Our team has very few rules. Those we do have are for safety, training, or race strategy. All paddlers are required to follow these rules. They are:
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- A personal flotation device (PFD) is required at all times on the dock and in the boat. You are required to make sure the fit is snug and the straps are tight. A loose PFD will not help you in the unlikely event you end up in the water.
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- Warm-up before practice is required. This is to prepare our muscles for the strenuous activity of paddling and reduce risk of injury.
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- All paddlers must complete the Wellness Warriors Application and Waiver, and read the Health Emergency Plan. These documents are available on our Application and Waiver page.
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- Once you are assigned a specific seat on the boat, you may not change your placement unless directed by the coach, practice coordinator or captain. There are many considerations for paddler placement when loading a boat. The primary consideration is safety, making sure the boat is evenly balanced between the left side and the right side. A second consideration is placement for training purposes. A third is to try people out in new positions. Please remember, just because there is a paddler in front of you, that does not mean he or she is a better paddler than you are! Every position in the boat is equally important.
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- When boarding a boat, do not climb across another boat to get to your seat, except in special situations, and done with great caution and specific instructions. Our routine is that the boat will be brought adjacent to the dock and you will be instructed when to load.
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- People are to be quiet when loading or unloading the boat. No talking.
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- Once on the water, while the steerer has ultimate command of the boat, the drummer and steerer work together for safety. The drummer, who sits at the front of the boat, calls out coaching instructions. At all times, though, any instructions called out by the steerer must be obeyed instantly.
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- In order to paddle in the Boston Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in June, the race committee requires each paddler to attend a minimum of three practices before the time trials. For races later in the summer, we require participation in at least three or four out of the six practice leading up to a race, depending on your race boat. All paddlers wishing to race will need to register and sign waivers required by the particular festival they are joining.
