- Oslo Rowing Club Constitution (in Norwegian)
- Club House Rules
- Equipment Rules
- Safety Rules
- Long-Distance Rowing Rules
- Winter Rowing Rules
- Boat Categories
Lov-for-Oslo-Roklubb-31.03.2022.pdf (in Norwegian) – adopted by the Sports Committee on 16 November 2021
General:
- Members are responsible for keeping the club premises tidy. Do not leave training clothes in the changing rooms; forgotten items will be removed. The club does not take responsibility for lost property.
- Smoking is not permitted.
- The clubhouse can be used by all members. Guests have access when they are accompanied by a member.
- Use of the clubhouse for special events must be agreed with the “club manager”.
- When there is an event in the clubhouse, it must be announced to members.
- Members are expected to participate in volunteer work for the maintenance and improvement of the club’s property.
- Members are obliged to handle the equipment with great care and avoid damage to boats and oars.
- All rowing equipment is managed by the Equipment Manager.
- The boats are divided into three categories: Labeled red, blue and green. Green marked boats can be used by everyone. Blue-marked boats are used by rowers who have completed a capsize course, have good rowing technique and control of the boat and show good boat handling. You are expected to be able to follow the rules of the rowing course and row in wind and waves. Red-marked boats are mainly used by experienced rowers with competition goals for the season and have the approval of the instruction manager.
- The boat and crew must be registered in the rowing protocol before departure.
- Members are responsible for the daily maintenance of the boats.
- Before each rowing trip, you must check that the boat is in order. Any damage or faults must be entered in the Damage Protocol immediately. Damaged boats are marked “For repair”.
- Broken oars must never be used! Mark the damaged oar and make a note of the damage in the Damage Protocol.
- Most injuries happen at the dock! Please be careful. Drain the boat of water after rowing before lifting it up. A rowing boat must never be towed; it must always be lifted and carried correctly.
- After each trip, the boat must be thoroughly cleaned. The boat should be dried both inside and out before it is returned to the boathouse. Make sure the boat is dry to avoid water damage to other boats. The oar handles should also be cleaned after each trip.
- All air vents in the boat must be open when the boat is in the boat hall.
1. General provisions
- Choose your boat according to experience level and weather conditions.
- Know your rowing area and right of way rules. Learn all beacons.
- Check equipment before use; report damage.
- Register all excursions.
2. The rower
- Rowers must be able to swim at least 200 metres.
- New rowers need training.
3. Materials
- Make sure the boat is safe before use.
- Choose the right boat type for the conditions.
- Use boats as they are designed for.
4. Rowing area
- Know the daily, restricted and extended rowing area.
- Long-distance trips outside the extended rowing area require special permission.
5. Duty of care rules
- Follow the rules of navigation, give way to commercial traffic and avoid collisions.
- Do not row after nightfall without lights.
6. Flotation equipment
- Always carry flotation devices outside the immediate area; exceptions can be made with specific conditions.
7. Winter rowing
- Follow specific rules for winter rowing.
8. It is forbidden to row under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
- Any rowing trip that goes beyond the daily rowing area is a long trip. The trip is more than 3 hours long.
- Participants are advised to plan their long-distance trip using maritime charts from the nautical charts website, where dangerous areas are clearly marked. The use of GPS is also recommended to follow the correct route.
- It is recommended to consult an experienced rower who is familiar with the fjord for advice and guidance.
- At least one of the team members must have several seasons of rowing experience. One of the experienced rowers is appointed team leader and has command on board. New rowers need to consult with experienced rowers before going far.
- Rowboats designed primarily for calm and sheltered waters, such as lakes, rivers or sheltered estuaries, characterized by low freeboard, flat or minimally contoured hull shape, and without features to handle or repel waves, are not built to cope with wavy conditions in open water or coastal areas and may risk filling with water or capsizing in such environments. These boats can only be rowed within Bestumskilen and within 2 km outside Bestumskilen when conditions are calm.
- Rowing boats designed to withstand and navigate rough water and wave conditions. These boats typically have a higher freeboard, a contoured and robust hull shape, and features designed to repel and handle waves. They are built with materials and designs that provide stability, buoyancy, and reduced water ingress in wavy conditions. These boats are suitable for open water, coastal areas, and other environments where waves are common. However, avoid going out when the waves are more than 2 m, wind speed is more than 15-20 knots, visibility is low, water temperature is below 14 degrees, and lightning is reported.
- In the case of long voyages lasting several days, the boat must be inspected by the Materials Manager or his authorized representative before departure.
- You must bring with you on long trips:
- Life jacket for all participants
- Map of the rowing area in question
- GPS
- First aid cases
- Travel radio and/or mobile phone in case of emergencies (in waterproof packaging)
- Headlamps if there is a chance that it will be dark during the trip.
- Bailer
- For long trips lasting several days, the relevant spare parts for the boat must also be brought along.
- Participants should check the weather forecast at least once a day. There must be no rowing if there is a risk of storms.
- A boat on a long voyage should mainly follow the shore, and usually not be further from shore than the crew can swim.
- In the event of damage to the boat, the rowers must immediately return if possible or dock at the nearest coast and call for help.
- Do not overload the boat. Ensure even weight distribution and avoid overfilling.
- If someone falls overboard, it’s important to get them back on the boat as quickly as possible. Even in summer, hypothermia can set in within minutes.
- Be careful in a rescue situation. Do not try to swim to safety if the boat capsizes, but stay close to the vessel and wait for rescue.
These rules apply during the winter season defined from October 15 to April 15, except when the water temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius and the air temperature is above 5 degrees, as found on yr.no.
– During this period, the boats can only be used by experienced rowers.
– Only allowed to row the wide boats, coastal, trimmi, ¾ rigged (Nautilus) and the eight.
– You can only row single if there are two boats together.
– When we have an escort boat, all boats can be used. The escort boat is only available in the spring.
– The boats must carry life jackets and a whistle or other warning device.
– The rowing should not be further from shore than 200 meters.
– The rowers’ clothing must be windproof on the outside and several layers of wool or synthetic clothing on the inside.
– No rowing if the wind speed is over 6 m/s
– No rowing when it is dark.
– No rowing when there is ice on the water.
– You need permission from the Rowing Manager or Instruction Manager to row during the winter season.
