Leisure rowing is not an extreme sport and can be reasonably safe, but in general water sports require constant awareness of the conditions and risks.
To my knowledge through a few years of practicing this sport, discussing with friends and fellow rowers and consuming some literature, the main risk factors are (listed from the most risky):
- Personal conditions (fitness, experience, …) of the captain/cox and crew
- Conditions of the equipment
- Lighting strikes
- Type of equipment (racing shell vs C-type/gig; single vs. multi-seat)
- Speed of the current – function of water level and water flow
- Wind speed and direction
- Waves (raised mostly by wind, traffic and current)
- Traffic (commercial, jet sky / power boats, sailing boats, other rowers)
- Obstacles (rocks, trees, buoys, bridge pillars, other manufacts, …)
- Debris (wood chunks, algae, …) or ice
- Water temperature
- Visibility (daylight, fog)
- Air temperature
- Crabs 😃
Following the example of several rowing clubs and associations, I have selected my criteria for the determination of safe rowing conditions, I have adapted them to the Luxembourgish Moselle and I have put them in the table below. This is just an indication and cannot replace personal judgement; the table is for my own use and based on my personal experience. If you like it, feel free to use it as it is or adapt it to your needs.
To check water level and flow, water and air temperature, wind and visibility between Schengen and Stadtbredimus, you might want to use the links provided in this page.
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About wind speed, direction and gusts
I am a bit uncertain on whether the “red” / no rowing wind limit should be 20 or 25 km/h. I would say: experienced rowers could row on a C-type / gig boat up to 25 km/h if:
- the wind is not too gusty (e.g. if the forecast of wind gusts is below 40 km/h)
and
- the wind direction is not the same as the river direction
and
- there are no other risk factors
For example, in a warm summer day with little current, four experienced rowers in a good shape on a stable and solid gig boat could decide to row to Schengen and back with 25 km/h of costant, non-gusty wind from West.
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