Boat damage and repairs happen - what can we do to mitigate?
Crashes, prangs, nicks and scratches happen to rowing boats.
We row on waterways containing debris. We fail to land our craft carefully, and carry them carelessly, hitting riggers, doorways and other boats.
Boat damage is a constant issue for boat owners and clubs.
Many choose to add covers, mats, towels or other ‘defensive’ wrappers to their boats when they are on the rack. I’ve got a tennis ball over the rigger pin and others use foam pool noodles and rubber stoppers.
Adding protection may encourage a lack of care from other boat uses who think that because it’s covered, they don’t need to keep an active watch.
Our club tries to enforce a rule of no talking when carrying boats in and out of the boathouse. You can hear the person who is doing the commands.
Has anyone's club managed to implement a culture for reporting boat damage that works? We have tried to convince people time and time again that they won't be blamed, we just need things reporting but to limited success. Boats are frequently damaged in ways that the people doing it must have known and we find out down the line when someone notices it....so frustrating.
Discussion on Masters Rowing International Facebook Group
Nobody wants a broken boat preventing them going out rowing.
These are the reasons club members don’t take responsibility for reporting issues
We have to do better.
Find reputable Boat Repair services from the Rowing Directory.
Masters rowing is very different from club and youth rowing. So much so that finding a “mission” or “vision” for a rowing club that includes masters has stumped many clubs and groups.
We masters know what we want from our rowing.
Mostly it’s these 5 things (grow membership, more regattas, social events, get coaching, & good boats to use).
Our frustrations are often due to mis-alignment of club mission with the aims of the masters training group.
James Dundon coaches at 612 Endurance in Minnesota, USA and got in touch to share the detailed mission statement that his group has crafted.
My interest in it stems from the incorporation of expected aspirations, behaviours and also the concept of a “Non-Zero Sum Game”. Read the full mission statement below.
If your masters rowing group hasn’t yet got a vision or mission, ask us how to craft one. We have a couple of articles which we can share to help you ask the right questions of the group members so what you come up with suits your unique situation.
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