Bei Loon Pinks Dragon Boat Team

Modern dragon boating involves crews of up to 20 paddlers, plus a sweep – the person in the stern (back) of the boat who steers and is generally responsible for the boat’s safety. When we’re racing at regattas, we also have a drummer in the bow of the boat who beats the pace. Paddlers sit in rows of two people. We swap sides of the boat a few times during each training session.

New paddlers are paired with an experienced paddling buddy who helps with learning to paddle effectively and safely. 

In 1998, Professor Don McKenzie, a Canadian sports medicine specialist, published his observations about the benefits of dragon boat paddling for breast cancer survivors.

“Dragon boating is a team sport that builds harmony and a feeling of togetherness. It is esthetically pleasing and represents honest physical work that results in predictable improvements in fitness.” McKenzie DC. CMAJ 1998 Aug 25;159(4):376-8.

You don’t need to be fit to begin paddling with us, just be motivated to improve your fitness.

We suggest that you wear clothing that can get damp, such as gym wear. Avoid wearing natural fibres in the boat, such as cotton, which is slower to dry and may be colder and less comfortable. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Bring a water bottle. Wear enclosed shoes that can get wet, such as reef shoes or moulded rubber shoes. Choose either a long-sleeved top (a rashie) and leggings or shorts. We will provide a personal floatation device (PFD) and a paddle for try-out sessions. 

Most of all, bring a smile! A big part of our team’s goal is to have fun on the water. There are lots of opportunities to become a competitive paddler through our parent club, Bei Loon, which many of our team have done and who compete at the highest national and international levels. Other team members focus on social paddling as a way to achieve fitness and meet people. The team includes people with a wide range of fitness levels. 

A bonus of paddling with us is that we’re on Pittwater – one of Sydney’s most beautiful waterways.

When in the boat, the team follows directions from the sweep and the coach. The sweep steers and paddlers take direction from the sweep; the coach provides guidance about paddling technique and coordinates training drills. There are standard calls for particular actions to control the boat. The calls are easy to understand and apply. The sweep is responsible for the boat’s safety on the water.

We always start with warm up exercises on the beach, then a warm up paddle in the boat. This means paddling in a circuit, and escalating from 10, then 20, and finally 30 vigorous strokes with breaks of gentler paddling between. After 30 strokes, it’s generally time to swap sides in the boat, starting from the bow and moving through, pair-by-pair until everyone has swapped. This is a good time to have some water too! Your paddle buddy will help you to master swapping seats safely.

Then, weather permitting, it’s time to go further out into Pittwater for a training session. Training usually lasts for one hour, but on Sunday mornings, we’re on the water for 1.5 hours and often concentrate on technique.

The team understands that many new paddlers become tired, carry physical problems related to their breast cancer treatment, or perhaps have never done this kind of activity before. Don’t be concerned – we’ve all been there! Your paddle buddy will keep a close eye on how you’re going, and will encourage you to pull your paddle in. This just means taking a break from paddling for as long as needed. 

We warmly welcome newcomer paddlers to come for a try out. We usually need a week or so to ensure we have everything in place for your trial. Newcomer paddlers are invited to try out at up to three training sessions. 

Please contact us by email beiloonpinks@gmail.com with your name and a phone number indicating that you’d like to sign up for a trial. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and to set up a trial.