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Dragon Boat Canada


IDBF


Canoe Kayak Canada

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[Aquaman]

This weekend is the Vernon Dragon Boat Festival, one of the best-run and most fun DB festivals in Western Canada.
Teams that are going (that I know of) include Pacific Reach, Sudden Impact Black, Calgary Race Club, Starbucks Waverunners, Fluid Motion, TopMade Fusion and Gung Haggis Fat Choy.  Who else is attending?

[Lethal Weapon]

Anyone know what boats they will be using?
If it is those Dynasty bathtubs then you better bring a pad to protect your ribs and goggles to swim if the wind picks up in the Afternoon! Mind you with the amount if Capsizes we have had this year, the BUKS aren't really wave worthy boats either (more for teams who have never paddled in them) but the teams who have experience in them are ok
6-16 anyone? ***


*** please note that these comments are from someone who cannot swim ands sinks like a rock with an anchor attached to it and are not nessassarily the views of the 99% of the people who can. 

[cherry wahine]

The Wahines will be there!!!

[Aquaman]

Anyone know what boats they will be using?
If it is those Dynasty bathtubs then you better bring a pad to protect your ribs and goggles to swim if the wind picks up in the Afternoon! Mind you with the amount if Capsizes we have had this year, the BUKS aren't really wave worthy boats either (more for teams who have never paddled in them) but the teams who have experience in them are ok
6-16 anyone? ***

All races will indeed be in the venerable Dynasty boats this year.
They are still great to race in...the fact that the Dynasty's have no keel to speak of just makes them tough for those not used to them, especially in windy conditions.  With BUK's, you can take the oar out of the water at times, assuming your left and right paddlers are fairly evenly matched. 
In Dynasty's, you should never take the oar out of the water or you risk spinning out.  With no keel, they will not hold a straight line without active input from the steersperson.
My understanding is that there will be several Calgary steerpeople on site to assist with steering if the conditions get ugly (as they did Sunday morning last year).
The weekend is supposed to have fantastic weather, the same rocking band will be there from last year and CRC will be bringing their "Sunday afternoon friend" with them...so expect a good time to be had by all.

[Lethal Weapon]

Nice  nice!
Luckily I will be in a nice motorized Boat next to or behind u guys watching the fun!

CRC will be bringing their "Sunday afternoon friend" with them...so expect a good time to be had by all.

Geez
I wonder what that is?
I will be on hand to take Spy shots so we can use it to develop V3.0  for next year....

[Aquaman]

Nice  nice!
Luckily I will be in a nice motorized Boat next to or behind u guys watching the fun!

CRC will be bringing their "Sunday afternoon friend" with them...so expect a good time to be had by all.

Geez
I wonder what that is?
I will be on hand to take Spy shots so we can use it to develop V3.0  for next year....

LOL
Last year, the Shocker wreaked havoc on dozens of livers that experienced it in the Vernon Beer Tent...in 2008, expect the Fat Finger to double the carnage!
Our crack engineering team (aka Road//Rash) has burned the blueprints and keeps the latest version under guard at all times.  Everyone involved in the manufacture of the monstrosity has been "silenced".  Take all the pics you want, but the secrets of the Fat Finger are safe!

 

[rightarm]

oh i so wish i was going.  this is the best all-around festival by far...   oh the trials and tribulations of being a photographer in wedding season... 

good luck to all! 

[mustbecrazy]

Right Arm, 

We wish you were going too!  Just won't be the same without you!

[gunghaggis]

This will be the 2nd year of racing in Vernon for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. 
This will be my 3rd time in Vernon, as I volunteered for the inaugural race.

I end up at Vernon, simply because I have to visit my girlfriend's parents at their lakeside home (10 minutes from the race site), and dragon boat racing gives me an opportunity to get away from social obligations.

This race venue has a host of challenges to overcome to really be one of the best in Western Canada (sorry Aquaman).

The problems with Vernon are many:

The beach sand is too hot and you can easily burn your feet (warn your paddlers about sun stroke!)
The weather is sooo hot, you spend most of the time in the water (really awkward if you forget a bathing suit and are wearing a kilt)
The ice capuccino vendor is too close to the team tents... I overdosed on caffeine last year and had a brain freeze at the same time.
Too many wineries in the Okanagan, it's too easy to get lost on the way there, having to stop at this winery and that winery.  The wines are too tasty you've got to have a nice wine glass in your hand 24 hours a day.  This makes paddling very challenging.
The water is soooo clear, I can see the fishies.  Our paddlers get scared during the races.
Too many Calgary teams... I felt like I was amongst so many friends, I hadn't left Vancouver.  So much for an Okanagan vacation to try to get away from it all.

[Martini]

The problems with Vernon are many:

The beach sand is too hot and you can easily burn your feet (warn your paddlers about sun stroke!)
The weather is sooo hot, you spend most of the time in the water (really awkward if you forget a bathing suit and are wearing a kilt)
The ice capuccino vendor is too close to the team tents... I overdosed on caffeine last year and had a brain freeze at the same time.
Too many wineries in the Okanagan, it's too easy to get lost on the way there, having to stop at this winery and that winery.  The wines are too tasty you've got to have a nice wine glass in your hand 24 hours a day.  This makes paddling very challenging.
The water is soooo clear, I can see the fishies.  Our paddlers get scared during the races.
Too many Calgary teams... I felt like I was amongst so many friends, I hadn't left Vancouver.  So much for an Okanagan vacation to try to get away from it all.

