What does a rowing course look like?

• Lanes: straight, parallel and of identical width, 12.5 to 15 metres. Six is the minimum. The top regattas need at least eight buoyed lanes, and races use up to six of them.
• Buoys: lines of soft buoys 12.5 or 10 metres apart, laid out on the Albano system. In the start zone they are 6.25 or 5 metres apart.
• Colours: the buoys in the first 100 metres and at every 250 metre line are a different colour from the rest, one that is easy to tell apart. So are those in the last 250 metres.
• Distance markers: on both sides every 250 metres, reading "250", "500" and so on to "1,750". None at the start or the finish.
• The start: pontoons that move forwards or backwards so that boats of different lengths all have their bows on the start line. The starter's tower stands 40 to 50 metres behind the line.
• The finish line: runs between a thin vertical wire in front of the judges and a marker on the far bank, painted half black and half yellow. Two red flags on white buoys mark it on the water. A loud hooter or horn tells each crew it has crossed.
• Depth: at least 2 metres if the depth is even, or 3 metres at the shallowest point if it is not.
• Water: sheltered from wind as far as possible. There should be no stream, or so little that the lanes stay equal.
• Lane 1: in principle on the starter's left looking towards the finish. On television it is generally at the top of the picture.

The opening rule on courses asks for "fair and equal racing conditions for six crews". Every figure serves that: equal lane widths, even depth so no lane is slower, shelter from wind and banks built to absorb waves and not send them back.