The Races

The Crews

Dragonboat racers don’t row. We paddle - facing forward like you do in a canoe. The stroke rate is high compared to rowing. For our team that means 62 strokes a minute and up. The technique varies from team to team. In Philly we’re lucky to be coached by Robert McNamara and Assistant Coaches Pete McNamara and Tommy Leonardi, all have a keen eye for subtle errors and provide valuable analysis for how to improve.

The only equipment needed for the sport is a paddle. These are made of pine, plastic, or carbon fiber. Regulation paddles vary between 46” and 51” and can weigh no less than 15 ounces. The best paddles have shafts that can be expanded in and out and then clamped into whatever length suits you for whichever seat you are assigned. In addition, most paddlers bring a foam pad to sit on. Some wear Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) which are either a self-inflating belt float or a life jacket..

Dragonboat races are relatively short ranging from 200 meter sprints (finished in less than a minute), to the popular 500 meter races (about 2 minutes), 1000 meters (about 4 minutes), up to 2000 meter races on the 500 meter course with three 180 degree turns (done in about 10 minutes).

Dragonboat racing began in China more than 2000 years ago and arrived in the United States in 1983 right here in Philadelphia. Wikipedia does a great job of covering the history. You can check it out here.

About Dragonboat Racing

Like any canoe Dragonboats are wide in the middle and narrow at both ends so effective paddlers come in all shapes and sizes. Smaller framed athletes are a big benefit in the narrow seats and seats where the wake of the boat rises up the hull under speed. Larger powerhouse athletes are most effective in the middle of the boat where their shoulders have more room. Most paddlers specialize by sitting on a specific side of the boat, left or the right all the time. Some are just as strong on both sides and can switch it up as the coach requires in order to balance out the weight in the boat.

The Sport

Governing Bodies

The History

Dragonboat crews consist of either 10 or 20 paddlers plus a steerer and a drummer. Standard dragonboats seat 20 paddlers in 10 pairs. Small boats seat 10 paddlers in 5 pairs. In addition to the paddlers, a Steerer stands in the back holding a long rudder oar that extends from the stern to navigate the boat. The last member of the team is the Drummer. That teammate provides the eyes and the voice and the rhythm of the crew. Paddlers provide the power, the Drummer provides the strategy.

Dragonboat crews are described in three ways.

The first criteria is age.

Premier - 18 years and older
Senior A - 40 years and older
Senior B - 50 years and older
Senior C - 60 years and older

The second criteria is gender.

Women - All women, no exceptions
Mixed - 10 women and 10 men
Open - Typically all men, but you can have women on this roster as well.

The third criteria is the size of the boat

Standard boats have been the tradition for centuries. They fit 20 paddlers in 10 rows. These are the more common style of dragonboat.
Small boats have been growing in popularity over the past 10 years, particularly in Europe. They are less stable in the water but easier to store, and it's easier to gather 10 people for a team than 20.

Put those together and you’ll find large regattas filled with rosters like “Senior A Open, Standard Boat” or “Premier Women, Small Boat”.

A fourth criteria is a tangent to all of this. These are special community teams that serve athletes who face more challenges than most - ACP (“All Cancer Paddlers”) teams are for cancer survivors and “Paradragon” for the physically disabled. The PDBA currently does not have these two specialty teams.

The Athletes

Eastern Regional Dragon Boat Association

The USDBF splits the United States into four regions. The PDBA founded and is a member of the Eastern Region.

United States Dragon Boat Federation

The USDBF is the governing body for the sport of dragon boat in the United States, and a founding member of the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF). The mission of the USDBF is to promote the growth and development of dragon boat in the US for fitness, recreation, and team-building at all levels of competition.