Transcript ICSMBC Safety Presentation

ICSMBC Safety Presentation
Laura Wynn-Lawrence
The Basics
• Bow side is starboard, stroke side is port side.
• The boathouse is on the Middlesex side of the
river.
• The river is tidal, so it comes in (flooding) and
goes out (ebbing).
Tides
• Going out (or ebbing)
• Coming in (or flooding)
The river
Navigation
• Either:
o
o
Stream and inshore zones
Right hand rule
• Stream and inshore zones
o
o
Demarcated by red and green buoys
Change with the turn of the tide
• Right hand rule (starboard side)
o
o
Only at Richmond and Putney
Does not change with the turn of the tide
Crossing points
• Syon crossing (Richmond)
• Chiswick bridge crossing
• Chiswick steps crossing
• Putney bridge
• Red and green buoys
Syon crossing
• Go to ‘right-hand’ rule
• Demarcated by a red buoy
• Landmarks: The barges
Chiswick bridge crossing
• Move from Surrey side (red buoys)
• To Middlesex side (green buoys)
• Landmarks: crossing opposite
‘The Ship Inn’ pub
Chiswick steps crossing
• Cross from Middlesex side (green buoys)
• To Surrey side (red buoys)
• Landmarks: if you don’t cross, you
will hit Chiswick Pier…
Putney bridge crossing
• Go from fairway and inshore zone to RHR
• Landmarks: Putney pier
• Depends on the tide
Putney bridge – high tide
• On the ebb
• Getting from the fairway into the inshore zone
Putney bridge – low tide
• On the ebb
• From the fairway into the inshore zone
Restricted Zones
• Crossing points
• Bridges
• Between Kew rail and road bridges
• Rules
o No stopping
o No turning
o No fast overtaking
Bridges
• DANGEROUS
• 2 white or orange lights side by side mean that a
bridge is open to navigation.
• 3 lights in a triangle means that it’s closed.
• Be wary of getting caught on the arches
Overtaking
• Being overtaken
o Maintain speed and course
o Stay close to the bank in the inshore zone
o Move to one side/maintain positioning in the stream
• Overtaking
o In the inshore zone: one with a second overtaking
o In the stream: two abreast with a third overtaking
• Launches
o Go slowly and wait patiently
o Wait for boat to go ahead and go wide and quickly
Stopping and turning
• Prohibited in restricted zones
• Same rules as for a car
• There is a small gap between restricted zone in
Kew Rail and Kew Road
Collision
• Take a look: risk of collision
• Ahead: collision more likely
• Hold it up: collision
imminent
Landing
• Bowman need to get their wellies on; ready to
land.
o Ask them to look out for shallow sections
o Good as a lookout when it’s dark
• Land at 30-45 degrees to prevent scraping the
whole boat
o Strokeman can hold it up
• If in doubt, land super slowly
Power-driven vessels
• Pass port to port when going past PDV.
• If it is very shallow, may have to let the boat go
past or pass on starboard side
Capsize
• If shallow enough to wade ashore, try to do so
• Stay with the boat, holding onto the riggers (overturn
boat if necessary)
• Try to get as much of your body out of the water and
‘buddy-up’ to keep warm
• Wait for launch to collect rowers from the water or
attract attention of surrounding boats.
• Launch: drive up to crew members and cut engine,
collecting one or two at a time and drop off on the bank.
Safety procedure
Staying safe
Weather conditions
• Factors to consider
o How fast is the tide?
o What are other river users doing?
o What is the weather doing?
o How good is the visibility on the river?
o How strong at the rowers (able to deal with waves
and strong stream)?
o How your rowers got appropriate clothing
Rowing in the dark
• When majority of our incidences happen
• Lights on the boat 30 minutes either side of dusk
and dawn
• Launches and coxes both need to look out for
obstacles
• Watch out for flashing buoys
Turning of the tide
• Avoid going out at the turn of the tide
• Stick on the right hand-side of the fairway
• Tide turns at Putney before Richmond
• Tide turns in the slacks before the fairway
• Rowing back from Putney, you may beat the turn
of the tide.
Emergency action plan
• Roles and action to be taken in the event of an
emergency:
• Safety emergency plan- to be written
• Call 999 and ask for coastguard
Hazardous areas
Putney to Hammersmith Bridge
• Steep walls on Middlesex side- landing or rescue
very difficult
• The Black Buoy (don’t hit this)
• Fulham football ground- very shallow on the
inside of the bend at low tide
Hammersmith Bridge to Chiswick Pier
• Surrey arch of Hammersmith Bridge
• Dove Pier- do not go further right than the
‘Hammersmith’ of the bridge
Chiswick Pier to Kew Rail Bridge
• Surrey side of Barnes is shallower than it looks.
• Crossing points
Kew Rail to The Dock
• Surrey arch of Kew Rail
• Current pushing craft onto Kew Midstream
mooring
• Approach to Kew Road Bridge is a blind corner
• Kew Road- centre arch against the stream is
forbidden
• Vessels coming out of Brentford Dock
• Shoal at entrance to Brentford Dock
Brentford Dock to Richmond Lock
• Lack of inshore zone at low water
• Vertical banks on the Middlesex side
Any questions?