Attaching to a stake boat can be a difficult enough as it is without the additional worry of dealing with prevailing weather conditions and umpires who are urgently trying to get the race started on time. Here I hope to give you some sound advice that will help you overcome the common problems faced by coxswains when attaching to a stake boat at the beginning of a regatta.

You’ll be marshalling, typically around 250m or so from the start and assuming you have boated on time, you will have plenty of time to prepare for the start. The marshals at the start will give you plenty of instruction but the inevitable states that they may be under pressure to stick to a timetable and deal with some novice coxswains and boats. I always find it best to proceed straight onto the course as soon as the race ahead of you has passed. Marshals will give you instruction to do this but the sooner you start moving the more time you’ll have to attach.

Whilst marshalling, and before heading to the lane, check the direction of the wind, if there is any, as this will dictate how you turn your boat.

You should proceed to your lane cutting straight across the course and call the crew to easy oars so that you stop in your lane. If the wind is causing the boat to drift then either stop earlier or later so that you are blown towards the centre of your lane.

When considering how to turn, you want to turn so that your bow remains pointing into the prevailing wind and to back down on to the stake boat at a slight angle, keeping your stern on the upwind side of the stake boat, it is best to over-estimate how much the wind will alter the position of your boat. In essence, you cannot exactly move your boat sideways so be sure that you keep your boat in such a position that any drift caused by the wind will push you towards the centre of your lane.

Now here’s the tricky bit – it isn’t as hard as it sounds so long as you take your time and don’t panic.