💦 Swimming skills

• 🏊‍♂️ 50 m wearing clothes
• 🏊 200 m in swimwear
• 🚤 Climb into the boat from a double scull (50–100 m)

🌤️ Weather and tide

• 🌬️ Wind
  – 0–2 m/s = perfect
  – 3–5 m/s = OK
  – 7+ m/s = demanding
• 🧭 Wind direction: Will I have a headwind on the way back?
• 🌧️ Precipitation: Rain + wind = more demanding
• 🔍 Look yourself: Ripples, waves, whitecaps
• 🌡️ Temperature: Cold air + cold water → always wear a life jacket
• ⏰ Time of day: Row early, avoid afternoon winds. Rowing is not allowed in the dark.

🏋️‍♂️ Basic steering

• 👀 Look frequently in the direction of travel, especially when many boats are on the water and in narrow sounds
• 🪶 Small, calm strokes → better control
• 🔄 Even rhythm → straighter, calmer boat

↩️ Turning

• ➡️ Right = row harder with the left oar
• ⬅️ Left = row harder with the right oar
• 🔄 Sharp turn = one oar backward + one forward

🛶 Right of way for rowboats at sea

• ⚠️ General: Rowboats must always act carefully to avoid collisions
•  Against a motorboat: The motorboat must give way to the rowboat. But do not assume the motorboat sees you.
• ⛵ Against a sailboat:
  – The rowboat gives way to a sailboat under sail
  – Follow the starboard/port rule when meeting head-on
• 🛶 Against another rowboat: Use the starboard/port rule: the one who has the other boat on their right (starboard) must give way
• 🌊 Practical tips:
  – Keep to the right (starboard) in narrow waterways
  – Clearly show which direction you are heading
  – Be careful — small boats can maneuver quickly, but must not create dangerous situations

⛔ Stop / brake

• ✋ Put both oars flat in the water, rotate the blade so it cuts down into the water
• Keep the blade vertical and press it down into the water

🌊 Wind, waves and current

• 🔹 Point the bow slightly into the wind/current
• 💨 Crosswind = short, frequent strokes
• 🌊 Do not lie broadside to the waves

🪨 Near shore, docks and rocks

• 🐢 Move slowly and watch for shallow areas
• 🛑 Use the oars for steering and braking

🚢 Interaction with other vessels

• 👁️ A rowboat is small — assume larger boats do not see you
• 🏁 Cross shipping lanes quickly and clearly
• 🛑 Do not stay stationary in fairways
• Rowboats must give way to commercial traffic such as ferries

🚨 Emergency and danger signals

• Sound signals
  📣 3 long = distress / need assistance
  🔔 Continuous/repeated = serious danger
  1 short = starboard/right
  2 short = port/left
  3 short = astern/backwards
  5 short = danger/misunderstanding
• Signals in fog/rain
  ⚡ Power-driven vessel underway: 1 long every 2 min
  ⚡ Stopped: 2 long every 2 min
  ⛵ Sail/fishing/towing: 1 long + 2 short every 2 min
• Light signals
  Same pattern as sound
  3 long flashes = distress

📝 Think about this when rowing

• Wind strength – Wind direction – Changes – Waves – Return route
• 👀 Always watch for weather, waves and other boats

🧭 Sea signs

• 🪩 Iron pole – vertical black steel pole placed on a rock. Indicates the safe sailing direction. It is often shallow in the surrounding area, especially at low tide.
• 🔴 Red buoy marker – starboard/right side of the fairway when heading into harbor
• 🟢 Green buoy marker – port/left side of the fairway when heading into harbor
• ⚠️ Red, green, yellow and black markers extend just as far below the surface as above. It is deep enough to row close to a buoy marker.