THE SPORT OF ROWING coached779 the various crews were based on sound fundamentals.”780 In his memoir of his own days as a wet- bob, Gilbert C. Bourne described Warre’s routine for coaching the First Eight each year: “For the first week or ten days of practice the crew went out in a heavy clinker-built boat, Dr. Warre standing up in the stern to coach.781 During this time, great attention was paid to detail, especially to the action of the hands and wrists, squareness of the body and shoulders, sitting up to the work, etc. “When the crew took to its light boat, it was always accompanied by the scratch crew know as ‘Duffers,’ Dr. Warre taking the stroke oar of the latter.”782 Ralph D. Paine, The Century Magazine: “Old Etonians and masters who pulled lusty oars in their day make up the ‘duffers eight,’ a formidable combination which gives the ‘light blue’ the stiffest sort of practice during the last weeks of training for Henley. “From time immemorial the English sovereign has graciously permitted the towing-path hard by Windsor Castle to be used by the crowds which watch the nightly practice of the Eight on Dachet Reach [downstream of Eton, below Romney Lock].”783 Bourne: “[After some easy rowing,] the two eights paddled side by side, Dr. Warre coaching from the stroke seat of Duffers.” Warre would also coach when the boats stopped for breathers. On the way back, “Duffers picked us up some 250 yards above Albert Bridge [2 mi. or 3 km from Romney Lock, against the current], taking a good 779 See a previous page. 780 V. Nickalls, p. 29 781 See Chapter 6. 782 Bourne, Memories, pp. 66-9 783 Paine, p. 499 Vanity Fair, June 20, 1885 Eton Headmaster Edmond Warre lead, and for some distance we could hear Dr. Warre growling at us as he drove Duffers along at nearly as fast a stroke as our own. As the trained crew drew up alongside, the race with Duffers began in earnest. As long as Warre was talking, we knew that we were making no impression, but when he was silent we knew that we were pressing him hard and could probably get first to the post. At the finish, after we had recovered our winds, we were often subjected to some severe criticisms, but if the crew had rowed well, Dr. Warre gave his due meed of approval. 206
