Dragon Boating is a fun co-ed sport for people of all ages, backgrounds, and varying physical fitness levels. It is definitely a great form of physical exercise that also has a strong social component in that a dragon boat crew has at least 22 members that paddle, travel and eats together. A Dragon Boat has ten rows where two paddlers sit side by side. A full boat has 20 paddlers, one drummer upfront by the dragon head, and one steersperson at the tail responsible for safely navigating the boat while it’s in motion. A mixed crew must have at least 8 female paddlers and 12 male paddlers to meet CDBA racing regulations.
We are one of the largest dragon boat teams in California. Our membership varies from 130-140 paddlers.
Athletic, committed and positive individuals who possess an interest for the sport.
Members reflect a broad range of age, professions, interests and backgrounds from all over the San Francisco Bay Area. But we are all united in working together as a team to pursue our passion for good food, fun and of course competitive dragon boating. The best way to find out what the team is all about is to come out to a practice and see for yourself.
Prior paddling experience is not required however a positive attitude and commitment to developing and improving paddling skills are essential. We can teach you form, technique and timing but we can’t teach heart. Bring heart.
Practice frequency and location depend on whether practice is held during the regular season or off season. See Training Schedule for details.
Practices typically last between an hour and a half to two hours. This usually includes warm ups, line ups and water time.
The practice starts off on land and usually consist of a light warm-up with stretching followed by some cardio works and other activities to help you to increase flexibility, strength and endurance (running, push-up, crunches, etc.). Once on the water, we will begin with a warm-up paddle. After stretching, the coaches will mix in drills that stress the importance of core stabilization and engaging the lower body for greater efficiency with longer endurances runs. We usually switch side about half way through practice so that you will get a full body workout that includes the legs, back, core and arms on both side of your body.
Equipment such as paddles and life jackets are provided at the practice sites. Choice of clothing, however, is important depending on the weather and practice site. With the unpredictable Bay Area weather, it is best to prepare by wearing/bringing several layers of clothing so you can adjust to the conditions at the practice site.The weather at Lake Merced is often overcast, damp and cold. Water resistant/quick drying shorts/ pants, Tevas and an athletic top are usually the preferred practice attire. Regardless of the weather or practice site, synthetics are always the best choice due to the material’s ability to breathe and dry quickly unlike natural fibers (i.e. cotton, wool, etc) but many folks still paddle in t-shirts, shorts, and sweats. Just be sure to bring a change of clothes and a towel. Keep in mind that your footwear will most likely get wet too so sandals or a change of shoes is a good idea as well. Optional items that you could also bring are sunglasses, hats, and gloves.
It is important to keep hydrated and protected from the sun so bring bottle water and sun screen. Also, the crew often grabs a bite to eat together after practice. Therefore, you should bring a complete change of clothes and a towel to dry off since you don’t want to have to sit through dinner/lunch in wet clothes.
This will really depend on your personal paddling goals and commitment level. Certainly folks miss practices due to the regular demands of life in the bay area but the more practices that you attend the better you will become.
You don’t need to know how to swim since entry into the water is exceptionally rare and the use of life jackets are required. So don’t let the lack of swimming ability prevent you from coming out and give dragon boating a try but do consider that swimming is great cross training and certainly a good skill to have whenever you’re around the water.
Like any sport, the maintenance of equipment and administrative services do come at a cost. Come on out and try paddling for a few times for free. If you decide to join, an annual fee will be paid to the California Dragon Boat Association and to the team. Team operations are also subsidized through team fundraising efforts during the season.
Yes! We are one of the most well traveled teams in the Bay Area racing to destinations such as China, Malaysia, Macau, Japan, Canada and within the US. Traveling for races is completely optional. Feel free to take a look at our race schedule and photo gallery at Instagram.
In addition to paddling together, DW is also very active in promoting the growth of dragon boating in the San Francisco bay area. When not on the water, members frequently get together for barbecues, dinner parties, movies, concerts, festivals and general fun & camaraderie. Check out our Instagram to view photos of these events.