regatta rules / head of the housatonic
Changes: Any changes in lineups or average ages (for Masters events) must be submitted to Registration at least 90 minutes prior to the start of the applicable event. Any changes will be posted at the Registration tent 60 minutes before the start of the event.
Lightweights: Lightweight weigh-ins will be held for Masters Singles only from 7:00 to 9:00 am at the Registration tent. Individual men must weigh 160 lbs or less; individual women must weigh 130 lbs or less.
Coxswains: There is no weigh-in requirement for coxswains.
Safety: Each boat shall have a firmly affixed bow ball of at least 4 cm in diameter, pursuant to Section 3-105 of the US Rowing Rules of Racing. Each set of foot gear shall have heel tie-downs that do not permit the heel to rise more than three inches to enable a quick exit in the case of a boat capsizing (Section 3-108). In fours with lie-down coxswain enclosures, the width of the enclosure shall be sufficient to allow easy exit by the coxswain (Section 3-109).
Bowmarkers: Bowmarkers, shirt cards, and pins will be in your registration packet. Shirt cards must be worn visibly on the back of each single sculler or bow-rower, pinned at top and bottom. Shirt cards must be worn on the backs of all coxswains of stern-coxed boats. Quads, pairs, and doubles will only have shirt cards on the bow rower. All shells must be equipped with a bowmarker holder. The bowmarkers must be affixed firmly on the bow of the racing shell. Any shell without a bowmarker may not receive an official time or placement.
Course: The course map will be posted at several locations near the beach and will show the location of buoys and obstructions. All competitors should review this carefully and observe the traffic pattern. A buoy line is placed up the middle of the river and crews must keep buoys on their port side at all times—both during racing and in returning to the park. Larger yellow buoys denote obstructions and care should be taken to avoid getting too close to them.
Boat Seeding: Boats will be seeded in the order in which they finished in the previous year's regatta, to the greatest extent possible.
Start: All crews are responsible for being in the marshaling area at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the race. The marshaling area will have a line of large red/orange buoys separating the boats going downstream from those heading upstream toward the start. Boats should observe the bow markers of other crews and line up accordingly. Boats that arrive late to the start or are out of order may be started at the discretion of the starting official, subject to the penalty described below. The starting line is wide and is marked by 2 large orange buoys. The buoys will have a black letter “S” on their sides. Be sure to cross the starting line between these buoys.
Right-of-Way: A crew is deemed to be overtaking another crew when it has moved to within one length of open water of the crew ahead. On the portions of the course that are straight, a crew being overtaken shall move to starboard and allow the overtaking crew to pass on the port side. Within a turn, a crew being overtaken shall move to the outside of the turn and allow the overtaking crew to pass along the shorter path.
Finish: Participants must pass the New Haven Rowing Club boathouse (finish line), which is marked by a large red buoy, in order to be timed. A horn will sound to signal that each crew has crossed the finish line. Crews must continue paddling and proceed past the end of the string of small buoys before turning around.
Penalties:
A 10-second penalty may be assessed:
For each buoy that a crew passes incorrectly. A crew passes a buoy incorrectly when its hull passes on the wrong side of the buoy.
If crews turn prior to passing the red/orange buoy at the finish.
A 30-second penalty may be assessed:
To any crew which fails to yield to a crew having the right of way.
To crews entering the starting chute out of order.
A 60-second penalty may be assessed:
To any crew crossing the starting line without its required bow number.
For any crew interfering with another boat and/or any unsportsmanlike conduct.
Protests: Any protest must be submitted to the Awards/Announcement tent within one hour of the finish of the last crew in the event in question. A $50 fee (cash or check only) must accompany the protest, which will be refunded if the protest is upheld. No exceptions to the fee payment. Protests are governed by USRowing’s Rules of Rowing, Sections 2-604 through 2-608.
Medals: Gold medals will be awarded in all events. Silver medals will be awarded in events with six or more boats. Bronze medals will be awarded in events with ten or more boats. Medal winners can collect their hardware at the Registration tent after the race.