1. Guiding Principals

1.1 Racing is to be fair, safe and enjoyable for all.

1.2 All participants are to show respect for each other and for officials at all times.

1.3 All participants should enjoy the spirit of the rules and not test them.



2. Boats and Equipment

2.1 Crews shall not attempt to race in a boat which is not sound and fit for its purpose.

2.2 A life jacket must be worn by all crew members at all times whilst on the water.

2.3 If required by race organisers, crews shall display a number in their bow.



3.  Insurance

3.1 All boats and crews taking part in events must be covered as a minimum by suitable third party insurance.

3.2 All events organisers must have suitable public liability insurance to cover the activities that they are organising.



4 Coxswain

4.1 The role of the coxswain is essential for the safety of their own crew and other participants. Their role must be taken seriously and respected. On the water they are steersman and skipper of their boat. Their crew must obey orders of the coxswain, and the coxswain is the main communicator with the other crews and with officials.

4.2 All coxswains shall be at least 16 years of age.

4.3 Coxswains do not require to comply with age and gender categories in the race.

4.4 Coxswains must not contribute to forward movement of the boat by pulling or pushing on an oar.

4.5 During the race the coxswains must maintain their seat ie not sit on the gunwales.



5. Rowers

5.1 Boats must finish races with the same complement of crew as they started

5.2 categories

5.2.1 Age categories refer to average age of the four rowers. To race in an over 55 race the age of all four rowers must add up to 220, it is then divided by 4 to get the average. In an under 55 race the age of all four rowers must add up to 219 or less, with no rower being under 15 years of age on the first day of the racing.

5.2.2 Crews racing in “Mixed” categories events must have at least one male rower in the crew. Not less than half the rows at any time in the race must be female.

5.2.3 Crews racing in “Mens” category must be all four male rowers.

5.2.4 Crews racing in “Female” category must be all four female rowers.

5.4 The gender of the rower is the gender in which they live within the community.



6. Officials

6.1 All participants must respect and honour the officials, who are essential for safe and fair competition. Any crew not following the instructions of an umpire will be subject to disqualification.

6.2 Event organisers will appoint a referee, who will also take on the role of chief umpire.

6.3 The referee must consider whether conditions are safe for racing. The referee may take local advice, and consult with crews, but has the ultimate decision as to whether racing can commence or continue.





7. Start

7.1 the race is started by the starter giving the command “attention” followed by the command “go” or a starter horn or similar.

7.2 In the event of a recall the starter will sound the horn two or more blasts.

7.3 The umpire/referee may use his/her discretion to impose a time penalty or disqualify any boat at the start line which is deemed to be trying to gain an unfair advantage.



8 Course

8.1 All turning buoys must be left to starboard, unless specifically stated otherwise in race instructions.

8.2 Any boat that deliberately or carelessly impedes another’s progress by changing course may be disqualified.

8.3 Overtaking boats must keep clear of the boat being overtaken. The overtaking crew must ensure that their oars do not overlap with the oars of the boat being overtaken. This also applies to boats attempting to obtain an overlap on the inside in the approach to a turn. The overtaking manoeuvre is not complete until the overtaking boat has a full boat length clear water on the boat being overtaken.

8.4 Crews should remain in their drawn lanes throughout the race.

8.5 In races where each boat has their own allocated turning buoy, boats approaching their turn shall give way to those coming out of their turn. All boats shall turn their buoy in the same directions, which will be to starboard unless stated otherwise in race instructions.

8.6 At turns the whole hull and rudder must round the turning mark.

8.7 If the hulls of two boats collide during the course of a race, the presumption is that the safety of the crews is being compromised, and that disqualification of one or both crews should occur.



9. Finish

9.1 the winner will be the first boat whose bow crosses the finish line.



10 Penalties

10.1Penalties can be applied at the discretion of any umpire/referee.

10.1a The umpire/referee may at their discretion, apply a time penalty.

10.1b The umpire/referee may at their discretion, disqualify the boat from the race.

10.2 If the actions of any boat compromise the safety of others that boat shall be subject to disqualification from the race.

10.3 Any boat which is disqualified from the race shall leave the race course immediately without impeding any other boat.

10.4 If any boat gains an unfair advantage by taking any action which transgresses these rules or the spirit of these rules, then that boat maybe penalised at the discretion of the umpire/referee.



11 Review

11.1 A club captain (or their representative for the purpose of the regatta, should they not be present in person) may apply in writing to the referee for the decision of an umpire to disqualify or fail to disqualify a boat, or a decision of the referee to demote or not to demote a crew in the finishing order, to be reviewed. Any such application must be received within 30 minutes of the last boat crossing the line in that race.

11.2 The referee shall convene a panel of three persons to consider the review. The panel shall include the referee, a committee member of SASCRAA and such other person or persons as the referee considers will being good and fair judgement to the situation.

11.3 The Club captain of each of the clubs involved ( or their representative should they not be present at the regatta) has the right to be heard. No other person has the right to be heard. The panel may at their discretion, gather evidence from such other persons as they see fit and are available, in order to consider their decision.

11.4 The panel may disqualify a boat from a race, demote or promote a boat affected by rule 10.8, or advise that a boat was wrongly disqualified. A boat wrongly disqualified shall have the satisfaction of being told so but will have no other remedy.

11.5 If a panel is convened for the purpose of this rule, the referee shall submit a report on the facts of the situation, the deliberations of the panel and their decision to the secretary of the SASCRAA within 7 days of the regatta.

11.6 there shall be no appeal form the decision of a panel convened in terms of this section.



12 Support Vessels

12.1Organiser shall provide sufficient numbers of suitable vessels to provide safety cover for the event. As a minimum there must be one safety launch and one umpire launch.

12.2 Support vessels must have a method of contacting the shore officials.





With reference to Scottish Coastal Rowing Association Rules of Racing

2017 Edition

St Ayles Skiff International Regatta, Tasmania February 2017

Living Boat Trust Inc.

November 2016