# hoover now belongs to westerville crew...



## CaptJoe (Jan 20, 2009)

....eating some crow with a smile

They may be loud and may have caused an issue with me on Hoover once. After Mr. Chase was kind enough to respond to my concern I have decided to remove my original comments. This is based on the direct response from the head coach. I would like to again thank Mr. Chase for his time and effort in addressing this situation. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

Here's what you do to people like that: First, take the polite approach, find them at the dock and kindly inform them of their previous mistake and that they should be courteous to other boaters. If that doesnt work, get yourself your own bull horn and when they get close start screaming into it. If that still doesnt work, when you notice them getting close, turn the tables on them. Run your boat right through the middle of THEM and see how they like it. Perhaps at that point, they'll get the message. 

Just like driving a car, there really should be a required course these idiots have to take to be able to operate a boat .


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## flounder (May 15, 2004)

I've had them act like I'm not around, and don't pay attention to their own boats. One alomst hit me several years ago. I just move when they're out.


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## Timmypage16 (Jul 12, 2005)

I have notice the same thing too. They do not give you and space at all. What really kills me is that they always row down the east side of the reservoir where all the boats are fishing. Never do you see them on the west side of the reservoir where there are no boats. It is just mind boggling how close they get sometimes to a boat that is trolling.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

I agree with what CrappieTaco's said for the most part but you may also want to consider calling the Westerville Athletic Director and talking to him. That's not cool and should be addressed for sure.


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## mchase (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks kindly for your heads up regarding Westerville Crew on Hoover Reservoir. My name is Matt Chase and I am head coach. My cell number is 565-9199. My email address is mchasemd @ medtuity.com. We have approximately 100 kids/coaches on Hoover Reservoir 6 days per week from March until November. That is a big presence. 

Since the kids row pretty much the full 8 miles up and back each day, that means we're putting in lots of miles with lots of kids. That amount of movement with so many kids increase the chances of an encounter with a fisherman. 

For safety and coaching purposes, we have a "coach's launch" following. They are the ones with a megaphone coaching the kids.

There is also a non-rower in each boat, called a coxswain, who steers and instructs her crew on timing and other issues. We do our best to teach our coxswains on the avoidance of other craft, the "other craft" usually being fishermen. There are two items that are most likely to be a challenge for coxsains. The first is fishermen fishing right in front of a bridge. The Smothers Road bridge is wide enough to accommodate fishing and a crew passing through the bridge; the Sunbury Road bridge is a greater challenge. The other item is trolling motors. When a coxswain sees a fisherman off in the distance, ostensibly not moving, she steers her boat to one side. As her boat closes in, she might find that the fishing boat is moving toward her path, not away. That is the nature of trolling motors- they are slow and wakeless. 
We work on those issues.

Despite this presence, we have a collision free history over the last 15 years. 

Westerville Crew is an all-volunteer organization that is not associated with any particular school system. All coaches, including myself, are unpaid. We do this for the love of the sport and love of the water, not unlike yourselves. 
I invite you to share with me any complaints or observations you have about our team. Call me, write me or text me.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Yes and they are really foul mouthed out there dropping the f bomb every second through the bullhorn. Not for a nice atmoshpere if kids are around. Very sad example they are setting. Including the coaches who i assume are the ones dropping the foul language thruough the bull horn. Same for griggs with the no courtesy with the rowers but at least i don't hear the bad language.


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

Marshall, I also have heard the foul language from the bullhorns with my 3 1/2 year old in the boat with me. Not a good example at all. What kills me the most is when the crews are in the LOTW's cove...not enough room for them in their. Stay on the main lake in the south end please!


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## CaptJoe (Jan 20, 2009)

Mr. Chase,
I personally appreciate that you took the time to join OGF and respond to my complaint. I hope this situation can be a learning endeavor for both sides. PM me if you have any suggestions.

Regards


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## mchase (Sep 15, 2010)

We have a strict prohibition against swearing for coaches and rowers. I personally do not swear in public or private conversation and I expect that our coaches do not swear. I will inform them of your concern and my expectations.

Regarding the large cove on the east side of the middle bay, the only time that we use that cove is when the water is too rough on the main body of Hoover to allow the boats to sit flat in the water. If the kids are rocking and rolling from side to side, we go to the cove. The kids hate it as do the coaches. We would far rather be on the main body if conditions would allow.


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## Fishingislife (May 20, 2004)

Yea this westerville crew needs to also learn how to use the trash cans. Can't believe the city of columbus allows them on Hoover with such bad manners and foul language.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I ought not to chime in, but (with apologies to Mr. Chase). . . 
After "sharing" the Cuyahoga with rowers for years, they are some of the most obnoxious boaters out there.
They would constantly wake boats tied up at the marina with their chase boats from 20 ft away with 2 -3 foot waves and not blink an eye.
*BUT*, if we passed them gliding in neutral, and made more than a 2" wave, they would scream bloody murder.
There was one particular fellow who rowed by himself and would shout, scream and cuss at every boat on the river. 
A few years back during races, we were barely moving (in the boat zone - they closed off 3/4 of the river) under the Center St bridge
in Cleveland. There was a crowd of rowers and spectators on the bridge and they were all yelling and swearing at us.
Let me be perfectly clear - We were barely moving We are both good boaters and we were moving as slow as perfectly possible to be nice, and they were still shouting obscenities at us like they owned the river.
Last year, we took some friends out for a river cruise, _and the rowers shut down the Cuyahoga River!_
That's right, we weren't allowed to go upstream a _navigable waterway_ (the whole rover is a no-wake zone) because _the rowing club was having a race!_

Get a clue - *If your "boat" can only handle 2" waves, take it somewhere else!*


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## mchase (Sep 15, 2010)

Fishingislife said:


> Yea this westerville crew needs to also learn how to use the trash cans. Can't believe the city of columbus allows them on Hoover with such bad manners and foul language.


