Guide to RRC Rowing

This guide provides all current and prospective members with common information about the responsibilities and privileges granted to Rivanna Rowing club members and their guests. This is a supplement to the RRC Handbook.

All RRC members must be US Rowing members, abide by US Rowing Safe Sport standards (https://usrowing.org/safe-sport), and take Safe Sport Training. RRC members are granted access to the Boathouse, facilities and the right to participate in all RRC programs, including RRC-coached programs and Sunday Social Row. RRC members may also use club equipment outside of RRC programs by paying a club equipment fee.

All Rowers Must Know How to Swim Proficiently and/or Tread Water for 10 minutes.

RRC Captain: a RRC member who has passed the RRC Captain’s test.

Learn to Row: A new rower enrolled in Learn To Row (LTR), a club-approved, coached program. New rowers learn the fundamentals of rowing in a coached program for their safety, the safety of the crew, and for equipment preservation.

Upon graduations, new rowers should be able to demonstrate the following rowing fundamentals:

● Basic boat terminology, and rowing terms
● Stroke fundamentals and boat set.
● Spacer and shoe set up for rower safety and efficiency
● Learn how to work together as a crew team, for safety and for boat propulsion under the command of an RRC Coach, RRC Captain, or RRC Coxswain

■ Boat and oar transport practices
■ Boat placement in slings, in the water, and in rack storage.
■ Boat Onboarding and offboarding for rower safety and equipment safety
■ Post row equipment maintenance and inspection

● Knows to report equipment damage.

Novice: Members in their first year of rowing who have completed the Learn to Row (LTR) program. Novice rowers may use club equipment with coach approval to row in Sunday Social row, and to row with intermediate or experienced club members. The annual Member & Equipment Fee is waived one time in the calendar year the initial LTR class is taken. Novice members must abide by the following club rules:

● In Quad (4x), row with at least 2 intermediate and/or experienced rowers. The bow seat must be a member who has passed the RRC Captain’s Test
● In 4+, row with at least 2 intermediate and/or experienced rowers with an experienced member or cox in the coxswain seat.
● For Double (2x), bow seat must be a member who has passed the RRC Captain’s Test

Novice rowers who have never raced in a USRowing-sanctioned regatta before January 1st of the current year of racing can only race in novice class races with coach approval and under coach supervision.

Intermediate: Members who have passed Learn To Row and completed at least one Novice program at RRC, or the equivalent. Members have demonstrated their knowledge of rowing fundamentals. They can participate in all RRC Programs, and can row in club boats outside of coached programs by paying the club equipment fee. Bow seat must be a member who has passed the RRC Captain’s Test.

Experienced: Members in at least their 2nd or 3rd year of rowing. They can participate in all RRC Programs, and can row in club boats with an RRC Captain outside of coached programs by paying the club equipment fee. Bow seat must be a member who has passed the RRC Captain’s Test.

Return to Rowing/Transfer: Refers to members who are in their first year returning to RRC or transferring to RRC, and may have rowed in college, with other clubs, or even with RRC and taken a break. These rowers are eligible to take the RRC Captain’s Test with coach approval after 12 rows on the reservoir in a coached program, or with coach approval, in Sunday Social row. This is to ensure they have adequate knowledge of traffic patterns and the Reservoir. They can also row in club boats outside of coached programs by demonstrating ability and by paying the club equipment fee. Bow seat must be a member who has passed the RRC Captain’s Test.

Private Boat Owner (PBO): an RRC member who owns a private boat and rents rack space from the Virginia Rowing Association. May also use Club Equipment for coached programs, Sunday Social rows, or self-organized rows with other club members. As an RRC member, PBO members have access to RRC Program and club equipment under the same conditions as all RRC members.

Boat Checkout Privileges for 2x/4x/4+ are granted to intermediate and experienced RRC Members in good standing who have paid the club equipment fee. Every checkout boat must have an RRC-approved Captain in the boat to row outside coached programs.

Boat Checkout Privileges for 1x are granted to RRC Members in good standing who have paid the club equipment fee and have passed the RRC Captain’s Test.

Click here to view RRC Flow Charts

RRC Opportunities

There are many ways to participate and advance in the sport of rowing at RRC. Please use the following flowcharts to determine where you fit in the RRC club levels, ways to gain more experience and a primer on what’s required in the Captain’s Test.

Want to take your Captain’s Test?

A member may consider taking the Captain’s Test after taking a Learn to Scull in a Singles Clinic or equivalent, or with coach approval or referral. As an RRC member you can gain this experience by participating in coached programs, private lessons, self-organized masters rows, and Sunday Social rows.

Think you’re ready for the Captain’s Test? Read the infographic on the next page to get an idea of what you need to know and do. Obtain Coach Approval. Then reach out to the Boathouse Captain to schedule your Captain’s Test. info@rivannarowing.org.