The boathouse glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms that run a club — on-water safety, roles and governance, boats and waterway navigation — across rowing, outrigger, canoe and kayak clubs. Written for the safety advisers, committee members and captains who keep their members safe on the water.
On the water & safety
The terms a club safety adviser lives by — knowing who is afloat, who is overdue, and keeping a proper record.
Sign-out sheet (boat log)
The record of who has taken which boat out and brought it back. Traditionally a clipboard or whiteboard by the door — easy to forget and impossible to check from anywhere else.
Boat sign-out system →On-water board
A live, glanceable display of who is currently on the water and when each boat is due back — the digital version of the whiteboard, visible from any phone or a screen on the boathouse wall.
On-water tracking →Overdue alert
An automatic notification raised when a boat passes its expected return time, so coaches and admins can act before a forgotten sign-in becomes a genuine emergency.
Club safety software →Water status (red flag)
The club’s go/no-go condition for the water — commonly green, amber, red or closed — set from stream, weather, temperature and light. A red or closed status suspends boating across the club.
Water status & red flags →Capsize
When a boat overturns and puts its crew in the water. The single event every on-water safety system is designed to prevent, detect and respond to quickly.
Near-miss
An incident that could have caused harm but didn’t — a close pass, a swamped boat, a snapped fitting. Logging near-misses is how clubs spot patterns before they become injuries.
Incident report
A written record of a capsize, collision, near-miss or equipment failure, kept for the safety committee, members and insurers, and reviewed and closed once acted on.
Club safety software →Duty of care
A club’s responsibility to take reasonable steps to keep its members safe on the water — risk assessments, clear rules, competent supervision and good records all form part of it.
Swim test
A check that a member can cope in the water — typically swimming a set distance in clothing — often required before they are allowed afloat. Clubs commonly record when each member last passed.
Competency tracking →Club roles, competency & governance
Who does what, who decides, and who is signed off to take which boat out — the committee’s and captain’s world.
Club captain
The member, usually elected, responsible for the club’s on-water activity and day-to-day running — squads, sessions, fleet use and the standards crews are held to.
Safety adviser (officer)
The member responsible for the club’s safety policy, risk assessments and incident records, and for making sure rules like swim tests and water status are actually followed.
Committee
The elected group that governs the club — setting policy, managing finances and accountable for safety. The people who ultimately approve a new system for the club.
Coach
Plans and runs sessions and is responsible for the crews out under their watch. Coaches usually need to see who is afloat and to manage boat assignments and permissions.
Roles & permissions
Who can do what in the club — typically admin, coach and member — and which boats each person is allowed to book or take out. Granular, per-boat permissions keep beginners off boats above their level.
Fleet management →Competency sign-off
Confirmation that a member is qualified for something specific — steering, single sculling, capsize recovery, a water grade — recorded so only signed-off members can take out the relevant boat.
Competency tracking →Learn-to-row / beginner course
An introductory course bringing newcomers into the sport. Clubs onboard whole intakes at once and restrict beginners to stable boats until they are signed off.
Coxswain (cox)
The person who steers a crewed rowing boat, calls the rhythm and is responsible for the crew’s safety — often without rowing themselves. Coxing is itself a competency clubs sign off.
Steerer
The paddler responsible for steering and for the crew — in the back seat of an OC6 or a crewed canoe. In surf and open water, an experienced steerer is essential.
Boats & fleet
The boat classes across all four disciplines, plus the fittings and skills that decide who can take what out.
Boat class
The type of boat by crew size and configuration — an eight, a single scull, an OC6, a K1. The fleet is organised by class, and permissions are often set per class.
Fleet management →Sweep vs sculling
In sweep rowing each rower holds one oar with both hands (eights, fours, pairs). In sculling each rower has two oars, one per hand (singles, doubles, quads).
Eight, four, pair
Sweep boats for eight, four or two rowers. Eights (8+) always carry a cox; fours can be coxed (4+) or coxless (4-); a pair (2-) is two rowers and no cox.
Single scull (1x)
A sculling boat for one rower with two oars. Fine racing singles are tippy and usually reserved for members signed off to scull; stable training singles suit beginners.
Rigger
The metal frame bolted to a rowing shell that holds the oar away from the hull. A bent or damaged rigger should take that boat out of service until repaired.
Ergometer (erg)
An indoor rowing machine used for training, testing and winter work when the water is closed. Not a boat, but core to how rowing clubs train.
OC1–OC6 & Vaʻa
Outrigger canoes for one to six paddlers. The OC6 is the classic six-person ocean crew boat; OC1 and Vaʻa singles are used for solo training.
Ama & iako
The ama is the float rigged alongside an outrigger canoe for stability; the iako (booms) connect it to the hull. A cracked ama or iako takes the canoe out of service.
Huli
A capsize of an outrigger canoe. Huli recovery — righting the canoe and re-boarding a crew — is a fundamental safety skill clubs sign paddlers off on before open water.
K1 / K2 / K4
Kayaks for one, two or four paddlers, using a double-bladed paddle from a seated position. Used across sprint, marathon and touring.
C1 / C2
Canoes for one or two paddlers, using a single-bladed paddle from a kneeling position. Used in sprint, slalom and general paddling.
Wet exit & roll
A wet exit is safely getting out of a capsized kayak underwater — a fundamental beginner skill. A roll rights the kayak without exiting. Both are common competency sign-offs.
Put the glossary into practice
Sign-outs, overdue alerts, competency sign-offs and waterway rules — all in one place, free to try with no card required.