Rules and regulations
The general rules of boating apply as indicated by the Maritime (inner water) Police regulations. Other rules of boating must be followed in accordance with the KNRB (Dutch Rowing Association).
Participants
Participants must be registered for this event by their respective rowing club. Register only via the website. You can find the costs of participation on the website. Payment must be made the Friday before the start of the event, with the use of a PIN machine (bank card).
The organisation assumes no responsibility for participants in this event. Each participant takes part in this event at their own risk.
Each participant is required to know the rules and regulations of this event. Each participant should check the website for updated information about the event. The team must be represented at the captains meeting.
Teams
Each team must consist of a maximum of 12. In the Outsider’s category (B3), the team must consist of 3 crew members. In the B6 category the team must consist of 6 crew members. A mixed team rows the entire route in mixed (male/female) composition, excluded the cox. The cox is included as a member of the team, thus counting as a participant in the total number of participants. A youth rower can participate from the year in which he/she becomes 16. For a youth team applies that there should always be one adult rower aboard.
Categories
It is possible to enter in the following categories:
Competition field;
I Open category
MIX Mixed
D Women of all ages.
Performance field
B6 Outsiders category 6 team members
B3 Outsider’s category 3 team members
T Touring category
There are two different categories, competition (I, Mix and D) and performance (B6, B3 and T).
Teams in the Open Category must finish within three hours of the winner.
A category will be definite once 3 teams have entered.
The route
The route contains many obstacles including low and narrow bridges. Studying the maps is essential preparation for this event. This is the responsibility of each team.
The stamping card must be brought by each crew to the stamping station located in the town of Woudsend and in each of the eleven cities along the route. It is the responsibility of the crew to have their card stamped at each location.
Crews may change rowers anywhere they want along the route with the exception of the following locations: the stamping point in Dokkum, on the raft at LRV Wetterwille, the Boksumerdam, in Oosterwierum, stamping point IJlst, the bridge in Warns, camping at Hichtum, in Arum, in the Berlikumervaart (Berltsumerfeart) on and in the neighborhood of the Sânwei and under bridges and flyovers. By arrival in Dokkum, all lights must be turned on and remain on until sunrise.
The boat
The competition categories are rowing in a C2* boat, according to the dimensions of the Dutch “Reglement voor Roeiwedstrijden” Art. 19 paragraph 4. The performance categories are allowed to row in each type of boat for two rowers and a cox.
Each team must provide their own equipment, transportation for changing rowers along the route and their own food.
The boat must be ready for inspection on Friday before the race from 1.00 to 4.00 pm at LRV Wetterwille in Leeuwarden.
The jury will evaluate the following criteria and specifications:
- Correct boat type
- Front desk covered, provided with a wave breaker and back deck covered too
- Wave breakers has to be used. The wave breakers must be made of a robust material and have to be well fitted to prevent waves rolling over the boat, however, completely covering the riggers is not allowed.
- Visibility, the boat must be completely visible. In the dark two shining white lights (bow and stern) / two hurricane (or led) lamps are mandatory.
- Searchlights and other bright lights must be able to be switched off (blinding lights are forbidden).
- A large race number for the stern of the boat must be able to be attached. Smaller numbers must be placed at the bow on the port and starboard sides of the boat and be visible from both water and shore. These numbers are provided by the race organization.
- The boat must have a name.
- Each boat is required to carry more than one tool such as (self) bailers and water pumps and three life jackets and all 3 by the organization provided isolation blankets. Also the stamping card has to be on board.
- All inflatable life jackets must have the pointed weight at the automatic rearming kit.
- Each boat should have a buoyancy rate of 150 litres.
- The bow of the boat must have a bow ball.
- The foot plate is constructed in a way that in case of emergencies feet won’t stuck.
Wireless devices are allowed as mentioned in the new rules of the KNRB (Dutch Rowing Association).
Course of the marathon
The start of the race will occur at 8:00 pm on the Friday closest to the Christian Holiday known as Ascension Day. The teams will start in two fields competition (Open, Mixed, Women) and performance (outsiders B6, outsiders B3, Touring) with a staggered start based on the finishing position of the year before, within the two fields. A lottery will determine the start position of new participants within the two fields. Within the performance field the outsiders B6 and B3 will be combined when placed or drawn.
Teams in the Open Category must finish within three hours of the winner. The other participants must finish the race within 24 hours of their departure time. If a team decides to discontinue rowing, the race organization must be informed within one hour.
The jury is responsible for making sure the regulations and rules are followed by all participants. Participants who do not follow the rules and regulations as outlined in this document and in the KNRB (Dutch Rowing Association) risk being disqualified from this event.
All boats must give way to passing/faster boats. A boat that is going faster, is free to choose its course; safety and sportsmanship are decisive.
The water between the stamping point Woudsend – Balk and Oude Karre – the first bridge in Stavoren is considered rough and so rowers and cox must visible wear life jackets between these points.
If very hard wind persists during the event, the race officials may be required to change the route or shorten the route for the safety of rowers.
Oktober, 2023
All other versions of rules and regulations for the elfstedenroeimarathon are no longer valid.