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RowSafe 2026: what it is and what clubs need to do

RowSafe is British Rowing's safety guidance. Here is what that means for your club, plus our guides to the topics it covers.

By Civil Digital, the team building BoatLog · Last updated

BoatLog is independent software from Civil Digital. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by British Rowing or any organisation named in this guide. Always check the current official guidance and follow your club's own procedures.

What RowSafe is

RowSafe is British Rowing's guide to safe practice in rowing. Affiliated clubs commit to it, and it shapes the annual safety audit. It covers club safety organisation, risk assessment, equipment, launches, the water, cold, heat, health and more.

How often it changes

British Rowing normally updates RowSafe once a year, around spring. The 2026 edition is dated February 2026, and British Rowing marks what changed from the previous edition in the document and in a separate list of changes. Read those changes and update your club's safety plan and risk assessments to match.

Our guides to RowSafe topics

How BoatLog helps

BoatLog puts RowSafe into daily practice: a safety flag every member sees at sign-out, a live list of who's on the water, an incident log, a repairs list and members' qualifications with expiry dates.

BoatLog screenshot with example club data: Incidents and near misses in one place: the evidence a RowSafe review needs.
Incidents and near misses in one place: the evidence a RowSafe review needs. Example data from a fictional club.

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Questions

FAQ

What is RowSafe?

British Rowing's guide to safe practice in rowing, which affiliated clubs commit to follow.

How often is RowSafe updated?

Normally once a year, around spring. The 2026 edition is dated February 2026.

Where can I see what changed in RowSafe 2026?

British Rowing highlights the changes in the document and publishes a separate list of changes alongside it.

Related

Guide: British Rowing club safety audit: a quick guide for clubs What the annual British Rowing club safety audit is, when it runs, what evidence helps, and how to keep that evidence ready all year. Guide: Rowing club risk assessment: a simple, RowSafe-aligned method How to write a rowing club risk assessment that people actually use: hazards, controls, who decides, and turning it into daily go/no-go rules. Guide: The club rowing safety adviser role: duties and checklist What a club rowing safety adviser does: duties, a first-month checklist for a new adviser, and how to make the role manageable for a volunteer.

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