Dragonboat Blog | The Dragonboating Resource

dragonboat talk for dragonboaters.

Champion Dragon Boats are the next best thing to top end equipment for dragonboating. These boats are manufactured in China and the name of the company that produces these boats are “Dalian Qian Long Aquatic Sports Development Co. Ltd”. I guess it was such a long name for a company they decided to just choose the word “Champion” to call the boats. This company manufacturers different types of equipment such as paddles and canoes and Hawaii boats, but their core is the “Champion” Dragon Boats.

Currently they have two models available, the Model 12 (fits 12 paddlers in a boat) and the Model 22 (fits 22 paddlers in a boat).

Champion Model 12 Dragon Boat

As this boat is slightly smaller than the standard 22 paddler boat, it weighs a little less at 180kg. Generally this weight is acceptable at International level competition and at the end of the day the boat contributes to a small part to achieving a great result.

Model 12

Champion Model 22 Dragon Boat

This boat weighs in at 270kg and is certified by IDBF of spec 1222. Nowadays we are seeing clubs purchasing Champion dragonboats as well and they are becoming widely used in competition and at events. Not only are they great boats to race in they are also slightly cheaper than the BUK Boats. Reason I see is because the labour and parts are cheaper to manufacturer in China which is why these boats are able to be sold at a lower price point. Overall though, these boats still have the quality and precision compared to other dragon boats offered in the market.

Model 22

As you may or may not know, and depending on which story you believe, the sport of dragon boat racing can directly trace its roots back to a real person who existed in China over 2,300 years ago. There are many versions of the story but the underlying belief is that Qu Yuan, an important minister in the Chu government, was a man of wisdom and was firm to his own beliefs. He was exiled by corrupt and jealous advisors to the king. In 278 BC, when his capital of Ying was captured by the state of Qin, he committed suicide by wading into the Milo River in the ultimate act of political protest. Now we don’t advocate suicide, but we realize that sometimes a well worded opinion piece will at least start discussion, and in some cases it may even result in change.

Qu Yuan

The Spirit of Qu Yuan lives today throughout the world and we respectfully pay homage to him by allowing for the publication of paddlers’ own firm beliefs.

Why do so many people feel that there is only one way to race dragon boats?
Sure, I understand about standardisation and appreciate the need for rules and regulations, but here’s the bottom line. As long as you have at least two dragon boats you can have a race. They don’t even need to match! The more the merrier but don’t get all hung up on having a huge festival with entertainment and food on a stick, just get out there and race! In some places the boats are used once a year and then sit unused for 11 months. To me this is pitiful. The boats should be loved and used and the dragons need to be fed with regular competition.

What is your organisation’s excuse?
Too much work… not enough people? It is great if you want to put in all the work and make the event special, but don’t let that stop you from just holding a race! Let’s review what you need to hold a successful race.
1. Water – it does not have to be a fancy race course, any body of water will do.
2. Boats – two dragon boats is enough for head to head competition
3. Teams – they don’t even need to be full teams! If one team is short, share paddlers and just get out there and have fun.

That’s it. The rest is just an excuse for making it more complicated. I know what you are thinking – no one will show up for just a race. There must be a sound system and a race course with buoys and tents and a matched set of dragon boats and we just can’t hold a race without food stores and entertainment, for what will we do between races?

Personally, I feel the best races are those where the paddlers are just having fun. It doesn’t even matter if you have two different brands of boats; a boat is a boat is a boat. Figure out a way to handicap them, like by weight and move on. What does matter is that you have a good time paddling, be it in practice or in competition. The sport is based on friendship, family and fun. Do not lose sight of the fun side of the sport.

BUK stands for “Boots und Kunststoffbau” or “Boots and Plastics”, a German company that manufacturers Dragon Boats. They have been constructing Dragon Boats since 1992 and have been at the top of their game. Most countries use BUK Dragon Boats and I am a bit biased but I think these are the best boats around today.

BUK has designed a Dragon Boat with great functionality and shows a high-level of workmanship. This can be seen when you hop into a boat and paddle with a crew, especially at International level where these boats perform extremely well!

What I have found within these boats is it provides lots of leg room and comfortable seating making the whole Dragon Boat paddling experience quite good. (Believe me, I have been on several boats and tried lots of different boats during my time in recreational and competitive dragon boating.) In the end I still prefer to sit in a BUK Dragon Boat.

