Our Sport

The concept of dragon boat racing is quite simple. You take a 40 foot boat and race it down a 500 meter course as fast as you can. That is it. No bells, no whistles, no motors. The typical dragon boat will be filled with 20 paddlers seated in rows of 2, a steers person to direct the boat and a caller to tell the paddlers what to do.

Teams will be lined up at the start line. The race official will blast their air horn and the race starts. Each team will paddle through a series of strokes to get the boat to the finish line before the other teams. A typical race will last about 2 1/2 minutes.

Learning to paddle in a dragon boat is very easy and can be taught to anyone in a matter of minutes. Racing in a dragon boat is another story altogether. You need to train your body and your mind to be able to compete. This part takes time and dedication.

About The Boat

The basic shape of the dragon boat has not changed much over the years, though the type of materials used as well as the size and seat count have. Today’s dragon boat designs are made from fiberglass and wood, can seat 20 paddlers (there are also 10 person boats as well) with production and hull design strictly controlled by the IDBF.

One of the most used boats in the local area is the BUK from Germany. They are roughly 40 feet long (without head or tail) weigh around 500lbs and host 10 benches. The original 6-16 boats were made of wood and fiberglass, were 48 feet in length and had 12 seats, holding 24 paddlers. Our club has two of the original 6-16 design and a single BUK.

The History

Dragon Boat racing has ancient Chinese origins and its history has been traced back more than 2000 years. The first participants were superstitious Chinese villagers who celebrated the 5th day of the 5th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. Racing was held to avert misfortune and encourage the rains needed for prosperity – and the object of their worship was the dragon. The dragon of Asia has traditionally been a symbol of water. It is said to rule the rivers and seas and dominate the clouds and rains.

Today Dragon Boat racing involves teams of up to twenty paddlers in a 40 foot boat with a drummer and a steersperson, paddling frantically to beat the other teams down the course. The drums, shouting and colourful boats make it an impressive and exciting sport both to watch and to compete in.

The first dragon boats brought to BC were used to introduce the sport to the participating crowds at Expo 86 in Vancouver. The boats were constructed of teak and were quite heavy by todays standards. These boats have been recently renovated and brought back to life. They can been seen on display at select regattas throughout BC.