Non-Tideway Steering

 

Clubs should follow the British Rowing Certification Steers Process (to access these resources you need to login to the RowHow website)

 

Tideway Steering

 

Accreditation

 

It is part of our agreement with the Port of London Authority that the TRRC shall ensure that all persons who cox, steer or scull on the Tideway shall be accredited by a suitably qualified person appointed by their club (the “responsible person”) as understanding the Tideway Rowing Code well enough to be able to navigate safely whether under supervision or on their own.

 

Scope

 

TRRC now requires every club to keep a record of its Tideway-accredited steers.  Depending on the context, ‘steers’ means: a cox; or a person steering a 2-, 4- or 4x; or one sculling in a 1x or at bow in a 2x; or any coach supervising any of those; or a person driving a coach launch.  It applies to the use of privately owned boats registered with the club under British Rowing’s boat ID rules.

 

Process

 

Many clubs already register their steers and set their own papers to test knowledge of Tideway navigation.  TRRC has devised a generic set of factual questions to help every club do this.  Those questions are divided into two parts “Basic” and “Advanced”.  Clubs should add more questions: some about their specific location and situation; and some to teach and test in a more open-ended way how to handle difficult situations likely to arise on the Tideway with its variety and density of traffic.

 

Progressive Accreditation

 

It is recommended that there be three progressive levels of steers within a club.

 

LEVEL 1 BASIC NAVIGATOR

 

Has mastered the basic questions, shown knowledge of the Tideway’s key features, and demonstrated to the responsible person a basic understanding of the language and principles of Tideway navigation and the Tideway Rowing Code; may only steer under the supervision of a fellow-rower or coach who must have full level 3 accreditation.

 

LEVEL 2 ADVANCED NAVIGATOR

 

Has mastered the advanced questions and demonstrated to the responsible person: both an ability to take those day-to-day decisions ordinarily to be made when in charge of a vessel on the Tideway; and the judgment to be allowed to do so unaccompanied - but ONLY in good conditions and unchallenging circumstances.

 

LEVEL 3 INDEPENDENT NAVIGATOR

 

Has demonstrated both competence at level 2 and mastery of the Tideway Code sufficient to be approved by the responsible person to steer unsupervised in difficult conditions and at night.

 

An online test for the Tideway Code is being developed and will be posted on this site.