WARNING: CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT WORKS FOR MY CREW, MY RIVER, MY BOAT, MY COACH AND MYSELF

Steering. Every novice coxswains nightmare, and every advanced coxswains haunting.

This is to get your steering under control, and if you are pretty sure it is already under control, keep in mind you will always have a session, when things just don't go quite right, when your steering is a little bit off, no matter what level of capability. So this is to remember on those "off" days, and for begginers, every other day.

[please note: I do not favour the "pulse steering" method, and will address why later on]

Pushing Off
When pushing off from the landing/deck, make sure that you are properly seated, in a way that you will not move your weight around later on as the session progresses to "get comfortable". The general "proper" position in a stern loader is with your feet bracing you, leaning forward with your arms resting on the gunwhale. Hold the strings with your thumb and forefinger. (I put my pinky over the other side of the gunwhale holding on to the side, so that I keep myself in check and do not oversteer. I noted today that people put as many as the all of the remaining 3 fingers over the other side.) Once settled, and the crew have numbered off, make sure the blades are clear of the landing by touching it in whatever formation works for you before you head off.

Touching It
When touching, I usually say "easy there" a touch or two before we are straight because usually the boat moves that little extra bit my way. Obviously if there is a strong current in the way you want to be moved, you should stop much earlier, and a current in the opposing direction you will go beyond the point. This just gives time for you to call the rowers to "sit ready", and you can judge the best time to call "attention, row".

Spinning
Just briefly, using whatever method of spinning works best, always take into account the current, and at which points its going to affect the position of the shell. (I've been in sticky positions before....)

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