A Stake Boat Holder at the Sarasota Invitational Regatta
What is a Regatta?
A regatta is a series of boat races. In our case, it is rowing sculls and sweeps.
What is a Stake Boat Holder?
A Stake Boat Holder holds the stern of a boat at the beginning of a race so an alignment judge can make sure the bow balls of the racing boats (sculls and sweeps in our case) are all lined up equally to start.
The winner of a race is the first boat with their bow crossing the finishing line.
The start is one of the most exciting parts of the race, and the Stake Boat Holder has a front-row seat! The job is simple and usually easy. But it’s also very important! Each Stake Boat Holder is responsible for holding the crews in their proper place on the start line. They will need to do it carefully, safely, and without disturbing the crews.
What a Boat Holder Does (Taken from
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The starting area has 7-8 stake boats, one in each lane. You will be assigned to one lane.
· You work with the Aligner Referee. His or her job is twofold: to bring the boats with your help into line, and to judge if anyone left early or jumped the start. The bow balls of all the boats must be in a straight line in order for the alignment to be correct. But, because boats often differ in length, some will have to be pushed out, others pulled in so that all their bow balls are on the line. Some boats may be so long that you’ll have to bring the stern alongside your position. Other times you will really have to stretch to compensate for shorter boats.
· Two Minutes Before the Start: A few minutes before race time the crew assigned to your lane will back up to your position. Sometimes it is necessary to tell a crew which lane you are in if they look lost. But please observe silence from this time on. Grab the stern of the boat. Lie down and hold the boat firmly while you wait for the Aligner to instruct you whether to push the boat out or to pull it in. The aligner will continue to give you and the other boat
holders directions until he is satisfied with the alignment. Finally, after the Aligner raises a white flag indicating correct alignment, he may continue to micro-tune the boats even after his white flag is up. Just listen carefully for your lane number and respond quickly to his
commands.
· The Actual Start: The starter may poll the crews by name, then he says “Attention,” raises his red flag, and then says “Go!” The boat will explode out of your hands on the command “Go!” Be very careful of your fingers here; sometimes the boat will lurch backwards before
taking off. Keep your fingers out of the way.
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Last year, I joined the Sarasota County Rowing Club (SCRC) in Sarasota, Florida as a seasonal member. On February 26, 2023, I completed my first regatta, the Sarasota Invitational Regatta in Sarasota, Florida.
The SCRC is the host club for the annual nationally recognized Sarasota Invitational Regatta (SIR) held annually at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, in February. As a member of SCRC, we are required to volunteer for at least one of the many jobs necessary to host the three-day SIR .
As I looked at the list of volunteer opportunities, the Stake Boat Holder caught my eye as it would be an opportunity for me to experience a competitive row start. I would be on the water and experiencing what my quad team would be doing my first Regatta.
I went to YouTube.com and searched “Stake Boat Holder.” Watching a few videos convinced me I could contribute to SIR as a Stake Boat Holder.
My video in this blog will give you a close and upfront viewpoint of a Stake Boat Holder. In this video, you will hear Mike, the Alignment Referee, address the duties of a Stake Boat Holder. Shortly after Mike’s instructions, all holders get on a boat and are driven to their assigned lane raft – which was number 3 for my lane.
Stake Boat holders are stationed on a platform on the race course and responsible for holding the stern of the boats to start. You need to lie or knee down on the platform to hold your assigned boat. Sometimes you are on your knees, most times on your tummy.
A towel for a pad was recommended when kneeling or on your stomach and I will suggest this be a thick towel or a yogi-type pad. You need to protect your knees and elbows from the floor of the platform – in this case an aluminum raft.
You are given walkie-talkies for one-way communication with the boat alignment referee. Our Alignment Referee Michael, was excellent with pre-race instruction and very clear with commands during the race. Another referee, the Starter Referee, communicates with the rowers to position their boats and sometimes with you if rowers need help. The Starter Referee was excellent with the rowers and boat holders. Sometimes, the rowers were very inexperienced with this part of the start, and the Starter was very patient and clear in aiding their alignment.
