A mixed crew of paddlers from the mid-Vancouver Island area had just completed the on-water portion of a Waters Edge Stroke Improvement clinic and were about to head for home when the skipper of the chase boat inadvertantly gunned his engines.

The prop wash/wake hit the boat with a large wave,  and the boat, which was sitting calm in the water, rolled almost instantly, sending the crew of 22 into a frigid Newcastle channel. No dragon boat could have survived such a wave and remained upright; it was too big and too fast.

The stroke improvement clinic’s coach called the Coast Guard Auxillary almost instantly, and her fast action led to a rapid response and rescue. Two yachts were on hand to assist paddlers out of the water…as paddlers were transported to shore, I found myself sitting in a dinghy, soaking wet, holding on to the painter of the overturned dragon boat, drifting slowly to the nearest marina.

Champion dragon boat and crew – the boat capsized about 30 minutes after this photo was taken.

After 30 minutes or so, the chase boat returned and we towed the dragon boat to our slip and secured her, upside down, along side. After we had completed the job, the Coast Guard Auxillary’s boat arrived, and the crew volunteered to right the boat and pump it out.

…and that’s exactly what they did. Major hugs to a professional and competent CGA crew for service well above and beyond the call of duty!

I realized, during and after the event, that most of what I had been taught with respect to capsized dragon boats was nonsense at  best. My paddlers couldn’t have grasped hands across the overturned hull even if they’d wanted to – most of them ended up on the same side of the boat, and getting to the other side was a non-starter.

Those who ended up beneath the boat found it difficult to join the rest of the crew, as their PDFs resisted  letting them go down far enough to clear the gunwale. One got out by kicking paddlers who were holding the gunwale outside the boat to get their attention.

One paddler was wearing an inflatable vest which did not automatically inflate when she hit the water. Had she been hit by the boat and rendered unconscious, she would not have been able to inflate the vest, and probably would not have survived.

I would like to hear from other paddlers who have been participants in a dragon boat huli. Their views with respect to safety procedures would be helpful in formulating better and more relevant safety drills.

The Coast Guard Auxillary will host an incident de-briefing on May 12th at their Rescue Center, beginning at 6:30pm.

The video analysis portion of the clinic will be held later this month, on May 15th (between 4 and 6pm) – watch this article for the location.

]]> http://dragonboatpaddlers.net/415/major-kudus-to-the-nanaimo-coast-guard-auxillary/feed/ 0 http://dragonboatpaddlers.net/220/whistler-to-host-2010-canadian-national-dragon-boat-championships/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=whistler-to-host-2010-canadian-national-dragon-boat-championships http://dragonboatpaddlers.net/220/whistler-to-host-2010-canadian-national-dragon-boat-championships/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:00:16 +0000 Coach http://dragonboatpaddlers.net/?p=220

2010 Canadian National Dragon Boat Championships 

July 3 & 4, Whistler B.C.



This years' Whistler Dragon Boat Festival will also be
home to the Canadian National Dragon Boat Championships.


The event is sure to bring even more excitement and thrills
for everyone involved, racers and spectators alike.



Join Waters Edge and Dragon Boat Canada for a weekend on
Alta Lake's Rainbow Park and enjoy some of the most
spectacular scenery in the world, surrounded with beating
drums, fierce paddling, cheering spectators, and live
entertainment!



The event is going to be awesome! Dragon Boat Canada is
working with Waters Edge, Flight Centre and the Town
of Whistler to get the  best rates possible for your travel
and accomodation, so this will be a weekend to remember!



The Divisions are:



Junior Class - Races may be held for Single or Mixed gender
crews or in Open Competition, as shown above, with the
exception of the Steerer (Helm) the following age categories,
as at the 1st January, will apply to the Junior Class:



Junior A (Competitors under the age of 18 but at least
12 years old.)



Junior B (Competitors under the age of 16 but at least 12 years old.)



NOTE: This means that a competitor whose 18th; 16th or 14th
birthday falls on or after 1st January, in a given year, can
compete in that year only, as a 17, 15 or 13 year old,
respectively.



18-23
Premier
Senior
Breast Cancer Survivor
Grand Dragons
Great Grand Dragons




BUK dragon boats will be used in the National Championships.



Registration is split. Teams wishing to register for the National
Championships should contact chloe Greenhalgh, Dragon Boat
 Canada Executive Director. Her email address is
execdirector@dragonboatcanada.org.



Waters Edge is registering teams participating in the
Whistler Dragon Boat Festival. You can register online
securely here:


http://mysidebiz.info/ar/t.php?id=52

I was unable to determine whether or not Waters Edge
will offer Swift boat (10 man dragon boat) sprints, as that
decision has not been made yet.



The 30 foot Swifts have proven to be a popular addition
to the Waters Edge fleet, and I am hoping they will have
time in the busy Whistler schedule to fit them in.





(Click here to learn more about the Swift Small Dragon Boat)

 

cforms contact form by delicious:days

The clinic will be open only to team members until April 1, when any remaining seats will be offered to Ergondragons members.

Several Phoenix Rising members have taken this course at least once (as I have), and recommend it highly. If you’re serious about improving your technique, this workshop is a must!

Waters Edge describes the course as follows:  ”The building blocks to an efficient and effective paddle stroke include such elements as paddle entry and recovery. This six-hour session will dismantle the mystique of the paddle stroke and provide participants with a strong foundation for stroke mechanics. The morning begins with a dry-land session on stroke technique followed by an on-water session, which will include individual stroke development and drills. The morning will conclude with a video taping session. The afternoon portion continues with individual stroke correction through video analysis, as well as, a follow-up on-water session. You will gain a greater understanding of the basic fundamentals and take away some key pointers that will be sure to improve your stroke significantly.”

Duration: 6.0 hours

Registration will open in December, and require a non-refundable $50 deposit. Team members will receive invitations by email in early December, and again in early February.

Fees: Early Birds $70 Through March 31, 2010
$75 from April 1, 2010
$50 Non-Refundable deposit must accompany registration

Arms should be held at shoulder height and kept fully extended.

Coaches should watch for improper technique – note that the paddler in the rear does not have her arms extended, and will gain no benefit from the drill.

This drill provides an effective means of encouraging a single paddler to hinge properly while the rest of the crew continues to paddle, as this photo illustrates.
Ken McVay photos

It sells for $33, and, judging from the moans and groans from my paddlers, it’s a great tool for enhancing ROM (Range of Movement) and paddling technique.

Highly recommended!