Rowing in very cold conditions

Just a reminder of a few things to consider when deciding whether to row during this very cold snap.




•Ice is an important indicator of extreme cold. It is a risk on land, - slipping and dropping the boat, and on the water - floating sheets of ice will damage boats.

•Cold water immersion is a high risk, particularly for juniors and masters. All clubs should read the RowSafe guidance (Section 1.8) and be aware of the effects of cold shock and hypothermia. In cold weather you need to be absolutely certain you have assessed all the risks and you can react effectively to an incident. The most important thing is to reduce the likelihood of a capsize. You could restrict outings to more stable boats, experienced crews and increase the level of launch supervision that will help prevent incidents and also alert rescue services immediately.

All crews need to be reminded to wear appropriate clothing, use suitable equipment and the imperative of getting out of the water as quickly as possible in the event of a capsize. You may need to carry more safety equipment in the boat/launch and you will definitely need an enhanced emergency plan to identify when an incident has happened and recover people as quickly as possible. The risk assessment and recovery plan will need to be specific for your location but in very cold weather, there should be a much higher priority given to assessment, preparation and communication.

Clive Killick
National Water Safety Adviser

From:http://www.britishrowing.org/