Safety Procedures

Required Safety Procedures

The following guidelines are required procedures to ensure a safe rowing environment for all members. All members must read, understand and follow these guidelines to remain a member in good standing. If you choose to disregard these procedures you do so at your own risk and may lose your membership privileges.

  • Members must know how to swim.
  • Follow the traffic pattern. Follow the universal right hand rule, which is a counter clockwise traffic pattern.
  • There are three lanes on the waterway. The outside lanes for directional use and the middle lane which is for passing and launch use only.
  • When rowing beyond the ferry terminal towards Point San Quentin, stay in the marked ferry channel at all times. Do not row past the tripod, which is the last channel marker.
  • Follow Larkspur Ferry Protocol (see separate page).
  • Never row under the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge. Tidal conditions are extremely dangerous through the bridge abutments.
  • Any 4x/4-+ or 8+ boats rowing past the ferry terminal without a launch in direct supervision must have the following on board: one cell phone per boat, and a copy of the emergency phone numbers.
  • Lifejackets should be worn by all coxswains at all times.
  • No 1x or 2x may row past Point San Quentin without a launch or buddy in direct contact. If a capsize occurs, stay with your shell and kick to shore if you cannot get back in.
  • Prior to launching, all scullers must sign the log book located on the table in the rear of the boathouse and sign back in when they return.
  • Avoid known water and mud hazards, including bridge abutments and channel markers.
  • Watch for other boaters and wildlife and avoid, pause or stop when necessary.
  • Rowers are financially responsible for any damage that occurs to private or club equipment due to accidents related to known water and mud hazards.
  • All boats are to launch from either the small dock or the large dock with the bow pointed upstream (towards Mt.Tam) and return to the dock in that same direction.
  • Each practice session must have, at a minimum, one person in direct supervision. Whether it is the coach or not, that person responsible for the safety of the practice session should be at least 18 years old, be qualified in rowing, be knowledgeable about basic rowing principles and safety and be given the authority to cancel practices for safety reasons. Please note that direct supervision does not require that the coach be in direct physical contact with the sculler or crew, but that there is an individual in charge of the practice. A coxswain or a rower meeting the above criteria may be so designated.
  • No rower or coxswain should ever leave a flotation device (an oar taken from an oarlock, or a boat) to swim to shore. Use the flotation device to get to shore if you can not get back into the shell. Use the stern as a water board and kick to shore.
  • Launches must stay with a capsized sweep or sculling shell and help the rowers safely return to the boathouse.
  • Be aware of the danger of hypothermia when water temperature is below 50°.
  • Do not row in fog unless your visibility is at least 50 yards.
  • Do not row in high wind or whitecaps.
  • Do not row in an electrical storm (lightning)
  • When air temperature is below 40° and/or water temperature below 50° scullers should use the "buddy" system or be accompanied by a launch.
  • Be aware of approaching wakes from other boats.
  • If approaching wakes are higher than the gunwale, the shell should be turned parallel to the wake to avoid having parts of the shell unsupported by the water. Rower(s) should stop rowing and lean away from the approaching wake, with oar(s) on the wake side lifted slightly.
  • If approaching wakes are lower than the gunwale and widely spaced, continue to row without a course adjustment. Deep and closely spaced wakes that are lower than the gunwale may be taken at a 90° angle with the bow directly toward them.
  • Display lights on all boats that will practice between sundown and sunup. On the BOW of the boat place a red/green light, on the STERN of the boat place a white light. Each light should be facing away from the rowers.

    The Marin Rowing Association
    http://www.marinrowing.org/staticpages/index.php/safetyprocedures