securely prior to taking the boat out onto the water. Personal Responsibility for equipment - Each person in a crew is responsible for the boat and for their own equipment i.e. the bow ball, lights, oars, seat, slides, foot stretcher, shoes, rigging and fin/rudder and must ensure that they have inspected the boat and their equipment before leaving the shore. Any damage is to be reported immediately (as mentioned below). When placing shells into the water crews should ensure that the water level is deep enough to ensure that the shell and fin is clear of sand, pebbles or storm water drains that may lie on the river floor. While the crew is rigging or de-rigging a boat and preparing to Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 6
leave the shore, depending on the size of the boat, wind conditions and river current, 1 or two crew members should remain at either end of the boat to ensure that the fin and shell stay clear of the sand or any other obstacles. When launching (or returning to shore) make sure that everyone is prepared and has everything they need. The beach space is limited & this will help to prevent congestion. If a boat is damaged, or is found to be damaged document damage on whiteboard at the back of the shed & notify the Captain as soon as possible on the same day.) If the damage to the boat is significant then the boat should be returned to trestles in the shed and a note taped to the boat stating that the boat is out of service and why. The outside shell of the boats are to be washed thoroughly with soapy water, then the outside & inside of the shell rinsed with fresh water and dried prior to storing the boat. Place the foam pieces onto oarlocks (gates) to prevent damage to the hull of the boats stored below. Once boats are stored on racks in the shed remove tank lids. In order to aid drying of shoes pull quick release tabs open. Safe Handling of Oars Sweep oars and sculling blades should be checked to ensure that buttons are secure and properly set. Carry oars with blades in front of you this allows better control of the oar enabling you to carry the oar without potential damage to the blade or inadvertently endangering another club member. Take care when carrying oars Do not let oar blades drag on the ground. Carry 2 sweep oars or up to 4 sculling oars at a time. To prevent unnecessary wear and tear to the oars, club members should ensure that oars are placed in the oar trolley, oar rack or on the ground with the collars and buttons not resting in the sand/dirt. Safe Handling of Dinghies It is important that the dinghies are not driven at speed over shallow areas near Mount Henry Bridge and Shelley. If the dinghy is driven over shallow ground at speed the propeller and propeller guard may come into contact sand and rocks while under power, causing expensive and unnecessary damage. Before launching the dinghy ensure that the bung is in place, there is sufficient fuel in the tank, an oar/paddle, bailer/bucket, life jacket and grab line are in the dinghy. The dinghies and trailers should be washed with fresh water after every use. The engine should be flushed with fresh water. Incidents/damage must be reported to the Club Captain as soon as practical on the same day the incident/damage was discovered and out of service notices taped to the dinghy. Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 7
Dinghy skippers must obey all traffic patterns on the Canning River. The Dinghy should be manoeuvred carefully around other water craft. When operating close to an unpowered craft i.e. a rowing boat, make sure that the wash coming from the propeller is kept to a minimum so that you do not endanger the rowing boat and its crew. Refer to Attachment A for a summary of information on on-water safety and boat handling procedures. Contact: Boat/equipment damage Craig Huxtable Shed security Members will be advised of the access code to the front door which is changed from time to time. The back & outer door access code is also changed periodically by RWA. Please do not advise any non-members of the lock combination. We must ensure security for all club members and equipment. We cannot afford to operate with non-paying members and it is also a liability risk for non-members to use equipment in the shed uninvited. Your cooperation is appreciated. If you are the last to leave the shed make sure that all doors are locked and all lights turned off. Contact: Craig Huxtable Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 8
5. FEE STRUCTURE Membership (see Club Constitution) Other than approved visitors (e.g.: honorary members by arrangement and as approved by the Committee) all rowers must be paid up club members, or fee paying participants in the Learn To Row Program or other PRC authorised Rowing Coaching programs. All current members will be assumed to be ongoing members if they row into the next subscription period. The membership year is 1st January through to 31st December, and membership renewals will be issued to all current members during late January of each year. A pro-rata arrangement is in place for newly joining members only and this is covered in the Constitution. Ongoing membership is only available for a full year and seasonal rowing still attracts the full membership fee. Oar Fees Oar fees are levied by Rowing WA on every competitor for each race they are nominated for. These fees are paid by the club directly to Rowing WA. In addition a Registration Fee is charged by Rowing WA for each new competitor. Competitive Rowers are required to pay an upfront Oar Fee levy of $100 to the club which is credited against the oar fee charged by RWA for each race rowed by the registered member. Monitoring and recording of oar fees and fine payment will be the responsibility of the Registrar and Treasurer, who will advise the Club Captain and Member of outstanding