Useful telephone number;

Molesey Lock 0208 979 4482
Teddington Lock 0208 940 8723
DSPC 0208 398 1642
Kingston RC 0208 546 8592
ARA 0208 237 6700
Walbrook RC 0208 977 5254
PLA-Tidal river 0208 940 0634
Emergency services 999 or 112

All incidents must be reported to a committee member for the attention of the water safety advisor

A suggestive list of questions and points to consider that everyone rowing and coaching out of Walbrook might benefit from

1. Personal safety of yourself and crewmates
- Have you access to a source of experience and local knowledge / information?
- Stream conditions on our reach; Red boards at Teddington lock (0208 940 8723) means only in daylight for the whole outing with a coach / Competent steersmen / No juniors
Yellow means increasing stream conditions but not Red yet
- What is due to take place on our reach today - Reach calendar?
- What way is the wind likely to blow for the outing? / General weather conditions?
- Any undisclosed physical / mental conditions that might dangerously affect the outing?
- Swimming ability, you must all?
- Competence of coxes / steersmen / coaches?
- Do you all know what to do if you end up in the water?
- Going out alone?
- Going out in the dark? Enough lights to show white light 360 degrees that will last all outing. Bows most important.
- Known hot spots and dodgy times? When and where is the water busiest?
- Navigation regulations and customs on the water you intend to use?

2. Equipment checks
- The obvious: Warning signs / Holes / Missing bits?
- Heel restraints?
- Hatch covers?
- Fins?
- Swivels and Gates?
- Rudder lines?
- Charge of cox boxes?
- Clothing: Warmth / Freedom of movement / Nothing to get caught?
- Everyone's sun protection?
- Is the cox likely to get very cold, exposure?

3. Outing plan?
- Help to get in and out in timeframe?
- Who knows you're out?

4. Where to avoid stopping?
- In the middle of the stream
- In the middle of a bend
- Close to narrower channels such as those near Ravens and Stevens Aits and bridges
- Close to fishermen

5. Where and when to turn and cross and how to turn and stop?
- Before turning, always make allowance for stream drift
- Never turn just upstream of a bridge
- Never turn just upstream of islands, moored boats or large buoys
- Turn only where you are in obvious view of possible approaching craft
- Avoid assuming you have been seen or heard by vessels of all types

6. When confronted with the need to overtake stationary or slower vessels you should preferably move towards the centre of the river but then only when it is safe to do so and bearing in mind it can take you longer than you expect to get past, especially when going upstream. It is the overtaking craft / crew’s responsibility to safely pass and in everyone’s interest to avoid incidents,

7. When being overtaken by a vessel going faster than your's, it is in everyone's interest to minimise the length of time the manouevre takes and to ensure that the overtaking vessel is aware you are there, so communicate. It is the stroke person’s responsibility to pronounce warning of a vessel / crew approaching from behind – Do not assume that they have seen you or will check sufficiently. Beware of coxless boats and make allowances for them.

8. Getting in to the boat, bows face upstream at our landing stage
- Adjustments to the boat should be made whilst it is on trestles, elbow and three fingers width is a useful starting position to stretchers from face of swivels.
- Bowside blades in and rowers hold the riggers first so strokesiders can embark, bums first, gates secure, blades out flat then feet in shoes.

9. Getting out of the boat face down stream at our landing stage
- A good landing causes no injuries and no boat damage, it doesn’t need to be fast or smooth. Safety of people and equipment must be the priority.
- Strokesiders get out first and hold riggers down whilst waiting for bowsiders to remove oars and themselves from the boat, only then removing strokeside oars.

10. Launch drivers (Assumes prior knowledge)
- The obvious: Holes / Warning signs/ Missing parts / Flooding?
- Equipment check: Fully equipped yellow safety bag / Ropes / Fittings / Adequate fuel?
- Mobile phone?
- Paddle / Anchor / What to do in a breakdown?
- Lights?
- Engine stop and start system, safety bands / clips?
- Life jacket?