Tech Tip: Steering for a Head Race

by COC sculling director Sara Gronewold

Its head race season! 

At Craftsbury, we are getting the boathouse ready for winter, have delivered the sale boats to Boston at the Head of the Charles, which makes me think about one of the biggest challenges of head racing in a 1x: steering. Steering can truly make the difference between winning and losing in races like the Charles, and a couple of pointers can really help a sculler be successful. 

Be prepared

Not everyone has time to travel to the course a week or two before the race in order to practice on the course, but fear not! There are a lot of resources on the web, whether on YouTube or blogs, about how to steer the “perfect” course for the Head of the Charles (and numerous other races). You can go into your race well-prepared by reviewing that information, and going over it in your head before you travel.  

Use a point

We work on this in small groups at Craftsbury quite a lot: pick a point off your stern, on the horizon, that you can keep in your sights, and use that to determine whether or not you are going straight. If you are using the landmarks you’ve studied for, having a point will help you be where you need to be, when it’s time to make a turn, so you can travel through landmarks with ease, and not add extra time to your race. 

Quick corrections

Try to make corrections with as few strokes as possible. Your race time will be much faster if you take a small number of strokes to turn your boat quickly, than if you gradually arc around.  

Watch the buoys

It’s okay if your blade crossed the buoy line, but if your boat crosses, there are hefty time penalties!  If you’re worried about steering, give the buoy line a respectful distance. 

Enjoy these last few head races of 2023, and happy steering!