Sign-off - coxes and sculls

Steering the Cam is tricky and requires a certain degree of skill and experience to perform safely. City has a number of levels of sign-off for small boats and coxes to ensure everyone stays safe on the river.

The Captain maintains a list of all members who are signed off at each level. If in doubt, ask! But if you have never been signed off or done a steering assessment then you should assume you cannot go out without a bank party during the day, and not at night at all.

Steering permissions

The Cam is a tricky river to steer, especially at busy times.

Steering levels

There are three categories of permission for those who are looking to steer coxless boats on the River Cam

Use of basic boat with a bank party
Use of basic boats without a bank party
Use of Captains permission boats

Use of basic boats with a bank party

Any member can take out a basic boat with a bank party as long as the following criteria are met

The bank party is competent
The member has been part of the club for 6 months
During the last 6 months the member has been taking part in timetabled coached sessions

Use of basic boats without a bank party

To use a basic crew boat without a bank party the following criteria must be met

The rower must have completed a minimum of 6 outings on the cam, at least 3 of which must have been in a small boat with a bank party
The rower must have demonstrated to a competent bank party that they are A competent rower/sculler
Show awareness of hazards
Follow correct navigation

In addition to the above criteria, anyone looking to go out in a single scull must also be able to

Get the boat safely in and out of the boathouse unaided, or arrange to go out at a time when someone is around to help
Boat and land unaided or arrange to go out at a time when someone is around to help.

Use of Captains permission boats

Those members who have use of Captains permissions boats must meet all of the criteria to use basic boats without a bank party, plus meet the following criteria

Be observed by the Captain/Director of Rowing/ Squad Head Coach/someone deemed equivalent by the Captain to have demonstrated the ability to be competitive in their chosen event / category. This may be further informed by performances at local head races where club wide (category / age group adjusted) GMTs are published.
Intend to compete at recognised races on the domestic club circuit. Examples include Scullers Head, Pairs Head, GB trials (junior/senior), HWR, Br Masters Championships, HWR, HRR, HMR, Br Club Championships. This is not an exhaustive list.

Reasonable Adjustments

At the discretion of the captain the number of outings required to be given permission to use basic boats without a bank party may be reduced, and an experienced off cam sculler may be given permission to use captains boats with a bank party before meeting all the requirements to use a basic boat without a bank party.

Rowing in the hours of darkness

Members are reminded that no boats should be out in the dark without a bank party.

Coxing permissions

The Cam is a very busy river. Coxes need to be suitably experienced to take control of boats.

Coxing levels

There are three levels of coxing permission that the club grants to coxes. These are

Coxing in daylight only with a bank party
Coxing in daylight only without a bank party
Coxing in the dark with a bank party where the ratio is one coach to one boat

For the avoidance of doubt, there shall be no coxing in the dark without a 1:1 bank party ratio.

Coxing in daylight only with a bank party

Any member is able to cox a boat in daylight with a bank party. The bank party needs to be experienced and competent and should actively engage in coaching the cox so that they are developing towards being able to go out in daylight without a bank party.

Coxing in daylight without a bank party

To cox in daylight without a bank party a member must meet the following criteria

The cox must have completed at least 6 sessions on the cam prior to the unaccompanied session Of these six sessions at least 2 sessions must be in the boat type that is being used for the session. For example, if the unaccompanied outing is in a bow loaded four then the cox must have done at least 2 sessions in a bow loaded four.
The cox must be approved by the captain has having demonstrated safe behaviour in the 6 sessions prior to the unaccompanied session

At the discretion of the Captain a member may be given permission to cox in daylight without a bank party before completing 6 sessions, this will mostly depend on the prior experience of the member. For example, a member who joins from another club based on the Cam may be signed off after an initial observation.

Coxing in the dark with a bank party

At the discretion of the Captain a cox who is signed off to cox in daylight without a bank party may be given further permission to cox outings in the dark. When coxing in the dark it is the responsibility of the cox to ensure that

The correct lights have been attached to the boat: A steady white light and a steady red light on the stern
That a spare light is in the boat
That the bow seat is wearing high visibility clothing
That the boat has a bank party that is exclusively allocated to that boat

Navigation

When out on the water crews should abide by the following rules

Navigation

Crews should always steer on the right-hand side of the river, except for the stretch between ‘The Plough’ and ‘The Gut’. The crossing points at these locations are clearly marked.

Spinning

Crews should only turn at the designated spinning zones. These are:

Jesus Lock
Baits Bite Lock
Pike and Eel Pub
The downstream end of the Long Reach

Stopping

Crews should not stop in the following locations

The Gut (unless giving way at the crossing point)
On Long Reach (unless pulling well into the side)

Safety

Those in the bow seat of coxless boats should check behind them every 10 strokes, and more often on bends and crowded parts of the river.

Extra care should be taken when approaching the following parts of the river

Green dragon bridge – crews often come onto the wrong side of the river when travelling round this narrow blind bend.
Railway bridge – crews travelling downstream often come onto the wrong side of the river at this bend
Ditton Corner – when travelling upstream beware of crews in the spinning zone as you come round the bend
Grassy Corner – it is common for downstream crews to crash into the bank at this bend, and for upstream crews to come onto the wrong side of the river
Crossover points in The Gut and at The Plough – a key site of incidents as crews either do not cross at the right point or do not give way
First Post Corner – it is common for downstream crews to come onto the wrong side of the river
Baits Bite Lock – take the stream conditions into account when spinning. Spin early if required.

Right of way

At both spinning zones the crew travelling upstream has right of way. If you are travelling downstream, you must stop and wait at the crossing sign until it is clear for you to cross over.

When there is a risk of a collision with other crews then the crew travelling downstream shall give way to the crew travelling upstream

Rules of the river

We share the Cam with other river users and need to follow shared rules for harmonious co-existence

Responsibility

All river users should know the rules of navigation and conduct before going afloat, but this is particularly important for those in charge of a vessel: eg coxes and unaccompanied scullers. Following the rules makes you a predictable river user, which greatly enhances safety for all.

Key resources

The main set of rules governing conduct, navigation etc are published by Cam Conservators: https://www.camconservators.co.uk/byelaws.html
There are also some rules of conduct set down by the Cam Rowing Association to help with interacting with other types of river user: https://www.crarowing.co.uk/about/information/code-of-conduct-for-anglers-rowers-using-the-river-cam
Lastly Cambridge University Combined Boat Club has a comprehensive set of rules for college and university crews. Strictly speaking we don't have to follow them (spinning zones being a famous example) but since we share the river with college crews it's important to understand how they will behave and what they're allowed to do: https://www.cucbc.org/handbook/rules

Make sure you read and understand these before being responsible for a vessel on the water.

City of Cambridge

Estd. 1863

Sign-off - coxes and sculls

Steering permissions

The Cam is a tricky river to steer, especially at busy times.

Coxing permissions

The Cam is a very busy river. Coxes need to be suitably experienced to take control of boats.

Navigation

When out on the water crews should abide by the following rules

Rules of the river

We share the Cam with other river users and need to follow shared rules for harmonious co-existence