Rowing Honor

Recreational Activities

Requirements

1. Have the Swimming - Intermediate I Honor.
2. Under the supervision of your instructor, do the following:
   • Row the boat in a straight line for 500 meters, stop, make a pivot turn, and return to the starting point
   • Row the boat for 200 meters, make a turn underway using the paddle as a support, and return to the starting point, feathering the oar with each stroke.
3. Be able to demonstrate how to:
   • How to launch the boat into the water, and bring it back to the mooring
   • Help a person get safely into the boat alongside a pier
   • Moor the boat at the pier, using the clove hitch, a grapnel, or a bowline knot
4. Alone, or with the help of a person who knows how to swim, right a capsized boat, turning the correct side up, get in, and with your hands or an oar move it for ten meters. Explain how to hold on to or get into a swamped boat.
5. From a dock, alone in a rowboat, approach a swimmer, maneuver the boat, and tow him safely to shore.
6. Name and identify at least five different types of boats that can be used with oars. Explain where each one is best suited to be used.

   Answer: • Rowboat (wood/aluminum): leisure and fishing in calm waters. • Canoe: rivers and lakes, agile and light. • Kayak: rivers, lakes, and sea, individual and fast. • Racing boat (skiff): rowing competition, narrow and fast. • Lifeboat/inflatable boat: rescue and safety. • Flat-bottomed boat (chalana): crossings and transport in calm waters. — From leisure boats to kayaks and racing boats, each type serves a type of water and a use — calm water, river, sea, or competition.

7. Identify and describe two of the following types of oarlocks:
   • Open support with a pin (Tholepin)
   • Slot fork (Box rowlock)
   • Ring support (Ring rowlock)
   • Open fork (Open-top rowlock)

   Answer: 1) Open oarlock with a pin (Tholepin): it is a vertical pin (peg) fixed to the gunwale of the boat, on which the oar simply rests during the stroke. It is the simplest and most traditional type; often a pair of pins is used, or a pin with a strap/rope that holds the oar in place. 2) Box oarlock: it is a closed metal fitting, in the shape of a box or a U, that surrounds and holds the oar, keeping it firm in the correct position. It offers better control and security of the stroke than the tholepin, preventing the oar from slipping out. 3) Ring oarlock: it is a ring (of metal or rope) attached to the gunwale of the boat, through which the oar passes and turns. It keeps the oar held even when loose, but allows less fine control of the angle. 4) Open-top oarlock: it is a U-shaped oarlock with the top open, fixed by a pin that swivels. It allows you to fit and remove the oar quickly through the top opening, being very common in modern rowboats. — Oarlocks keep the oar in position and serve as support — from the simple pin to the fork that holds it better.

8. Explain the advantages obtained by feathering the oar out of the water during rowing.

   Answer: Feathering the oar (turning it horizontal as you bring it back, out of the water) reduces air and water resistance, prevents the blade from hitting the waves and splashing, saves energy, and gives a more efficient and balanced stroke. — Feathering the oar on the return cuts resistance and splashing — less effort and a more efficient stroke.

9. How would you act if a sudden storm or strong wind caught you while you were navigating in a rowboat?

   Answer: Stay calm, put on the life jacket, lower the center of gravity (sit on the bottom of the boat), point the bow against the waves/wind (so as not to capsize sideways), row toward the nearest and safest shore, and, if you cannot, drop anchor and wait. Call for help if possible. — In a storm: life jacket, lower the body, bow against the waves, and head for shore — keeping the boat stable is what saves you.

10. How do you calculate the number of people who can be safely transported in any lifeboat-type rowboat?

    Answer: By the capacity indicated by the manufacturer (the boat's plate). Without a plate, a practical estimate is used: consider the length and width of the boat and, mainly, the total weight and the 'freeboard' (the height between the water and the gunwale), never overloading and keeping a safety margin. — Respecting the manufacturer's capacity and never overloading (keeping freeboard) prevents the boat from sinking.

11. What lights are required on a rowboat at night, with or without an outboard motor?

    Answer: At night, the boat needs navigation lights to be seen and to avoid collisions: at least one white light visible all around (360°); vessels with an outboard motor also need the side lights — green to starboard (right) and red to port (left) — and the stern light. A flashlight at hand is the minimum for signaling. — A white light to be seen (and the green/red side lights with a motor) prevents collisions during nighttime navigation.

12. How do you take out, transport, and store a rowboat during the period it will not be used?

    Answer: Taking it out: take it out of the water with help, empty the water, and clean it. Transporting: on a cart/rack or on the vehicle's roof, well tied down, or carried by the handles. Storing: clean and dry, in a covered and ventilated place, upside down or on sawhorses (so as not to accumulate water or warp), protected from the sun and rain. — Cleaning, drying, and storing the boat upside down and in the shade prevents mold and warping and prolongs its service life.

13. Read Mark 6:46-51. After reading, discuss with your instructor the power of Jesus and how He uses that power for our protection in all moments of our lives.