Re: [Paddlewise] Richard-Dragon boats

  In the vicinity of where I live in Central NJ, there are a few Dragon Boat clubs.  One, in Philadelphia, has attained the World Championship in the sport.  
   The one closest to me, the Machestics,  are almost entirely breast cancer survivors -- and they're pretty good.  Depending on how you look at it, I am either pleased or concerned that I have two former students, plus one good friend, on that team.
    This time of year they are off the water.  Usually by early/mid October the boats are taken out of the water and stored indoors until the water warms up again.  
    The boats are somewhat larger and the usual complement here in the US is twenty-two.  There are twenty paddlers, a steerperson and a drummer to set the pacing.  I understand there is another school (tradition) of dragonboat racing which adds one more person; a catcher.  Under those rules one does not win by crossing the finish line but by the catcher grabbing a flag from a mooring as they pass.  I've seen videos of this from Iowa but not locally.  
     So what you have is a long boat that is designed to glide straight for maximal speed and thus will not turn well. 
     Do the paddlers wear PFDs?  No.  Once they're moving there is great exertion and heat generation.  Wearing one would definitely put them at risk of hyperthermia.  The same is true of flatwater sprint racing and the various rowing boats.  However, there is always, always, a chase boat nearby.  
     So, thinking about this I do find it puzzling that there would have been a try for a 'record' in a smaller dragonboat in the dead of winter under clearly less than ideal conditions to achieve that record.  I have difficulties trying to understand the thought process that led to this.  It will be of interest to learn more as things come to light. 
     Jens Viggo, thank you for your efforts covering this unfortunate event.  In time we will have one of the best receent resources with which to help answer many of the questions associated with this event.

Joe P.


-----Original Message-----
>I particularly appreciate Richard Culpeper's discussion about real life in a
>Dragon boat in rough conditions.
>
>Scary stuff-I had no idea!!
>Chuck Sutherland
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