A Message from the Ladies ....Please read

[Steve Woods]

A message from the Ladies ……..Please read
 
Dear Langstone Cutters,
 
We your beautiful vessels: Gladys, Langstone Lady, Lottie, Mabel, Millie and Sallyport  would request ……. Please look after our bottoms !

Crew, please can we remind ourselves when coxing that it is important not to approach the shore at speed. The majority of times with good conditions and available berth there is no need to risk a shore landing  “graunch - ing” the keel , damaging the hull and the band. Please consider going easy 2-3 boat lengths out on the best line and holding up. Bow pair can stow their oars and if you do not have anyone on the shore passenger or bow can ready themselves, possibly with a “prodder “(The short oars we carry for such purposes).High water may require deploying the fenders and the painters possibly additional lines or ready for the anchor. Excessive speed to shore, pontoon, quayside puts the boats, oars, crew and others at unnecessary risk.

In addition when we board the boats please try and keep them buoyant, help one another and accept help from others do not try and carry kit at the same time stow it first or ask another to hold on to it for you.  Please wear suitable footwear,  wellies  or water shoes . It is important for the safety of yourself and others and the boats that you step in and on the deck or boards not the Thwarts (seats) .

Please study the shore at low water and see just how many submerged  posts there are and the structure of the mill “ foundations” and the position of the wreck. Further afield consider the almost “rocky” shore of large flints by North slip, the concrete debris at the Ferry and the numerous posts and hazards should we venture up the Emm’s to see Lord Raglan or other wild adventures .

If the boat is not afloat , think before you step in.

If there is any damage to the boats, dollies/trailers , oars please report it on the forum. Thank you Geoff our Bosun for all the TLC and to Nigel, Chris, Les and Marcus and all who keep everything up together and available for us all to use.

Coxing, if you are new to the club do not let these comments put you off, the advice is normally “free flowing” and do take time to observe and reflect on the commands the consequent actions and the results! Above all else, do have a go when there is experienced crew in the boat and you can learn and appreciate the challenges and the need for an obedient crew!

Boat moving…… so we rarely hurt ourselves rowing, but the potential for injury moving , launching and retrieving our boats is a very real possibility. Once again we are moving too fast! A few folk like myself habitually “take over” the initial launching and retrieval. However I may not see the pedestrian navigating the slip or appreciate that not everybody was ready to lift. So in amongst the greetings, chatter, catch up on Poldark and Strictly we must be ready to shout out hazards or if we are not ready to roll. Please reflect on your lifting technique? If you have questions please ask Christine ,we do need to see good hand holds on the boat or whatever as close to you as possible, feet apart and a straight back bending at the knees. Again there is no need to hurry launching and berthing the boats.

So thank you for listening we do not want to get all health and safety, but we can do our best to do our duty, a duty of care to all and the boats and the environment. Really it is that I cannot go midweek rowing at the moment and I am grumpy and needed a moan!

On Tuesday we said Au revoir to Bembridge and as the tear slowly made its way down my cheek, the grass whispered to the willows in the boat park and I had a real sense of privilege  of what great boats, folk and such a wonderful place to row.
 
Row on …….
 
 

[Andy Mac]

Many thanks for that Steve.
All good.
Best
Andy

[Geoff]

Very well said Steve. Geoff the Bosun