Equipment
The University of Chicago Crew primarily races in 8s and 4+’s. We are very privileged to have the
quantity and quality of the equipment that we currently have. As rowing shells and many other
pieces of equipment are very fragile and awkward, treat everything with care. Boats cost as
much as an automobile. What would your parents say if you tossed a wrench on the hood of his
car, or slightly bumped a tree while parking it? We need to be very careful with our equipment
and it is your responsibility to do so. If you notice damage to any of our equipment, please
inform the coaches immediately.
Proper handling of our boats is very important for the longevity and quality of our rowing experience.
A few helpful reminders about moving the boats (and oars) out of the water follow:
Don’t step over the boat; go around.
When putting the boat down on tees, make sure that the tees are resting on level ground
and that the boat is not resting on a rigger.
Don’t pass the buckle of the boat strap over the boat; pass the strap over instead.
When putting oars on the ground or while docking, place the oarblades face-down so as
to not scratch the paint.
The coaches’ launches also need to be prepared every morning for practice. A launch that is ready
for practice has the following traits:
Engine attached and/or locked to the launch
Gas tank (WITH GAS AND OIL MIXTURE) hooked up to the engine
Two sets of life jackets in the launch
One paddle and bilge pump in the launch
One plug in the stern of the launch.
Care also should be taken when trailering boats to and from regattas. In preparing a boat to be
trailered, the following tasks must be accomplished:
Riggers removed and bungeed together.
Seats bungeed down.
Footstretchers properly secured.
Coxswain’s electronics taped down with electrical tape
Oars, tees, slings, and toolboxes on the trailer
Boats strapped to racks on the trailer
If you have any questions about the proper procedure or method on how to handle any of our
equipment, don’t hesitate to ask the coaches.
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