fees/fines. The Treasurer may also ask for additional payments upfront in anticipation of future oar fees (based on recent race participation). Members must ensure they have a sufficient oar fee balance to cover their nominated races throughout the year. A member who has outstanding oar fees cannot be nominated for races until the oar fees are paid. Contact: Oar Fee Coordinator Glenda Conte (Treasurer) Fines Fines received by crews and/or participants (e.g.: no bow number, out of uniform, altercation with the umpire) are to be paid by the crew or crew member. Crews or members with outstanding fines will not be nominated until the fine is paid. It is the crew and coach responsibility to ensure fines are not levied and if they are, to ensure they are paid promptly. Fee Structure The fees for Competitive rowing are more expensive than for social (non-competitive) rowing. The additional fees are to cover the compulsory Rowing WA Registration fee, dinghy motor maintenance/replacement & fuel, coaching expenses and additional wear and tear on the shells and equipment. If a rower who has joined as a Social Member enters a Rowing WA race the rower will be deemed to have changed to a Competitive Member and will be required to pay the difference between the Social Member Fee and Competitive Rower fee. A Competitive member will not be eligible for a refund of fees once they have rowed competitively and been registered by RWA. Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 9
Private Boat Storage Fee Both storage of private boats and the imposition of a storage fee are at the discretion of the committee. Contact: Treasurer Glenda Conte 6. COMPETITIVE ROWING Rowing Season The WA rowing season starts in April and ends in September with the State Championships. Most pennant regattas will take place at the Champion Lakes Regatta course. However, a limited number of races are held at Bayswater (ANA Head Race), Canning Bridge (Swan River Rowing Club Mettam Race), Fremantle (Perth to Fremantle Race) and Bunbury. The RWA regatta calendar can be found at: http://wa.rowingmanager.com/ The Rowing WA Handbook is a very important source of information about regattas and venues. These are available from the club at the start of the season and are also available on the Rowing WA website www.rowingwa.asn.au. Rowing Crews - Competing Rowers have an individual rowing status score which determines the grade they are able to compete in. Rowers gain or lose points according to whether they win or lose races. This is monitored and controlled by Rowing WA using its rowing regatta administration system. Detailed information on the points system for grading rowers is in the Rowing WA Handbook (http://www.rowingwa.asn.au/#!rulesofracing/chap). Rowing Crews Competition Masters For competition, a Masters grade rower is a rower over 27 years of age. The Rowing WA season calendar includes Masters regattas during the year these are combined with the All Schools regattas; refer to the Rowing WA Handbook for dates. The Australian Masters Championships are also held once a year around the country. Contact: Registrar Meg Pike Rowing Uniform The uniform consists of a club zoot suit. T shirts worn under a zoot suit must be plain white only. All members of a crewed boat (double scull, pair, four, quad scull or eight) must wear the same uniform. For example: If one person elects to wear a white T shirt under their zoot suit, all crew members should wear the same type of T shirt (long or short sleeved); and Alternately a zoot suit without a white T shirt underneath is acceptable. The club is fined for every competitor out of uniform during a race and these fines will be forwarded to the members responsible. Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 10
The rowing uniform is compulsory at all regattas and is available to be purchased online from Oarsome, it can be ordered at any time. It will take 2-3 weeks from time of order to delivery. http://www.oarsome.com.au/club-kit Off water uniform is not compulsory but makes you easily identifiable as a member of PRC, it is available online from the regatta shop: http://www.theregattashop.com.au/club_perth.html Contact: Susan March Coaching The Club is lucky to have volunteer coaches providing some coaching. On water coaching is undertaken from a dinghy or from the coxswain s seat of your boat. The times, schedules and intensity of training will be discussed with your coach and squad before the competitive season begins. Please be at the club at least 5-10 minutes before the designated training start time, if the weather is unsuitable for rowing, rowers are still required to attend training at the shed (with training shoes) for ergo and/or land based fitness work. Contact: Competitive Rowing Coaching Vanessa Grant 7. SOCIAL ROWING 5.30am Wednesday 7am Sundays There is no need to arrange a crew to row with, there will be experienced rowers to assist/coach & boats will be taken out according to the number of rowers that attend. 8. SOCIAL EVENTS Information on other club social events will be sent out in emails, posted on the club web site and displayed on the notice board at the shed. For ideas and further information on any of these events please contact any committee member. 9. SPONSORSHIP AND FUNDRAISING Perth Rowing Club relies heavily on the fundraising and sponsorship efforts of members, families and friends. It is of great benefit to the club when all members help out and contribute to fundraising and sponsorship initiatives. Each year the club holds multiple learn to row programs, hosts a Regatta during the Rowing WA racing season & runs a Bunnings sausage sizzle. These are currently the Club s primary fundraising events and they contribute to the purchase of new equipment & the maintenance of club facilities & equipment.. It takes the cooperation of all club members to undertake these often arduous but very rewarding events. If you have any sponsorship or fundraising ideas or can help in any way, please contact any of the committee members. Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 11
