8 = crew boat with 8 rowers, each operating one oar. 4 port and 4 starboard alternating each seat. All rowers face the stern, meaning the rowers only see the opposite direction you're travelling. In reality, you can only see the person in front of you or maybe a competitor in your peripheral, if you're vision hasn't blacked out from exhaustion yet of course. Cox = coxswain, the only person facing the bow. Coxswains are akin to horse jockeys in many ways, as they're generally very tiny, VERY intense folk who are in control of thousands of pounds coordinated muscle. Anyway, the cox is in the stern on loud speaker operating a rudder that's about 2 inches tall and 3 inches long on the bottom of the boat. It's for slight adjustments, as one would need when navigating a mostly straight race. He cant see whats directly ahead of the boat too well, seeing as though he's 4'-nothing trying to see over 8 guys twice his size and weight. Surprisingly, an 8 has remarkable control by coordinating differing stroke techniques or holds from the starboard and port rowers. Not as much as a 4/quad or double/pair, but either type can stop faster than a motor boat (oars come with brakes) and can effectively allow the boat to spin in place (starboards backing, ports chopping forward). The entire activity is remarkable, like a sport requiring the discipline and precision of the armed forces.

Sorry for wall 'o text. Guess I miss crew.