Novice Coxing Cheat-Sheet

This is a summary of the main points of coxing, Lizzies PBC Novice Coxing
Guide goes into all of this in a lot more depth and I fully advise you to
read it.

The Railings
Chesterton Footbridge

The Motorway Brid

Peterhouse Footbridge (next to PBC)

Spinning Zone (in -between the posts)
Crossover point
P+E Spinning Zone (in -between the posts)

1 Victoria Road Bridge

The Top Finish

2 Fort St. George Pub

10 The Pike and Eel Pub

18 The Railings

3 Peterhouse Footbridge

11 Peter's Posts

19 The Plough Pub

4 Clare Footbridge

12 The Bus Shelter

20 The Ditch

5 Elizabeth Way Roadbridge

13 The Bottom Finish

21 The Gunshed

6 King's College Boathouse

14 Morley's Holt

22 The Motorway Bridge

7 The Gasworks

15 The Railway Bridge

23 The Little Bridge

8 Chesterton Footbridge

16 The Pink House

By: Charlotte Coles PBC Coxing Rep 2013-2014

17 The White House

Important things to remember to take on outings

1. Lifejacket. Put it on first thing so you do not forget it otherwise you
will be fined.
2. Fill in the Logbook when you leave for an outing and come back in
note any damages/incidents if they occurred
3. Cox Box the older ones for the novice boats and the newer ones
for W1/M1. They are marked as to who can use them.
4. Wear lots of layers. If you have ski gear then for the winter then for
Mich coxing it is excellent. It does get cold being a cox, so its better
to be safe than sorry.
5. Water. Lots of it.
6. Food. There are loads of kids chocolate snacks which are good to
use for outings.
BASIC COMMANDS (from Lizzie Bennets Novice Coxing Guide)
Starting rowing
Who?
Doing what?
Where from?
How?
Blades?

Ready
Go!

All eight/Bow four/Stern pair, etc.

Normally Rowing on; sometimes Backing down
(especially for spinning).
Usually From backstops for training and From
frontstops for racing.
Arms only, half slide, full slide etc.
Squared blades or Feathered blades (novices row
squared for the first couple of weeks; races should
always be feathered blades).
Wait for everyone to indicate that theyre ready (they
should angle their blades).
Go!

Stopping rowing in an emergency, shout HOLD IT UP! (Words in italics

are said at the finish).
Get their
attention
Tell them what
to do
Drop the
blades
Stop the boat

Nextstroke
Easythere.
Drop.
Take the run off.

Landmarks on the river.

By: Charlotte Coles PBC Coxing Rep 2013-2014

Here is a row-through of the major landmarks along the river Cam. Im

detailing this as if an VIII is being taken out, for a IV its essentially the
same, but a IV will have a tighter turning circle round the corners.
Peterhouse->P+E->Top of Long Reach->Baitsbite Lock
Pushing off from PBC, after checking that there are no boats coming
down/up the river, get yourself onto the right hand side of the river (so the
bank closest to you is on your right). Getting Bow pair to tap it over/taking
a few strokes normally will work.
Once over, make sure the coast is clear before going off in either fours or
rolling sixes. You will go past other colleges boat houses on your left, and
houseboats on your right. My rule of thumb is to STAY ON YOUR SIDE. Stay
close enough to the houseboats but try not to hit them, so that in the
event of a collision/blade clash with a boat coming the other way, you
cannot be in the wrong. Two VIIIs can pass each other down this stretch of
river without clashing if the coxes keep their eyes open and act early.
The next landmark you will see is (4) Clare/Emma Footbridge. Its bright
pink, so cannot be missed. At this point just make sure nobody from other
boat clubs is pushing off, if they are already pushing off give them
space. Coxes tend to shout from the bank to ask if they can come out, but
keep an eye out in case they do not. After this you will promptly reach (5)
the Elizabeth way footbridge. Its a massive single concrete arch, with
white railings on your right next to the road. This is a particularly tight
corner, so steer early to avoid overshooting the exit. I find listening
carefully to hear if any boats are coming round the corner useful, because
at this point on in earlies the queue from just past this corner to the P+E
begins.
After this bridge, you will pass more houseboats on your right and the
combined boathouses on your left. As before, make sure that the river is
clear and keep to your side. This is a wide bit of the river, and if you wish
to overtake a slow boat, this is a good place to do so. Remember to ask to
comeby first ( by shouting *Name of college* can we comeby? or Eight
Can we comeby?), and if they allow you to go past get past them quickly
By: Charlotte Coles PBC Coxing Rep 2013-2014

