02. About Dragon Boating

About Dragon Boating

Dragon Boating originated in China about 2,000 years ago... when as the story was told, a Chinese statesman threw himself into a river as a political protest. In an effort to save him from drowning, the local fisherman rushed out into their boats, beating drums and thrashing their paddles to ward off dangerous fish. Dragon Boat festivals continue in China as a reminder of this story.

The modern era of wide-spread international dragon boat racing began in "Great Britain" and was brought to North America in 1986, with a demonstration race at the "Expo 86 World's Fair" in Vancouver.

In 1996, Dr. Don McKenzie launched the first "Abreast in a Boat" as a research project related to using paddling as a healthy exercise for women being treated for breast cancer.

Dragon Boating is now a thriving activity that continues to offer fun, teamwork and exercise to cancer survivors and their supporters.

Today's Dragon Boating

Today's Dragon Boating is an 18 to 22 person canoe that seats paddlers side by side.

A Dragon Boat is about 48 feet (16m) long.

There is a steersperson in the stern and a coach/drummer at the bow.

Dragon Boat races are usually 200 to 1,000 meters in length and last between 1 and 4 minutes.

DRAGONBOAT REGATTA kimimat leftovers.jpg

The Dragon Boat Team

The Crew
of 20 paddlers follows the commands of the steersperson and instructions of the coach and maintains the stroke pace in time with the rest of the crew. Paddlers may be placed in specific seats to fit their abilities.

The Coach sits at the front of the boat facing the crew. She/he coaches the crew through the workout, teaches technique, and keeps the crew motivated. Some teams use separate coaching boats, from which the coach can view the whole team from the water.

The Steerperson stands at the stern (rear) of the boat and operates the large oar that steers the boat. The steersperson is in charge of the boat and it's safe operation, giving commands to the crew to maintain control of the boat

The Drummer If a drummer is used, she/he sits at the front of the boat, facing the crew. They beat on a large drum to the pace of paddling set by the strokes. The drummer is particularly important during a race as she/he directs the start and keeps the team on pace and motivated.