surfboat carnage

The real problem for surfboat crews is to secure a surfer as the sweep - surfers have extensive ocean/wave knowledge.

The slewed boat ‘through the crowd’ has a lot to do with poor wave sense.

Most of the old sweeps were board riders - Damien Hardman’s dad, Brad Mayes’ dad etc etc.

The best sweeps are smaller, wave mart guys - they are known as ‘jockeys’!

The boats are so light now - 185 kg bare - female crews can lift the - without the sweep’s help.

The female division is the fastest growing - in Oz!

MF

They’ regood fun, but its pretty much acknowledged the Bow os the worst place to be. Have a look when they row over waves, the bow going oveer waves can be more than 12 feet off the water then it slams down, the bowman then comes down as well, if his oar catches the water it will slam into his face and break his jaw. If the wave closes out on the boat it usually exerts its power on the bow. At the start of the race, everyone can jump in, but the bow is in the deepest water so is a problem, and when you get flooged, the sweep has two bars in front he wraps himself around the other rowers are ok the bowman usually gets flung out of the boat which is the worst place to be.

But geez they drink a few beers after the comps!!