(by going up to all VIII if needed) and then go back to your side of the river
on the right. Always check to see if it is clear ahead before proceeding
past if your bankparty is shouting at you to go past but you see
something which could cause a crash, DO NOT OVERTAKE. The crews
safety is in your hands, if you do not want to do an overtake manoeuvre
then dont.
Between points (7) and (8) the river is very narrow. Two VIIIs can pass
each other, by about a couple of inches, and as long as both coxes keep to
their line. If you think a boat coming the other way is going to blade clash
with you, stop your boat, and let them pass. Furthermore, there are more
houseboats to your right, and overhanging willow trees to your left. This is
a standard place if you are drifting to hit a houseboat. If you hit a
houseboat, push off from their fenders, and continue on. I will mention
how to deal with houseboats (and fishermen) later. At this point your
bankparty will cross over Chesterton Footbridge from your right, and rejoin
you at the P+E and be on your left.
You will then reach Chesterton Footbridge (8). The houseboat closest to
Chesterton has recently decided to put a long piece of wood out the side
of their boat, in order to stop boats hitting them. This means your corner
is even tighter. Steer nice and early, and if required use one side to pull
the boat round (Call Strokeside more pressure, bowside less pressure)
and when straight get them rowing equally again (Call Equal Pressure
now).
Then you will reach the P+E. This is a place where a number of things
happen: 1) boats stop and the crew has a drink 2) boats overtake other
stationary boats 3) boats are spinning (which takes up the entire width of
the river). Give people room, but if you want to get through you have to
keep pressure on the boats ahead, dont create gaps for other boats to get
into otherwise you will be stuck for the entire outing. Shouting at crews
ahead to get a move on works when its very busy.
After having a drink, you will past Peters Posts (11) on your left, on the
bank, and there are more houseboats to your right. From here to the top
of the reach, the river is wide enough to accommodate overtaking slower
boats but do not ever ever overtake around a corner. You will hit
something coming the other way. Check with your bankparty if its clear
ahead as they can see further than you, and if required overtake.
Reaching the Railway Bridge, you will pass the pink house (16) on your
left, it has some trees surrounding it so it isnt as obvious as other
landmarks. Ahead, about halfway down the long reach there are The
Railings (18). Note although it is called The Railings, there are NO
RAILINGS. Its a collection of hedges in a line in the open meadow where
some railings used to be a long time ago.

By: Charlotte Coles PBC Coxing Rep 2013-2014

After The Railings, you will reach the spinning zone, so as before at the
P+E, keep to your side, and if there are boats spinning, stop and let them
spin and then make your way around the corner.
Ditton Corner is a nice wide bend. Upstream boats have right of way over
downstream boats, and if it is clear, crossover at the sign so that the bank
closest to you is on your left. This part of the river is called the Plough
Reach, and a piece of about 20 strokes can be fitted in here.
At the end of the Plough reach you reach Grassy Corner. A number of
important facts about Grassy Corner
1) THERE IS NO GRASS. There is grass behind the trees on the bank, but it
cannot be seen.
2) Its a very tight bend so its very easy to crash into the bank.
I always get my bankparty to check what is coming round the corner, as
they will see the boats first. A handy tip is to listen for other coxes/boats
coming round the corner, or if someone on a bike who looks like another
boats bankparty coming past. If you need the boat to pull you round the
corner (Call Strokeside pressure, bowside less pressure) do so.
Next landmark is the Gut, where again at the sign you cross back to the
right hand side of the river (when clear), roughly where the small wooden
platform is, and then go around First post corner. There is a large meadow
to your right and the towpath with your bankparty to your left. Keep to
your side of the river, but dont get too close to the bank where it gets
very shallow.
From first post to the motorway bridge, the river is very straight so
normally a piece is done here. After the motorway bridge (22) there are
some marshes to your right so keep out of the shallows, but over enough
to avoid being an obstruction to boats coming in the opposite direction.
There is normally a queue here to spin, before so Baitsbite Lock stop, wait
for your turn, spin nice and quickly. Once youve spun row up out of the
spinning zone (NEVER stop in the spinning zone as its very annoying for
other river users) to where your bankparty is waiting.
Baitsbite Lock ->Top of Long reach-> P+E->PBC
Going back along the river it is the same in reverse of the above. You stay
to your right and follow the rights of way of the river. I will talk through the
crossover region, however, as its different.
Approaching First Post corner (20) keep hugging the bank on your right.
Steer it nice and early, and if clear get across the river at the crossing
point. Make your bankparty check the corner as you cannot see anything
coming around the other way. As before, keep an eye out for other
bankparties/listen out for other boats to give yourself time to react.
Keep very close to the inside of the corner at grassy on your left. Its very
easy to overshoot out the other side as the corner is very sharp, but
By: Charlotte Coles PBC Coxing Rep 2013-2014

steering early and using the rowers if required can avoid this. Down
plough reach do as before and cross over at the crossing sign, and again
hug the inside of Ditton corner on your right. Ditton corner is a long
corner, so keep steering around it until it straightens out. Beware of
having to make evasive action/holding up quickly if there are boats
spinning at the top of the reach.
Dealing with Fishermen/Houseboat Owners.
Fishermen normally congregate between 7-8 on the map, which is the
thinnest bit of the river. Give them time to pull in their lines if they are
pulling them in, if not try and go around them. Normally they have the
lines going straight down from the ends of the rods, which gives you a
rough area to avoid. If you cannot avoid them, then hold your line. If you
snap their line, apologies and keep apologising until you move on.
Technically its not your fault as you cannot move out of their way but
apologise all the same. The other section for fishermen is in the spinning
zone at Ditton (on the bank between 17-19). Same as before, try and
avoid them but if not then you cannot endanger your crew for a fishing
line. Fishermen are quite respectful and do generally keep out of the way.
Houseboat owners- again try and not hit the houseboats. If the houseboat
owners get techy, apologise for hitting their boat, and move on when you
can. Most importantly keep calm. The majority of houseboat owners are
completely accommodating, and only get annoyed if you keep repeatedly
hitting their boat when trying to push off.
Wildlife
Swans, moorhens, ducks etc all live on the river. Try and not hit them.
They will get out of the way but on busy days if you are going to collide
with a swan warn the rowers, but at the same time dont tell the rowers
about all the wildlife on the river.

By: Charlotte Coles PBC Coxing Rep 2013-2014