COX COMMANDS

Commands are generally preceded by either the name of the boat when the command is addressed to everyone, or “port” or “starboard” when the command is for one side of the boat or the other.

TOSS OARS
Sit in middle of boat. Oars are straight up and down with the handle on the center of the boat (the deadwood plank) held upright with your feet and knees.
The cup of the blade of the oar faces aft ready to come to oars. NOTE: With the oarlocks on Audacious, we can only come to oars easily before we tighten the oarlocks and leave the dock.

COME TO OARS
All oars are facing straight out at the same height over water. Blades are squared (perpendicular to the water).

PREPARE TO MAKE WAY
Arms straight out. Oars are angled behind rower, towards the bow. All oars angled at the same angle. Blades squared.

AND TOGETHER
Blades go into the water at the same time. This is the “catch.” AND” prepares crew to hit the water together.

The “stroke oar” sits in the aft, immediately in front of the cox. Follow the stroke oar exactly for both the catch and “release” and the pace and power of the stroke.

HOLD WATER
Plunge squared blade straight into water and hold against the pressure. This is the boat’s brakes.

TRAIL OARS
Oar is flat on the surface of the water, or the cox may say angle the blades. This is less of a brake than holding water.

BACKWATER
Reverse blade. Oar angled towards the stern of the boat. Push instead of pulls the oar.  This is reverse gear for the boat.

GUARD YOUR OARS
There may be something in the water to be aware of. Lift your oar as appropriate.

EVEN THOUGH THE COXSWAIN IS IN COMMAND OF THE BOAT, ANY ROWER WHO THINKS THERE IS ANY KIND OF DANGER SHOULD SPEAK UP RIGHT AWAY.  DON’T WORRY ABOUT BEING WRONG.