frequently asked questions

Dragon Boat Racing is a great team sport that has its roots in ancient China. In the last 30 years, Dragon Boat Racing has been revitalized and its popularity has grown like wildfire. It is one of the fastest growing team sports in the world. There are more than 50 million people worldwide participating in Dragon Boat Racing each year. Teams and competitions are currently found in more than 57 nations.

Today’s dragon boats vary in size, but essentially are long, narrow racing canoes. The standard racing dragon boat measures approximately 14 meters (45 feet) with the head and tail.

Generally, 16-20 paddlers sit two paddlers per row. This year we are limiting the number of paddlers to 16 per race (BCS and Club Teams are permitted to have 20 paddlers). A steersperson stands in the rear of the boat and uses a long steering oar. A drummer sits on the front of the boat and beats out the cadence of the strokes. For this event, the steersperson, drummer, paddles, life jackets and dragon boats will be provided for you. This is a co-ed event. All teams must have a minimum of 8 women. No all-male teams will be allowed.

This sport is suitable for people of all ages, physiques and fitness levels. You must be over 13 to participate. It is one of the most inclusive sports around. There are community, corporate, breast cancer survivor, blind, paraplegic, senior, women’s, men’s, co-ed teams, and more. We regret that the boat can only accommodate a certain amount of weight to function properly, so people weighing over 300 pounds will not be able to participate. Each team will be required to have at least 10 of their paddlers to have attended an on-water practice to compete.

This is a rain or shine event. Please check our website, p4ca.org for any weather or condition updates before you head to the festival. Any changes or delays will be posted on the web site.

Depending on your location and mode of transportation, you may have options to access the lake which is located nearest U.S. Route 27. More details are available via Maps [widget] at the website footer.

Your email inbox may contain a receipt from a booking request. Additionally, by browsing our Google Calendar you may be able to locate your day/time.