Why were they on the water at all?

Why were they on the water at all?

Post by Ellen Braithwait » Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:39:03


http://oceancity.patch.com/articles/rowers-transported-to-hospital-af...
 
 
 

Why were they on the water at all?

Post by SingleMinde » Sun, 24 Feb 2013 03:43:08

Quote:

> http://oceancity.patch.com/articles/rowers-transported-to-hospital-af...

While I think they definitely should have had a coach with them, I'm not shocked that a crew were out in those conditions. Here in Cambridge, air temperature just below freezing and 25mph winds are the borderline for setting a "yellow flag"- in other words, only experienced crews are allowed out. If we adopted the criteria that a commenter said they used (no rowing if wind stronger than 15 mph OR temperature below 45 deg.C) then we would hardly get any rowing done at all.

I suppose it's a cultural difference between the US where you're used to only being able to row part of the year and the UK where we row year round. I have been out (in an eight) in temperatures as low as the low twenties Fahrenheit, which is considered perfectly normal.

With a coach, this didn't even need to be an emergency situation- a launch could have ferried the rowers back to the boathouse to warm up. I don't think that they needed to go to the hospital, but that may be wrong...

 
 
 

Why were they on the water at all?

Post by Carl » Sun, 24 Feb 2013 04:29:49


Quote:

>> http://oceancity.patch.com/articles/rowers-transported-to-hospital-af...

> While I think they definitely should have had a coach with them, I'm not shocked that a crew were out in those conditions. Here in Cambridge, air temperature just below freezing and 25mph winds are the borderline for setting a "yellow flag"- in other words, only experienced crews are allowed out. If we adopted the criteria that a commenter said they used (no rowing if wind stronger than 15 mph OR temperature below 45 deg.C) then we would hardly get any rowing done at all.

> I suppose it's a cultural difference between the US where you're used to only being able to row part of the year and the UK where we row year round. I have been out (in an eight) in temperatures as low as the low twenties Fahrenheit, which is considered perfectly normal.

> With a coach, this didn't even need to be an emergency situation- a launch could have ferried the rowers back to the boathouse to warm up. I don't think that they needed to go to the hospital, but that may be wrong...

The safety concerns are several, but different for different waters.

The wind & temperature considerations should never be taken lightly.

If you fall in at air temperatures well below freezing (i.e. in the low
20s Fahrenheit, as you indicate), your survival chances are severely
compromised even if the air temperature is well above freezing & you're
on a narrow & shallow river (yours is the Cam, UK?).  And boats _do_ get
sunk on the Cam.  If, instead, you're on the edge of broad or oceanic
waters, then your problem is greatly amplified by the wind - it
exacerbates wind-chill on dry or, especially, wet bodies, it generates
seriously big waves & the combination of wind & waves can make boat
control difficult/impossible as well as causing swamping (most US shells
_do not_ have full buoyancy).

If this crew grounded and couldn't get free, I'm guessing they and their
navigation were affected as much wind, wave & cold as by anything esle.
  Try freeing a shell-full of young people blown onto a mudbank in a
surf - I doubt they can do it unaided.  In such conditions a coaching
launch may well be useless.  If the boat is also so heavy with water as
to be incapable of supporting its crew afloat, then your rowers are
stuck, marooned, done-for.

I think it's not a cultural difference but a cultural naivete pervading
our sport as a whole.  Some US clubs still don't get the desirability of
full shell buoyancy, some of us on secure rivers don't see the problems
of rowing in exposed places, some see rowing as an adventure sport &
ignore all the warning signs, & some who have never controlled even a
dinghy in a swell think themselves competent watermen & navigators.

I hope the Ocean City kids are wiser (& warmer) now, and will return to
rowing with a clearer sense of the dangers.

Cheers -
Carl

--
Carl Douglas Racing Shells        -
     Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing Low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
Write:   Harris Boatyard, Laleham Reach, Chertsey KT16 8RP, UK
Find:    tinyurl.com/2tqujf



 
 
 

Why were they on the water at all?

Post by SingleMinde » Sun, 24 Feb 2013 05:19:43

Quote:



> >> http://oceancity.patch.com/articles/rowers-transported-to-hospital-af...

> > While I think they definitely should have had a coach with them, I'm not shocked that a crew were out in those conditions. Here in Cambridge, air temperature just below freezing and 25mph winds are the borderline for setting a "yellow flag"- in other words, only experienced crews are allowed out. If we adopted the criteria that a commenter said they used (no rowing if wind stronger than 15 mph OR temperature below 45 deg.C) then we would hardly get any rowing done at all.

> > I suppose it's a cultural difference between the US where you're used to only being able to row part of the year and the UK where we row year round. I have been out (in an eight) in temperatures as low as the low twenties Fahrenheit, which is considered perfectly normal.

> > With a coach, this didn't even need to be an emergency situation- a launch could have ferried the rowers back to the boathouse to warm up. I don't think that they needed to go to the hospital, but that may be wrong...

> The safety concerns are several, but different for different waters.

> The wind & temperature considerations should never be taken lightly.

> If you fall in at air temperatures well below freezing (i.e. in the low

> 20s Fahrenheit, as you indicate), your survival chances are severely

> compromised even if the air temperature is well above freezing & you're

> on a narrow & shallow river (yours is the Cam, UK?).  And boats _do_ get

> sunk on the Cam.  If, instead, you're on the edge of broad or oceanic

> waters, then your problem is greatly amplified by the wind - it

> exacerbates wind-chill on dry or, especially, wet bodies, it generates

> seriously big waves & the combination of wind & waves can make boat

> control difficult/impossible as well as causing swamping (most US shells

> _do not_ have full buoyancy).

> If this crew grounded and couldn't get free, I'm guessing they and their

> navigation were affected as much wind, wave & cold as by anything esle.

>   Try freeing a shell-full of young people blown onto a mudbank in a

> surf - I doubt they can do it unaided.  In such conditions a coaching

> launch may well be useless.  If the boat is also so heavy with water as

> to be incapable of supporting its crew afloat, then your rowers are

> stuck, marooned, done-for.

> I think it's not a cultural difference but a cultural naivete pervading

> our sport as a whole.  Some US clubs still don't get the desirability of

> full shell buoyancy, some of us on secure rivers don't see the problems

> of rowing in exposed places, some see rowing as an adventure sport &

> ignore all the warning signs, & some who have never controlled even a

> dinghy in a swell think themselves competent watermen & navigators.

> I hope the Ocean City kids are wiser (& warmer) now, and will return to

> rowing with a clearer sense of the dangers.

> Cheers -

> Carl

> --

> Carl Douglas Racing Shells        -

>      Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing Low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories

> Write:   Harris Boatyard, Laleham Reach, Chertsey KT16 8RP, UK

> Find:    tinyurl.com/2tqujf




It is the Cam, but I do have experience on the Tideway as well. The mudbanks, I agree, are a hazard I don't have experience with (Fulham Flats don't count!) and the same goes for surf in a rowing boat. I probably wouldn't go out on the Tideway in some of the conditions I go out on the Cam in.

Being as wary of cold weather as the Americans are, though, would probably get rid of much of the British head season...