Know Before You Row!

Rowers should show up to the agreed meeting location 15 minutes prior to the start of the lesson, to allow time for introductions, a safety brief, and familiarization with the boat and equipment.  

As long as conditions are safe, we will go out in all kinds of weather. Your guide will closely monitor weather forecasts in the days and hours leading up to the row and will only cancel due to weather that is unsafe, such as thunderstorms or strong, gusty winds. We will row in light rain, so come prepared! See details on how to dress below.

After the introductions and safety brief, we will get in the boat and make sure you are comfortable in your seat and go over the basic rowing commands before embarking on our row. There is a lot to learn, but Leigh will make it as painless and fun as possible.

Personal Gear to Bring on Your Row

We want you to have the best possible rowing experience, and a big part of that is being comfortable and dressed for the conditions. Conditions can change quickly on the water, even during an hour-long lesson, and we typically do not cancel rows for light rain, light to moderate wind, or cool temperatures.

Layers are your friends! It’s better to have more layers than you need than not enough. There’s plenty of room in the boat and we provide you with a dry bag to store your gear.

If you have any questions about what to bring, please reach out with questions before your scheduled row.

Essential Personal Gear:

• Comfortable, non-cotton form-fitting clothing that allows for full range of motion in the legs and arms and is appropriate for the expected temperature

• Sandals or water shoes to allow you to wade into the water to launch the boat

• Sneakers & socks to wear in the boat

• Water bottle (with water in it!)

Optional Personal Gear:

• Sunscreen

• Sunglasses

• Ball cap or other shade protection for your head (if it’s sunny)

• Beanie or other warm hat (if it’s cool)

• Sweatband

• Gloves (short-finger gloves designed for sailing or biking work well)

• Waterproof jacket

• Rain pants

• Extra top and bottom layers

Additional Notes:

Rowing in a sliding seat rowboat involves a full range of motion for your entire body, and takes place in an environment where you might get wet even on a sunny day. Please avoid wearing:

• Cotton clothing. Even on a sunny day, you can get splashed by the occasional wave over the gunwales and can easily get chilled if wearing cotton.

• Baggy clothing. Pants that are baggy may get caught in the sliding seat. Shirts that have open pockets or other parts that stick out may get caught in the ends of the oars.