Who is responsible for steering, and what happens if my crew leaves its lane?

Rule 79 says crews are responsible for their own steering. Each crew has a lane reserved for its own use and must stay completely within it, including its oars or sculls, throughout the race.

• Leaving the lane: a crew that leaves its own lane does so at its own risk.
• Interference: if it impedes or interferes with an opponent, or gains an advantage, it may be sanctioned without prior warning or other notification from the Umpire.
• What counts as interference (Rule 80): the crew's oars, sculls or boat encroach into the opponent's lane and cause a disadvantage by contact, wash or other distraction. The Umpire alone decides whether a crew is in its own lane.
• Consequences: if the interference affected the other crew's finishing position, the crew may be excluded. After a collision, the Umpire may exclude the crew causing it even without a prior warning. The Umpire may not alter a placing.
• Umpire help: the Umpire shall not give steering indications except to avoid accidents or stop interference by opponents, so watch for the white flag.
• Entering the lanes: crews do not enter the racing lanes until the previous race's crews have left the start zone and the Starter has given them a lane.

The By-Law adds that nothing in the interference rule lessens a crew's responsibility to remain in its designated lane throughout the race.