Brrrr … 4-Oar Rule starts today!
November 29, 2009 by admin
What a beautiful day! Maybe you should go down to the club, and go for a little row in a Club single. You know. Enjoy the sunshine. Get a little natural Vitamin D production going.
Bummer.
Oh, wait. You can’t! Not in a Club single at least. Last night, after all good rowers were tucked snugly into bed, the water temperature dropped below 50 degrees, which means we all awoke to a world of winter rowing rules.
Yes, Club Rowing Committee (CRC) Chair Sylvia Frayne has officially invoked the 4-Oar Rule for all Club rowing designated boats. This means that as of today, Club singles are grounded for the winter.
But there’s more!
Want to row a Club double or your own single instead? Well, if you’re launching from the PBC dock in any boat, Club or privately owned, you’ll need to meet at least one of the following criteria:
· Have a coach in a launch following you with the appropriate safety gear
· Wear a personal flotation device (we like this one from Mustang)
· Wear a wetsuit
The water temperature will be posted above the logbook, and whenever the temperature goes above the 50 degree threshold, the CRC will let you know via post to the Club’s Yahoo group.
In the meantime, please review the Potomac River Safety Committee, Safety Guidelines on the Club’s website by clicking here. You can find USRowing’s general safety bulletin here. For links to a ton of helpful information regarding hypothermia and cold water immersion - compiled specifically for rowing coaches and clubs - check out the Leo Blockley Memorial Campaign website here.
Stay safe, Potomac!
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