Surprisingly the BUK weighs in at 250kg each and you may think wow, that is really heavy. But compare that to other dragon boats which can weigh up to 400kg, it’s actually lighter than most. What makes this boat also special is the way it is constructed giving it the rigidity and optimal durability in any condition. The BUK Dragon Boats are constructed with two shells (an inner and outer shell) like a sandwich. This way if anything gets damaged from the outer shell then it will not affect the inner shell and water should not get in.

Another great thing about the BUK Dragon Boats are the quick release hooks for putting on Drums, the tail, head and seats for the boats. This allows for the accessories to be dismantled and transported easily without getting damaged. Last thing I thought that was great, was the integrated carrying handles inside the boat allowing for 10 people to carry the boat on each side. No more getting splinters from wooden boats!

Over the years, BUK have worked with Great White North and other dragonboat associations to design and manufacture this excellent Dragon Boat that has led it to the product it is today. Overall if I were to buy one for the club I would give it all my thumbs up!

Specifications of BUK:

What are the IDBF standards for a Dragonboats?

For every Dragon Boat manufactured, the supplier must follow a certain guideline in order for it to qualify as an IDBF Standard Dragon Boat.

IDBF has a very detailed manual with all the technical aspects documented and today’s topic isn’t about all the nitty gritty stuff of a dragonboat. If you are interested in reading more, here is the manual: http://www.idbf.org/documents/Spec_Boat_Tech_Manual-A.pdf

Basically, the reason behind having a standard Dragon Boat specification drawn and followed is that Dragon Boat as a sport has become very competitive over the last two decades. This has led to the formation of a system and record keeping of events and times. Furthermore as technology has advanced and more people are pushing the limits of Dragonboating, the requirements to build dragon boats using other than the traditional materials has changed. Requirements such as the hull shape and other features has been modified to improve the performance of the dragon boat in competition. Nowadays instead of building a Dragon Boat out of timber (which a lot of countries still do), new emerging suppliers are using fibreglass composites with timber, or aluminum composites with carbon fibre. As you can see, introducing new materials and technology makes the boat lighter, streamline and therefore faster in competition achieving better results. This is not an unusual trait in modern sport.

However, a major part of the attraction and consequent success of dragon boating is due to its Chinese traditions, which include design features on the Dragon Boats, such as, the Head, Tail, Scales and Drum. If these traditional features were to be discarded in the pursuit of performance, then the sport of Dragon Boat Racing would lose a significant part of its traditions and appeal its unique identity.

Therefore IDBF formed common designs for both Championship Races and general development, and this was seen to be the best way to control the ‘technical evolution process’ and to ensure fair competition in Sport Racing. To achieve these common designs, especially in new and emerging ‘dragon boat countries’ it has become necessary to publish IDBF standards.

The IDBF Dragon Boat Models:

IDBF has developed two models of the International Racing Dragon Boat (IRDB). The first is the standard model 1222, which is designed for a crew of maximum 22 people. Just over 12 metres in length, the 1222 is the preferred model for use in Championship Regattas and in Sport and Festival Racing and general development amongst IDBF Members.

IRDB Model 1222 (Holds 22 paddlers)

The second is the smaller model 912, designed for crews of 12 or less. At 9 metres in length, the 912 is ideal for training purposes, junior racing, recreational dragon boating and general development, as well as a good alternative boat for Festival Races. The Hull shape and design is the same in both IRDB models but the overall dimensions are less for the 912 model.

IRDB Model 912 (Holds 10 paddlers)

So as you can see above there are two models of Dragon Boats, which are manufactured by IDBF approved suppliers mentioned in my previous post.

Over the next few days I will looking at the different types of dragonboats that are currently available and discussing which boats are commonly used. But firstly, let define what a dragonboat is:

What is a Dragon Boat?

Dragonboats

The definition from Wikipedia:
“A dragon boat or “dragonboat” is a very long and narrow human-powered boat now used in the team paddling sport of dragon boat racing which originated in China in pre-Christian times. While competition has taken place annually for more than 20 centuries as part of folk ritual, it emerged in modern times as an international “sport” in Hong Kong in 1976. Like running, horse racing and marksmanship, the racing of dragon boats is among mankind’s oldest organized competitions.

