Boat handling skills

There is a direct correlation between a sculler’s boat handling skills and their speed. Confidently backing down on to the stake-boat and getting quickly attached at the start of a race is an obvious example. But also having all the boat handling skills is confidence boosting to be safe on the river, and handle a variety of tricky situations. Below is the list of the 10 ESSENTIAL covered on the Programme.

You can use this as a self-check to assess your current skills and chart your progress.

‘Competent’ means you can execute the skills, but still have to think about it consciously

‘Skilled’ means you have reached a level where it is easy and natural.

THE 10 ESSENTIAL BOAT HANDLING SKILLS

SCULLING – BOAT-HANDLING SKILLS	COMPETENT	SKILLED
1. Getting in and out of the boat safely
2. Getting away from the landing, onto the landing, incl. reverse landing
3. Not falling in, balance and confidence exercises – 1 scull balance; 1 scull support; stand up, rigger dips
4. Backing down – conventional and unconventional/getting onto the stake-boat
5. Spinning around incl. using full slide
6. Avoiding collisions, seeing behind you, spotting for another
7. Steering –   reach, finish, off one foot; straight course; big bend
8. Emergency stop – 2 methods, plus letting one blade go away
9. Self-rescue after capsize; buddy rescue
10. Handling the scull in strong stream and tide, ferry glide

SELF RESCUE (DURHAM): We are lucky on the River Wear at Durham. The river is fairly shallow in most places. Even if you are out of your depth:- What to do:-

1. Stay with scull
2. Right the scull – reach over and pull. SWIM and then walk the BOAT to the nearest shallow place
3. Hold handles together with blades flat on water (ie ‘safe position’) Get back into scull either “sidesaddle” or by straddling the boat.

In very cold weather get out of the water as soon as possible either by swimming boat to bank or at least getting your upper body out of the water and over the boat. (Link to self-rescue video)