You need to know that the more inexperienced rowers may have an issue with their oars hitting and on the Stake Holder platform, so the Stake Boat Holder has to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
Being a Stake Boat Holder was a great experience for me, and I highly recommend it for rowers and race observers. Just be aware that you will frequently be getting up and down on the raft to your tummy and knees. You also need to reach out and grab the stern of the boat. A level of physical fitness is necessary.
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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest
Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics.
Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
· You work with the Aligner Referee. His or her job is twofold: to bring the boats with your help into line, and to judge if anyone left early or jumped the start. The bow balls of all the boats must be in a straight line in order for the alignment to be correct. But, because boats often differ in length, some will have to be pushed out, others pulled in so that all their bow balls are on the line. Some boats may be so long that you’ll have to bring the stern alongside your position. Other times you will really have to stretch to compensate for shorter boats.
· Two Minutes Before the Start: A few minutes before race time the crew assigned to your lane will back up to your position. Sometimes it is necessary to tell a crew which lane you are in if they look lost. But please observe silence from this time on. Grab the stern of the boat. Lie down and hold the boat firmly while you wait for the Aligner to instruct you whether to push the boat out or to pull it in. The aligner will continue to give you and the other boat
holders directions until he is satisfied with the alignment. Finally, after the Aligner raises a white flag indicating correct alignment, he may continue to micro-tune the boats even after his white flag is up. Just listen carefully for your lane number and respond quickly to his
commands.
· The Actual Start: The starter may poll the crews by name, then he says “Attention,” raises his red flag, and then says “Go!” The boat will explode out of your hands on the command “Go!” Be very careful of your fingers here; sometimes the boat will lurch backwards before
taking off. Keep your fingers out of the way.
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 |
| Sculls Aligned - Stake Holders on Tummy - Attention - Go! (Picture with Permission of Timothy J. Priest) |
The SCRC is the host club for the annual nationally recognized Sarasota Invitational Regatta (SIR) held annually at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, in February. As a member of SCRC, we are required to volunteer for at least one of the many jobs necessary to host the three-day SIR .
As I looked at the list of volunteer opportunities, the Stake Boat Holder caught my eye as it would be an opportunity for me to experience a competitive row start. I would be on the water and experiencing what my quad team would be doing my first Regatta.
Indeed I had a front-row seat.
I went to YouTube.com and searched “Stake Boat Holder.” Watching a few videos convinced me I could contribute to SIR as a Stake Boat Holder.
My video in this blog will give you a close and upfront viewpoint of a Stake Boat Holder. In this video, you will hear Mike, the Alignment Referee, address the duties of a Stake Boat Holder. Shortly after Mike’s instructions, all holders get on a boat and are driven to their assigned lane raft – which was number 3 for my lane.
Stake Boat holders are stationed on a platform on the race course and responsible for holding the stern of the boats to start. You need to lie or knee down on the platform to hold your assigned boat. Sometimes you are on your knees, most times on your tummy.
A towel for a pad was recommended when kneeling or on your stomach and I will suggest this be a thick towel or a yogi-type pad. You need to protect your knees and elbows from the floor of the platform – in this case an aluminum raft.
You are given walkie-talkies for one-way communication with the boat alignment referee. Our Alignment Referee Michael, was excellent with pre-race instruction and very clear with commands during the race. Another referee, the Starter Referee, communicates with the rowers to position their boats and sometimes with you if rowers need help. The Starter Referee was excellent with the rowers and boat holders. Sometimes, the rowers were very inexperienced with this part of the start, and the Starter was very patient and clear in aiding their alignment.
You need to know that the more inexperienced rowers may have an issue with their oars hitting and on the Stake Holder platform, so the Stake Boat Holder has to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
Being a Stake Boat Holder was a great experience for me, and I highly recommend it for rowers and race observers. Just be aware that you will frequently be getting up and down on the raft to your tummy and knees. You also need to reach out and grab the stern of the boat. A level of physical fitness is necessary.
Click and Enjoy Stakeboat
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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest
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Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics.
Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
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