For competition events, dragon boats are generally rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. At other times the decorative regalia is usually removed, although the drum often remains aboard for training purposes. In some areas of China, the boats are raced without dragon adornments.

The standard crew complement of a contemporary dragon boat is around 22, comprising 20 paddlers in pairs facing toward the bow of the boat, 1 drummer or caller at the bow facing toward the paddlers, and 1 steerer or tiller(helm) at the rear of the boat, although for races it is common to have just 18 paddlers. Dragon boats vary in length and crew size will vary accordingly, from small dragon boats with 10 paddlers, up to the massive traditional boats which have upwards of 50 paddlers, plus drummer and steerer.”

Where can a dragon boat be bought?
A lot of times you can go directly to your dragonboat associations and ask them if they have any boats they are looking to upgrade and would like to sell to your club. If so that is a good way to pick up a dragonboat for a fraction of the cost of a new one. Alternatively if your club has funding then I would suggest seeking the various manufacturers below to purchase a brand new dragon boat.

Additionally you will need to factor in the costs of shipping and the suppliers may not just ship one boat because it’s not economically viable for them and you due to high shipping costs involved. Another issue you will need to consider is where to store the boat when you receive it and that’s another topic to discuss about.

For now here are the IDBF approved manufacturers for supplying dragon boats:

as at 1 Jan 2008

who is this calling?

Is your drummer useful or just dead weight? The effectiveness of the drummer varies greatly from team to team. Some want the smallest lightest body possible, while others see this as a critical and strategic part of the crew. Some teams rely heavily on the drum beat while others ignore it. Before continuing, let me pass on this passage from the Dragonboat.de web site:

The deceitful drum impact “I did not want to believe it and therefore I checked it once. Does the speed of the sound really have a negative effect on the uniformity of the stroke rate within a Dragon Boat or can you rely on the drum beat to set the stroke rate?

At a temperature of 18°C the speed of sound amounts to approx. 342 meters per second. The sound needs only approx. 0.03 seconds to travel the ten meters from the Drummer to the last paddling bench. With a frequency of 60 strokes per minute a paddle stroke takes one second and the hand of the Paddlers moves in this time approx. one meter. In 0.03 seconds the paddle moves thus 0.03 m = 3 cm. Related to the overall length of the paddle stroke a delay of 3% results. If one considers that over 10 paddling benches the total could be 30 cm the delay rises to nearly 10%. If you can believe in these numbers then the situation is what we always knew it to be – that the drum beat is only a paddling Rhythm. The question then arises: “Why do we need the Drummer?” – Very simply, because a Dragon Boat without Drummer is no longer a Dragon Boat and because we do need someone to throw into water after Racing and – finally we all want our fun!”

Mathematically the article may be right about the Drum Impact; but only mathematically. Most drummers can only be heard by the front half of the boat. The back half uses a variety of means to keep time including the most common method of watching the lead strokes. In many boats the helm will help relay communications to the back half. By working together the helm and the drummer form a team that ensures complete communication within the boat. Some of these teams use elaborate signals and code words to keep their crew informed, while keeping the competition in the dark.

Calling the finish or a rate up or a power sequence are all critical elements of a race and the paddlers all need this information simultaneously. Some teams overcome this with the use of electronics. The “cox-vox” is a system that amplifies a voice and projects it over three speakers in the boat. All paddlers are getting the information at the same time. My experience in international events shows that the microphone is used equally in the front and the back of the boat depending on where the team leader is located.

Don’t discount the steersperson when making your decision about the drummer. A good helm can read a race and is in a better position to see what is happening with the competition. Additionally, the helm is not occupied with the beating of the drum and trying to hang on to a tiny seat swaying in the wind. Regardless of whether or not your drummer is the key part of your team or just along for the ride, there is something to be said about the position. A drummer sitting tall beating the drum with vigour and rhythm is a beautiful sight and an integral part of the sport. The boom, boom, boom of the drums echoing across the water help differentiate our sport from all others and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If he or she has a loud voice that helps motivate the paddlers and carry the team to victory, all the better. Does a 3% lag mean so much that we should discount one of the cornerstones of the sport? Not in my opinion. Although I may disagree with the article I have to agree with one aspect. It is fun to take the person who has been yelling at you during all the practices and races and throw them into the water.