Locals in Boston prep for the Charles as only the locals can: racing on their home course, against the best scullers Boston and Cambridge can rally for an early morning row. They call these races the Heads of the Kevin, named for Kevin McDonnell, the long-time Riverside mentor and keeper of the magical HOCR prognostic time standards that lure the most serious pot-hunters out to see how they might fare come the third weekend of October. This year, several scullers and crews took their obsession with the perfect Charles course to a new level--all thanks to Powerview. Instead of guessing about their line, or trying to remember how thy took the Week's turn, their Powerview data and video enabled them to see their course and watch the whole race over (and over!).

When told how the system could provide in-boat video, many scullers, including Riverside's Sean Wolf, saw the opportunity to review the one thing that REALLY makes a Champion at the Charles: the perfect course. With one hi-def camera filming the view from the bow and a second recording off the stern, to capture those perfect (and often secret) stern points used by the locals, Powerview enabled these racers to evaluate where they can look to shave seconds, and more, off their run at the title "Head of the Charles."

Sean Wolf liked the results so much that he posted his video on his website, www.rowingillustrated.com, and called Powerview "the best system for getting feedback on a crew." Take a look at his site, and see a master steer the Charles! Powerview's personal favorite is part 3 showing the Weeks footbridge turn--and some strong rowing by GMS's Mike Sivigny as he pulls through on his way to winning what may be just the first of a few races on the Charles this year for him.

In the end, all that video, synchronized in real-time to the acceleration and speed data recorded by Powerview, gave everyone who tried the system at the Head of the Kevin the fullest picture of their speed and course. In addition to providing feedback about how each rower was rowing technically via the accelerometer data, Powerview also enabled the locals to compare their lines with their GPS speed--helping them find those sweet spots out of the current that is their real home course advantage.

So, how ready are YOU for the Charles?