I invite any readers of this forum to review something I wrote more than 1 year ago about swearing. It was on a rowing forum that features avid rowers and coaches, just as this forum features avid anglers.

The link is http://www.rowingillustrated.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1117&start=0

I think this should resolve any questions about our policy on swearing. I hear, at most, one swear word a year from our coaches and rowers. I abhor it. These complaints will be addressed.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

Coach, I appreciate you taking time to come on this forum and address this issue.
It's nice to see that people actually care about others and in situations like this both sides can learn from it and share this great resource.


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## toad (Apr 6, 2004)

For the past 40 years I have been fishing Hoover and in just the past 2 years I have trolled over 600 miles with an average speed of 2.1 mph so I can safely say I spend hundreds of hours on the lake. I have never heard any profanity or had a problem with the rowers. In case you haven't noticed they always go in a straight line so they are easy to avoid. The times I've had a line cut or tangled has always been from another fisherman that cuts across my lines. (I know a pontoon running at 2 mph is hard to see) I won't talk about the clueless sailboaters. 
My hat off to all the coaches that spend their free time teaching the kids the sport of rowing and more important the accomplishments that can be made working together as a team. I enjoy watching them come down the lake rowing in perfect unity. I'm not sure how fast they go but I think they can outrun my pontoons top speed of 7.2mph. 

Bottom line is if you can't see or hear them coming down the lake in order to give them a little room maybe you need to find a private lake to have all to yourself.


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## mchase (Sep 15, 2010)

I want to thank those who provided feedback. I received several supportive emails and phone calls too.

Last night I talked with coaches and coxswains about swearing and the inappropriateness of it. They are all in agreement that it should never happen at crew.

I talked with a father who is there nightly and will often drive a safety boat or even fill in an empty seat when a rower is sick. He is last year's president of the Westerville Rotary and has a son and daughter who row. He assured me that he has rowed under most coaches of Westerville Crew (or driven their safety boat) and never heard a single swear word in 3 years at crew. He assured me that if a coach does swear, he will quickly hear about it from his kids and relay the information to me.

We also have other parents at crew on a nightly basis and I quizzed them about anyone swearing at crew. Some of these parents row singles (one-man racing shells) each night while the kids are rowing the big boats. They are on the water at the same time and can hear the coaches as well as any fishermen. They have never heard a coach swear but they will let me know if any ever does.

We started a breast cancer survivors team 4 years ago. They are a great group of women who row 3X weekly. I should see them tonight and get their feedback as they row at the same time.

We also have a recorder that we place in the eights (the longest boats) in order to monitor the quality of the coxswains' command of the boat. These recordings are being reviewed by one of our coaches.

I know several homeowners on Sunbury Road whose backyards are adjacent to Hoover Reservoir and I will get feedback from them as well.

Again, I appreciate the heads up on this issue. It is being addressed.


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## spidey (Mar 19, 2007)

I hang out at the Sunbury bridge quite a bit. Never had a problem. Sometimes, when I'm engrossed with what I'm doing, I'll get a heads up from one of the trail boats that the rowers are on my six. Even had them alter course a couple times. Seems like a great bunch of folks who row out there. Not discounting what anyone has posted, I've just had nothing but good experiences with the rowers. Usually smiling and waving when they are not pulling water.

Now, if you can do something about some of those out-of-towner trolling dudes who will not break off their course, come hell or high water, then I'm all ears. Regulars are more courteous, I've discovered.


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## toboso (Apr 14, 2004)

Aside from certain, specific instances of personal misconduct, the two basic problems here are a) user conflict and b) rules of the road.

User conflict occurs on every single body of water, no matter how large or small. There's always someone zigging when the majority are zagging. Both the ziggers and the zaggers are rightfully entitled to their endeavors even at the vexation of each other. Mutual courtesy is the only real solution. Sometimes one has to acquiesce, even sacrifice, for the greater good.

Rules of the road dictate that manually powered craft have the right of way over those motor-propelled craft. Secondly, bridges, channels, marinas--anywhere navigation is limited--navigation has the right-of-way over other activities (fishing, skiing, etc.). The issue of right-of-way between sail/row craft and drifting/stationary craft is best settled by the courtesy rule.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

I've been boat fishing Hoover multiple times a year for 23 yrs and never heard one incident of the aforementioned cursing . This is news to me.


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## BingeAndPurge (Jul 20, 2010)

seriously guys?


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## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

Guys - this has the potential to be a really positive outcome. I completely applaud Mchase for getting on here and trying to smoothe over something he doesn't have 100% control over (a tough feat.)

My interactions with Griggs rowers has largely been indifference. But I understand it...they are training just like you would train/workout for any other sport. I've had no bad encounters with rowers on Griggs.

I'll be on griggs tomorrow morning and hoover tomorrow afternoon/evening (yes, it's gonna be a great day!) It will be my first time on Hoover - I look forward to some peace on Hoover. I'll take 10 rowing teams doing circles around my boat vs. one wake boarder/ski boat on skinny Griggs any day!

Mchase - thanks again for your efforts and for dealing pretty darn directly with a possible issue involving the rowing teams. Maybe I'll see you out on Hoover tomorrow.


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## CaptJoe (Jan 20, 2009)

I will second that bman...


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