1st Surbiton (Sealion) Sea Scouts

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Order		Action
Man your boat		The crew are detailed off by the Coxwain and on the order, take their places in the craft.
Sight your oars		Crew checks oars and crutches are ready for shipping
Ship your crutches		Crew ship their crutches in teh crutch plates
Ship your oars		Crew place their oars in the rowlocks or crutches ready for pulling
Let go foreward/ aft		Bowman/ Stroke let go. Coil up and stow the painters
Shove off		The bowman or other crewmen shoves the boat away from the jetty, landing stage or the bottom should the boat be grounded.
In fenders/ Out fenders		To be given as seperate orders when leaving and comming along side
Stand by to give way		This order is given to alert the crew before ordering "give way together". The crew lean forward, backs straight and arms extended to the full, with blades in readiness for pulling.
Give way together		This is the order to start pulling, and is obejed together by the whole crew. Timing is taken from the stroke. If only one bank of oars is required, then the order "giveway starboard (or port) is given.
Oars		This is the order to cease pulling. Take one more stroke and sit squarley and upright, oars horizontal and at right angles to the fore-and-aft line of the boat, blades feathered.
Cross gunwale oars		Lay the oars across the boat resting on the thwarts
Hold water		This is an emergency order to reduce or stop the way of the boat by holding the oars at right angles to the fore-and-aft line of the boat and with their blades held still in the water. It should be obeyed immediately. If required to hold water with one bank of oars only, starboard or port is added to the order.
Stand by to back water		Given to alert the crew before ordering backwater together. Hold the oars close to the chest in preperation to back water.
Back water together		This is the order to back water together by short pushing strokes on the looms of the oars instead of pulling. If only one bank of oars is required to back water, the order "Back starboard" or "Back port" is given.
Stroke together		This is the order for all to give one stroke together. If only one bank of oars is to give a stroke then the order "Stroke starboard or "Stroke port" is given.
Easy all		This is the order to pull less vigorously. If the boat is being turned, the order "Easy port (or starboard) may be given.
Mind your oars		This is a warning to the crew to keep the blades of their oars clear of some obstruction. This is an emergency order and should be obeyed immediately. "Port mind your oars" and "Starboard mind your oars" are alternative versions of this order.
Trail oars		The crew pass the looms over their heads, leaving the blades in the water and the oars trailed along the side of the boat. This is for use when passing in restricted waters.
Eyes in the boat		An order to the crew when it is necessary to regain their attention
Bow		If a dedicated Bowman is not assigned, this order is given to the bow oarsman, when comming along side, picking up a mooring or other task. If a Bowman is present then the order will warn them to ready themselves.
Way enough		This is th eorder to bring the boat alongside which requires the crew to pull one more stroke, pass looms of the oars over their heads, boat their oars, unship the crutches and put out fenders.
Toss oars		Toss oars may be used in double banked boats in lieu of weigh enough. The order will lift the oars vertically with the blades fore-and-aft.
Fend off port/ starboard		This is used to warn the crew to fend off in order to prevent damage to the side of the boat when coming along side.
Unship crutches		Exactly what it says

Round Turn and Two Half Hitches

Make sure you can tie up boats with a 'Round turn and two half hitches'
You can find out how right here!

Pass the running end of the rope over the pole twice. Then pass the running end over the standing part of the rope, and tuck it back up and under itself, forming a half hitch. Repeat this for a second half hitch.

Clove Hitch

Figure of Eight

This knot is also called the "stopper knot". It is used to temporarily bulk out the end of a rope. This can stop other knots from coming undone or from the rope slipping through a hole.

Reef Knot

An excellent general purpose knot for tying two pieces of string or twine together, the reef knot is possibly the most commonly used knot for the job, and is easy to learn. However, it cannot be overly stressed that the Reef knot is not a long term or secure knot, and it should only be used to finish parcels or bindings.

Holding one end of each rope in each hand, pass the left rope over the right, and tuck under. Then pass the same rope, now in the right hand, over the left rope, and tuck under. An easy pneumonic is "Left over Right and Under, Right over Left and Under" when tying the knot.