10. VOLUNTEERING Perth Rowing Club is only able to operate with the tireless efforts of its members & volunteers who take on the following roles-- management committee, coaches, fundraising, boat maintenance and repairs etc. The membership subscriptions only cater for a portion of the running expenses of the club, it is only with the assistance of club members & related volunteers that the club is able to prosper You can volunteer in any of the following ways:- Fundraising - The Learn to Row Program, Bunnings sausage sizzle & Regatta hosting are our largest fund raisers of the year and require the input of everyone- coaching and coxing, catering on the day, boat repairs management of the regatta, etc; Corporate sponsorship - identifying opportunities and negotiating in consultation with management committee; Grants acquisition - identifying opportunities and preparing proposals in consultation with management committee; Equipment maintenance and repairs. Skills in fiberglass/kevlar/ timber repair work are sought; Club house maintenance cleaning, painting, roof maintenance, welding racks, garden maintenance, paving repair; Dinghy trailer repairs and maintenance, outboard motor servicing, dinghy repairs (aluminium welding); Helping out at regattas - catering, assisting coaches organize junior crews, oars and boat allocations, rigging and unrigging boats, trailer towing; Dingy driving at regattas and for coaches (at times); First Aid skills. Members and parents who are doctors, nurses, or holders of current First Aid Certificates are asked to identify these qualifications and if available be willing to help in the case of emergencies; and Coaching and coxing. This is not an exhaustive list and members, parents and friends are invited to offer their skills if they may consider them useful to the successful running of the club. Contact: Volunteering Susan March, Mark Scully or Craig Huxtable Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 12
11. Perth Rowing Club Office Bearers 2017 The following Office Bearers have been elected to service on the Executive Committee of Perth Rowing Club in 2017: Position Name Phone Email President Susan March 0438 605 234 g_s.march@bigpond.com Vice President Elizabeth Amann 0411 442 495 elizabeth.amann@westnet.com.au Captain Craig Huxtable 0418 914 252 craig@miningdrafting.com.au Treasurer Glenda Conte 0401 595 151 treasurerprc@gmail.com Secretary Mark Scully 0417 972 371 mark_scully@westnet.com.au Registrar Meg Pike 08 9271 8474 megpike@yahoo.com Committee member Ray Walter 0418 957 949 rwwalter@westnet.com.au Committee member Vanessa Grant 0481 066 092 vgrant@iinet.net.au Committee members Nicky Cato 0438 201 394 nickycato@iinet.net.au Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 13
12. ROWING CIRCUIT Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 14
Attachment A: Perth Rowing Club Boat Handling Procedures Boat allocation according to PRC policy, see separate document. Novice crews must be supervised by a coach or experienced rower when handling boats. If visibility <1000 metres rowing boats should not go onto the water. Carry oars with blades in front of you. When placing them on the ground be sure that the collar is not placed in sand. Crews must be careful not to allow the hull or parts of one boat to connect with the riggers or parts of another boat at any time. Chock the boat above if necessary. Correct way to position shells o On racks so that the gunwale of the boat is sitting flat on the runners. The boat should not be resting on the V piece at the bow or stern of the boat or the metal plate that the riggers attach to. o On trestles for an eight trestles should be placed approx @ the 2 & 7 seat. All other boats at either end of the gunwale. Correct way to carry shells o Number & position of people according to size of boat o o Eight- 4 @ either end of the gunwale, opposite each other; Quad/four-2 @ either end of the gunwale, opposite each other; Double/pair-approx halfway along bow & stern tanks, where it is possible to wrap your arm around the tank. Both should be on the same side of the boat. One person to call lift (either coach, cox or stroke position). DO NOT use the riggers to carry a boat unless the boat is hull up, this allows the weight of the boat to rest on the rigger. Prior to taking boat out check the fin, footplate & heel restraints with quick release cords are all in place and functional. Buoyancy tank lids are in place and secure. Traffic flow on the water including take off & return from shore, see map (Section 11). o o Lighting requirements when rowing before sunrise & after sunset Rowing WA- minimum of 1 white light; Rowing Australia recommends bow & stern lights. Strongly recommended that: o all boats not accompanied by coaching dinghy go out with buddies; o If single taken out with no buddy, write your name, date and time to be written on whiteboard. When launching (or returning to shore) make sure that everyone is prepared & has everything they need. The beach space is limited & this will help to prevent congestion. When placing shells into the water ensure that the water level is deep enough so that the shell and fin clears the sand. Whilst the crew prepares to leave or when returning to shore, depending on the size of the boat & wind conditions 1 or 2 crew members remain at either end of the boat to ensure the fin and hull stay clear of the sand or any other obstacles. Boats should be rinsed & washed with soapy water if necessary & dried prior to being put away. Foam gadgets must be placed on all riggers to prevent damage to the hulls of boats. Perth Rowing Club 2017 Handbook Page 15