Looking after each other

Head knocks

The boom is the usual culprit. A knock to the head can be nothing, or it can be a concussion — the brain shaken inside the skull. It doesn't always show at once, and the person who was hit is often the worst judge of it. So the crew watches, and the rule is simple: if in doubt, off the water.

The graded response

A light bump, and they seem fine — keep an eye on them, and on yourself. If anything turns odd over the next while — a headache that grows, feeling foggy or sick, not quite right — stop and get it checked.

A hard knock — tell someone, come in, sit it out. Don't sail on to see whether it settles.

Knocked out — even for a second — that's an emergency. Treat the neck as injured too: don't move them more than you must, and call Triple Zero (000).

And after any of them, keep watching. Concussion can come on over minutes or hours, so the crewmate who shrugged it off at the time is still worth an eye for the rest of the day.

Signs — in a crewmate, or yourself

After a head knock, look for these. The person who was hit may not notice them, which is why a crewmate watches.

Call 000 — the serious signs

Knocked out, any length of time.
A fit or seizure.
Can't balance or walk straight.
Badly confused, or getting worse.
Being sick again and again.
A headache that keeps building.
Weakness or pins-and-needles in the arms or legs; neck pain.

The quieter signs

Headache, or pressure in the head.
Dizzy, or feeling sick.
Blurred vision; bothered by light or noise.
Slow, foggy, or can't remember the knock.
Dazed or vacant; clumsy.
Not themselves — out of character, grumpy or tearful for no reason.

If your head's been hit and you feel any of these, say so. It isn't soft — it's the smart call, and it's the one the guidelines ask you to make.

If in doubt, sit them out

This is the standing rule across Australian sport, and it fits the water exactly. Any suspicion of concussion and the person comes off, stays off for the rest of the day, and sees a doctor before going back. No returning to the boat the same session to test it.

Young crew are handled more carefully, because growing brains take longer to recover. The guidance is no return to the boat or contact sport for at least two weeks after the symptoms have gone, with longer again before full competition, and a doctor guiding the steps. Rest first — body and screens — then ease back in stages, not all at once.

Any loss of consciousness is an emergency. And if you're not sure whether it's a concussion — you're sure enough to come in.

Where this comes from

This follows Concussion in Sport Australia — the position statement and youth/community guidelines from the Australian Institute of Sport, the Australian Medical Association and Sports Medicine Australia — and the Victorian Better Health Channel. It's a guide, not a diagnosis; any suspected concussion needs a doctor, and any emergency sign needs Triple Zero (000).

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