What is Dragon Boating

A dragon boat team consists of 20 paddlers sitting two to each bench seat, plus a sweep who navigates the dragon boat from the rear and a drummer who sits up the front.
The team of paddlers work together to drive the boat forward and with good timing, technique, strength and endurance.
Racing can be in teams of all women, a mix of women and men or an open category. Race distances vary but the most common are 200m, 500m and 2kms.
Whether you are a first-timer looking to improve your fitness in a social environment or a driven competitor wanting to experience the adrenaline of racing there is a seat for you on a dragon boat.

If you love getting wet and working as part of a team, consider giving dragon boating a try.
You’ll need a body of water that’s big enough to race in — rivers, lakes, the ocean — anything goes.
You will get wet and sometimes cold.
You’ll need commitment for a few of hours of training a week, as well as regattas.

Benefits of dragon boating:

People of all fitness levels can participate and the longer you do it, the fitter you’ll become.
It’s a whole-body workout — your legs are the anchor, while the muscles in your arms, shoulders and back drag the paddle through the water.
Great for strengthening your abs and core.
Cardiovascular fitness — your endurance and stamina will quickly build from training several times a week.
With a crew of 22, it’s a great way to make new friends.

You’ll need a paddle but when you join a club, they can lend you one.
You’ll need shoes that can get wet and a spare set of clothes to change into.
Many clubs offer the first few training sessions free so you can get a feel for it.