Responsibility and Conduct
Juniper Rowing Club is a club. As a member, YOU are responsible for your own safety and for that of your boat. If you do not believe that a situation is safe, speak up and get yourself out of it. Check equipment before you leave the dock- you are responsible for the equipment you use and for making sure it is safe. YOU are the one designated in the club to perform these functions. Do not expect someone else to watch over you. While on the water, keep quiet and attentive to the cox and coach. In coxless boats, designate a leader. Junior crews may be required to follow more stringent rules at the discretion of the club and coaches.
Follow these basic safety rules and you and your fellow rowers will be safe both on and off the water. All JRC members need to read and heed these safety considerations.
Basic Safety
- Check all equipment before leaving the docks - you and your teammates are responsible for checking the conditions of your boat and its rigging. Please bring any missing parts to the attention of a Board Member immediately.
- Dress in layers and make sure your lower back and feet are well protected.
- Make sure you have the supplies that will keep you physically comfortable - such as hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water.
Boat Handling
- Follow the rules for correct boat handling to insure your safety and that of others.
- Fragile shells must only touch hands, water and stretchers.
- At the dock lower your boat gently into water away from the dock.
- Make sure rigging is not resting on the dock.
- Always put dockside oar in the oarlock first and make sure oarlocks are tightly closed.
- On getting into the boat step only on the designated space. Never step on the hull of the shell. You'll crash through it.
- Oars are always carried blade first - watch out for body parts & power lines!
- Oars should be placed face down the dock.
- Try and keep grips out of the water and rinse after rowing.
Observe Weather and Water Conditions
- Check the weather and water conditions. You can check out both on our web site even before coming to the boathouse.
- Use common sense about going out when the canal is abnormally high or low or if there is debris in the water which could damage equipment or cause you to capsize.
- If you can see lightning or a storm approaching, get off the water immediately.
- General rule for cold weather rowing is that there should be a combined water and air temp of about 90° F to 100° F, but preferably warmer water. Hypothermia can occur at 70° F water temperature.
Obey All Local Water Traffic and Safety Rules
- Know where you are going by familiarizing your self with landmarks (and potential hazards).
- Row/scull with starboard side to the near shore similar to traffic on the road.
- Don't skirt the banks too closely or you'll be fouled with roots, debris, flotsam and jetsam.
- Keep a good lookout at all times.
- Be courteous to others on the water.
- Single scullers are recommend to adapt to using Sculler View mirrors.
- Albemarle Canal is a commercial waterway which also has a high volume of transiting pleasure craft and personal watercraft. Be careful, don't play "tag" with the ships, barges, and boats. Large vessels and vessels pushing, or towing barges can cause serious turbulence due to rapid displacement and back-fill within the narrow canal which can cause accelerated suction of smaller craft into the sides of the heavier vessels. This can creep up on you terribly fast. Give a wide berth to them. USE COMMON SENSE, avoid them.
Know How to Swim, but Stay with the Boat if it Capsizes
- Shells and oars are flotation devices
- Don't panic - stay calm and with the boat
- Swampings, when the boat is filled with water by large wakes, heavy rain or leaks, are the most common cause of capsizing.
- The right way to handles a large wave is to stop rowing and turn the boat parallel to the wave. Row away from the wake.
- If the boat becomes swamped enough to be concerned about safety, try to row to a calmer area where you can bail or to the nearest dock.
- If the boat fills with water and you cannot row, go into the water and turn the boat over. Then indicate you need help with the standard distress signal - hold one or two of the oars vertically in the air.
Generally Don't Row Alone
- Even if you are rowing in a single, try to row alongside a friend.
- Keep in sight of each other and land - follow the shoreline.
- More adept and experienced scullers may scull alone BUT BE CAREFUL!
Hot Weather Considerations
- Heat exhaustion and dehydration are the primary dangers
- Maintain a high fluid level - bring 50% more water than you think you need.
- A wet hat will keep the body cooler.
- Wear sunglasses to reflect the glare and plenty of sunscreen.
Cold Weather Considerations
- To protect against the cold, oarsmen and coxswains should wear layers of clothes, removing and adding as the need arises.
- Be careful on the dock it may be slippery.
- Poagies are bags that cover the oar handle and the hands but still enable the rowers to grip the handle.
- Plastic freezer bags over sneakers can protect your feet from water and cold air.
- Sunglasses will protect your eyes from glare, spray and cold wind.
- Hypothermia and exposure a primary dangers if you capsize in cold water.
- Get out of the water as quickly as possible.
- Get warm quickly and seek medical help.
Wet Weather Rowing
- A single layer of water repellant fabric will stop most of the rain and waves. Water resistant material will not keep you dry.
- Wet weather on a cold day is of the greatest concern because heat loss will increase.
- Wool wicks water away from the body and retains more body heat than cotton.
- Wear a poncho or improvise one from a garbage bag.
- Use plastic freezer bags on your feet.
Motorboat / Coaching Launch Skills
- Recommend only persons knowledgeable in the use and operation of powerboats run the launches.