Re: [Paddlewise] Danish school dragon boat tragedy

I think Richard has summed it up beautifully...a debacle in the making.
So very sad for the victims, and unnecessary.

Bradford R. Crain

Subject: [Paddlewise] Danish school dragon boat tragedy


>A small dragon boat such as the one the school used (or any dragon boat, 
>for
> that matter) is not the sort of thing to be in if either wind or waves are
> up.  The very low gunwhales let it take water on easily.  The length makes
> it very difficult and slow to turn.  The hull shape (a shallow W) combined
> with the number of paddlers make it impossible to lean the boat in a 
> timely
> and controlled manner to adjust for waves.  The very short paddle length
> prevents effective bracing.  The platform on which the steerperson stands
> ices over very easily, leading to interruptions in steering and boat 
> balance
> when the steers falls.  The steering oar catches crabs extemely easily 
> when
> reversing.  The drummer and steers significantly raise the centre of 
> gravity
> of the boat.  The significant length and number of paddlers makes the boat
> easily get caught and turned broadside by the wind.  The number of 
> paddlers
> makes coordinated reaction to wave sets extremely difficult for very 
> skilled
> crews, and impossible for most crews.  In short, a dragon boat is totally
> unsuited -- literally unseaworthy -- to paddling in rough conditions.
>
> I have found that when a sudden squall hits, the best approach is to steer
> into the wind, assign a few paddlers in the stern to bailing, assign a few
> paddlers in the bow to assist with steering, use the paddlers midships to
> maintain position, wait until things calm down a bit, and then ever so
> gently ferry and surf as needed to drift to a safe bay.  It takes a very
> skilled crew to do this. Turning when the wind is up?  No way.  Paddling a
> dragon boat when it might get rough in cold conditions?  Nuts to that --
> there are far less strenuous ways to suicide if one is so inclined.
>
> Attempting to round a buoy in windy conditions, at near freezing wind and
> water temperatures, with a recreational crew of teenagers, without 
> adequate
> cold water attire, without a motorized chase boat, without communications,
> without a rescue plan and onshore rescue coordinator, without, without,
> without . . . without a hope in hell.  How terribly sad.  My heart goes 
> out
> to the crew and their families.
>
> Richard Culpeper
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