Winter rowing rules start today!

The water temperature has been below 50 degrees for a few days straight, which means, yep, it’s officially winter time in our world … no matter what the calendar says! Club Rowing Committee (CRC) Chair Sylvia Frayne and Float Captain Chuck Selden have invoked the 4-Oar Rule for all Club rowing designated boats.  Starting today, Club singles are grounded for the winter.

(Boo! Hiss!)  Now, come on, PBC, don’t whine about it!  You can still get out there and row, it will just have to be in your privately owned single or with others in a boat with four or more oars.  And all you have to do if you’re launching from the PBC dock in any boat, Club or privately owned, is 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 (similar to this one from Mustang)
• Wear a wetsuit

As an additional safety precaution, make sure you sign out in the logbook.  You could even leave us a little note as to which direction you’re headed, so that if something does happen, we’ll have a clue as to when you left and where you might be.  Please remember to sign back in, too, so we don’t freak out and go looking for you.  You know we worry like your mother.

The water temperature will be posted above the logbook, and whenever the temperature goes above the 50 degree threshold, the CRC promises to let us all know via another post to the Club’s Yahoo group.  You can also sign up for water temperature alerts to be sent to your phone or email address from the USGS!  Click here. Fill out the form. Confirm. Done! Remember to fill out the form in Celsius.  Also, remember that you still have to wait for the official announcement from the CRC to resume “regular” rowing once the water temp rises, again.

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.

Be safe, PBC!