Answers to Frequently asked questions About dragon boaT
-
I’ve never heard of dragon boating, what is that?
A dragon boat is a 800+lb, long watercraft with 10 rows of seats that sits 20 people. It originates from southern China, specifically the Guangdong Province. The boat is traditionally decorated with a dragon head at the front, a tail in the back, and scales along the body (aka a dragon boat). The sport of dragon boat racing is when 20 paddlers fill the boat, along with a drummer at the front and a steers person in the back, and propels the vessel forward using synchronized human-power. Races are held across the country and throughout the world, from a recreational-level to a world-competitive level.
-
How do you train in the winter in New England?
Like true New Englanders, we try to stay outside until it’s physically too uncomfortable to do so. We are on the water canoeing, outrigger canoeing, and/or dragon boating until at least early/mid-October and then find alternative ways to train indoors through April. Our “land” workouts are a mixture of strength, conditioning/HIIT, and paddle erging. All of this is focused on making us stronger paddlers for when we get back on the water in May. You can read more about our training and contact us to join a session.
-
Do you do anything else besides paddle?
What brings us together is the common interest of paddling, but what holds us together as a crew is working out, eating, and volunteering together. Yes, paddling and training come first, but oftentimes you’ll find us hanging out at game nights, hot pot or BBQ gatherings, or doing a weekend hike. Teammates that train and race together build invaluable bonds.
-
What if I’m not sure if I’ll like paddling or if it’s for me?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky Are we right or are we right? In other words, you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying it out, whether it’s coming to a winter weights session or getting into the dragon boat. Equipment and coaching instructions will be provided to you, we only ask that you be open-minded and push yourself.
-
What level is Wolfpack Racing Club?
WRC is a club-level dragon boat team. This means it’s an extra-curricular hobby for our members and we choose to take the time to competitively train and race at festivals throughout the summer. Our members and coaches all volunteer to participate in this club and are not compensated. The races are generally for placement and medals, and to give us a goal to train towards. We hope to eventually reach the level where we can race on a national and then international level.
-
Does it cost anything?
Our membership fee is $350 for the whole season — that’s 11 months of unlimited practices — and access to our team outrigger canoes on your own time during water season. If you are 23yo and under, we offer a discounted membership of $200 for the season.
-
What does it mean to become a member?
When you become a part of The Pack, you become part of a family and social network that trains, races, and hangs out together. In addition to weekly practices, we have monthly and ad-hoc social gatherings from hiking to dinners to pool parties to yoga. You become part of a community that you can count on both on and off the boat.