How to Cox an Eight Person Shell
Call "hands on" to get everybody ready to lift the boat., If you have sliding racks, tell the crew to pull the boat out on its rack, minding the riggers of the boats above and below., With you holding onto the stern, you should get the crew to walk...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Call "hands on" to get everybody ready to lift the boat.
If the boat is on a rack on or under shoulder level, get four rowers on each side of the boat- two at the stern, and two at the bow.
Stagger the rowers so when you go up and over heads, people don't run into each other.
If the boat is significantly above the rowers, get all the rowers under the boat (four at the stern, four at the bow) and call up and over heads.
You may need to go to low heads at first to keep the boat from hitting the boats above. -
Step 2: If you have sliding racks
After you do this, or if you do not have sliding racks, call up an inch and walk the boat out of racks.
Once you have the boat out of the racks, call the rowers to show sides and split if you were over heads, or to go up to shoulders if you were carrying the boat at waist level. , You should instruct each rower to watch the rigger in front of them.
Once the stern is clear of any obstacles (normally the boathouse bay doors) you can call "clear" to let the crew know that they can start to swing the boat without fear of hitting the bay doors, and walk the boat right down to the river.
Do not start to swing the boat until after you are clear of the bay doors.
Make sure to walk it straight out.
Continue to watch for obstacles as you walk down to the dock. , When the official gives you the all clear, call the boat up to shoulders again. , Then call "up and over heads" and then "toes to the edge/ready to roll/and roll" make sure that the rudder (or the skeg in smaller boats) is well clear of the dock, because if it breaks off, you will not be able to steer the boat. , A good way of splitting is to say "ports get oars, starboards get oarlocks" or something like that.
One person from each pair (1 and 2; 3 and 4; 5 and 6; 7 and 8) should get oars for the whole pair, while the other person stays and unlocks the oarlocks. ,, Make sure that your rowers keep one hand on the dock. , This would be said "one hand on the dock/ready to shove/and shove" If needed, have the bow, dockside oars push off the dock with their oars.
Make sure only the bow rowers do this! ,, Then, switch to bow pair. , When making calls, call "weigh enough" when you want the rowers to stop.
It is helpful to call "in two/one/two" when you want the rowers to do something, like weigh enough or put pressure. if you want the boat to go to the left, call starboard pressure.
If you want the boat to go to the right, call port pressure.
Stay to the right side of the river, close to the shore.
Watch out for barges and motor boats. , If your rowers are seeming sluggish, call a power ten.
You can also call a focus ten, a timing ten, etc. , When you are ready to spin, you should have all the rowers in the direction you are spinning towards check their oars and the rowers on the other side row.
Then row the boat across and do the same thing on the other side. , When you are docking, pay attention to the way the wind is moving and come in slowly, with only bow pair rowing.
If there is someone on the dock, they can help to pull you in. -
Step 3: tell the crew to pull the boat out on its rack
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Step 4: minding the riggers of the boats above and below.
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Step 5: With you holding onto the stern
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Step 6: you should get the crew to walk the boat out carefully
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Step 7: minding the riggers at all times.
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Step 8: If you are at a race
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Step 9: you will need to have the rowers on one side drop down to waists while the rowers on the other side continue to hold the boat at shoulder level so that the official can check heel ties
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Step 10: Get the crew to walk the boat
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Step 11: now the right way up
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Step 12: to the edge of the river.
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Step 13: Call for half of the rowers to get oars and half to stay and unlock oarlocks.
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Step 14: Make sure all of the oars are in so that they will not fall out (on the blade side of the part that goes into the oarlock
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Step 15: not the handle side) Tell the rowers to count down from bow when ready
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Step 16: Call "one foot in" and then "and down."
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Step 17: Once everyone is in the boat
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Step 18: call to push off the dock.
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Step 19: Have bow four row to get away from the dock
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Step 20: and let stern four fix their feet.
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Step 21: Once stern four is ready
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Step 22: have them start the pick drill
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Step 23: or other drills
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Step 24: and have bow pair fix their feet.
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Step 25: Continue to row
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Step 26: following whatever practice the coach tells you.
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Step 27: Call some power tens.
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Step 28: Spin the boat.
Detailed Guide
If the boat is on a rack on or under shoulder level, get four rowers on each side of the boat- two at the stern, and two at the bow.
Stagger the rowers so when you go up and over heads, people don't run into each other.
If the boat is significantly above the rowers, get all the rowers under the boat (four at the stern, four at the bow) and call up and over heads.
You may need to go to low heads at first to keep the boat from hitting the boats above.
After you do this, or if you do not have sliding racks, call up an inch and walk the boat out of racks.
Once you have the boat out of the racks, call the rowers to show sides and split if you were over heads, or to go up to shoulders if you were carrying the boat at waist level. , You should instruct each rower to watch the rigger in front of them.
Once the stern is clear of any obstacles (normally the boathouse bay doors) you can call "clear" to let the crew know that they can start to swing the boat without fear of hitting the bay doors, and walk the boat right down to the river.
Do not start to swing the boat until after you are clear of the bay doors.
Make sure to walk it straight out.
Continue to watch for obstacles as you walk down to the dock. , When the official gives you the all clear, call the boat up to shoulders again. , Then call "up and over heads" and then "toes to the edge/ready to roll/and roll" make sure that the rudder (or the skeg in smaller boats) is well clear of the dock, because if it breaks off, you will not be able to steer the boat. , A good way of splitting is to say "ports get oars, starboards get oarlocks" or something like that.
One person from each pair (1 and 2; 3 and 4; 5 and 6; 7 and 8) should get oars for the whole pair, while the other person stays and unlocks the oarlocks. ,, Make sure that your rowers keep one hand on the dock. , This would be said "one hand on the dock/ready to shove/and shove" If needed, have the bow, dockside oars push off the dock with their oars.
Make sure only the bow rowers do this! ,, Then, switch to bow pair. , When making calls, call "weigh enough" when you want the rowers to stop.
It is helpful to call "in two/one/two" when you want the rowers to do something, like weigh enough or put pressure. if you want the boat to go to the left, call starboard pressure.
If you want the boat to go to the right, call port pressure.
Stay to the right side of the river, close to the shore.
Watch out for barges and motor boats. , If your rowers are seeming sluggish, call a power ten.
You can also call a focus ten, a timing ten, etc. , When you are ready to spin, you should have all the rowers in the direction you are spinning towards check their oars and the rowers on the other side row.
Then row the boat across and do the same thing on the other side. , When you are docking, pay attention to the way the wind is moving and come in slowly, with only bow pair rowing.
If there is someone on the dock, they can help to pull you in.
About the Author
Charlotte Peterson
A passionate writer with expertise in hobbies topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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