HOCR 61 COXING CLINIC FULL 60 MINUTES & POWERPOINT SLIDES | HOCR Coxswain Clinic 2026: The Full Course Walkthrough

Race the Charles with a plan.

The Head of the Charles is won on time, and time is lost at the turns, the passes, and the moments you panic. This is the full recording of my live HOCR Coxswain Clinic: 58 minutes, 40+ slides, built to take you from the start to the finish line with a clear plan for every bridge.

I’ve coxed the Head of the Charles nearly every year since 2017 and finished top 10. I built this clinic to give you what I wish I’d had the first time.

What you’ll learn

• The 2026 rules and penalties: what costs you time, the new Delay of Racing penalty, and how passing and yielding work.
• The whole course, bridge by bridge: BU Railroad, River Street, Western Ave, Weeks, Anderson, and Eliot, plus where to put your boat and which arch to take.
• How to remember the bridges: the acronyms for racing down and up the course.
• Weeks and the turning tree: the 90° port turn, when to start it, and how to stay safe with crews ahead and behind you.
• 8+ vs 4+: how turns and steering differ, including steering on the drive in a four.
• Steering and tone: how to use pressure and rudder together, control your volume, and calm a rushing crew.
• Powerhouse and the final push: how to use the straights, and how to protect your line from Anderson to Eliot.
• Build your own race plan: a framework you can use with your crew.

Who it’s for

Coxswains of all levels, from first-time HOCR racers to veterans, in eights and fours.

What you get

• Instant access to the 58-minute recording
• The slide deck (40+ slides)
• My HOCR race plan document

Good to know

• This is a recording of a live clinic. [Live Q&A is not included.]
• Rules come from the 2026 HOCR rules page. Always confirm against the official rule book before race day.

Questions? My DMs and email are always open: illy@pointseven.info & @coach__illy (two underscores!)