You're right, I can't believe anyone would actually want to go there to race!

[Aquaman]

The problems with Vernon are many:

The beach sand is too hot and you can easily burn your feet (warn your paddlers about sun stroke!)
The weather is sooo hot, you spend most of the time in the water (really awkward if you forget a bathing suit and are wearing a kilt)
The ice capuccino vendor is too close to the team tents... I overdosed on caffeine last year and had a brain freeze at the same time.
Too many wineries in the Okanagan, it's too easy to get lost on the way there, having to stop at this winery and that winery.  The wines are too tasty you've got to have a nice wine glass in your hand 24 hours a day.  This makes paddling very challenging.
The water is soooo clear, I can see the fishies.  Our paddlers get scared during the races.
Too many Calgary teams... I felt like I was amongst so many friends, I hadn't left Vancouver.  So much for an Okanagan vacation to try to get away from it all.

You're right, Todd, when you put it like that, it sounds like hell!  Too much sun, too much (clean) water, too much swimming, too much alchohol and iced caps!  Not to mention those crazy Calgarians all over the place (CRC/TopMade/ADBRF).   
See ya in Vernon!  And watch out for Race 8 at 10:15...CRC, Fluid Motion and a certain Sino-Scottish team that you may be aware of...
 

[Shaggin_Diamond]

Todd, you are hilarious!

Shaggin Dragons Reloaded will be there to help lube things up and stamp you all at beer o'clock

Here's to good times and great racing folks!

[gunghaggis]

DON'T FORGET:

Evil Okanagan winds...
Last year, the winds were up on Sunday morning - and the Dynasty boat's keel-less rounded hulls can be easily knocked about.  I got knocked off my lead stroke seat last year by a rogue power boat wave, and our steers got knocked off her feet.  Unsuspecting drummers have also been known to fall into Kalamalka Lake.

Evil Power Boats & water skiers
Lots of Kal Lake vacationers/residents have no idea about dragon boats, and the time honoured cultural experience we offer.  They speed around like they own the lake... you think they could read the signs saying "reduce boat wake - important cultural experience happening"

Evil Sun + Tents
The Sun is hot! Expect 30 degree temperature on Saturday! Vernon Races do not provide tents - You must bring your own.  I forgot 2 years ago and had to pick a tent up at Canadian Tire.  Weather report is for RAIN on Sunday.  Rain + Sand reminds me of Harrison. 

Evil Beer Garden / Cage
alcohol and too much sun = dehydration and heat stroke... so drink twice as much as you normally do.
Not much cover in beer garden so remember to bring your own tents and umbrellas for personal shade.
It's more like a cage with a high metal fence around you instead of nice respectable civilized waist-high fencing.  You feel like a wild animal sitting inside the beer garden.
Kilt Warning - don't wear a kilt around female beer drinkers who have lost all sense of inhibition and social conduct. Maybe that's why it's got cage fencing for the "cougars".

Evil Eye + Sunglasses
These are important - not just because of the increased glare on the water and sand... but all the hot oil glistening off the topless males and bikini topped females.  Wear your sun glasses, and never let your coach know that your focus is out of the boat, or away from the team.

Evil Lubricant
Shaggin' Dragons Reloaded in Vernon? Oh My! lubricant + sand???  'nuff said!

There are SO MANY NEGATIVES to dragon boat racing in Vernon.  I don't know why I keep timing my 3X Vernon vacations for dragon boats.

[kryssee]

So, I'm starting to wonder if the lake got choppy again and all of you paddlers were lost at "sea"! I have never seen this forum so quiet after a regatta! Either it was perfect (aka..no complaints!) or you're all still trying to make your way back to shore! I heard Sudden Impact took gold in mixed, Extreme Curves took gold in womens..but that's about it! Any results? Stories? More importantly..pictures?? 

[DiggerPig]

Hey Kryssee,

   

Either it was perfect (aka..no complaints!) or you're all still trying to make your way back to shore!

No it was not "perfect" and most of us did not make it back to shore until late last night ... curse that Calgary Beer Bong!   

Vernon itself was awesome venue and like always Water's Edge did a great job running the races BUT those Dynasty Boats need to find a shallow grave and man was that water choppy.  There was two delays on Sunday due to choppy water and one boat flipping. 

As for the finals you are correct the Women's Final had Extreme Curves beating Mana Wahine for first and Sudden Impact Black just beating Pacific Reach for top spot this weekend.

By just I meant 2:09.47 vs. 2:09.61  Great Race Pacific Reach.

In our third race (SI Black) we almost flipped the boat ... I swore to my team that if we flipped we were going to paddle to the finish line sideways or I was going to swim to the finish line.

Unfortunately Calgary (we really wanted to battle with them) had a mishap in their semifinals but we know we'll battle them again down the road. 

Could Vernon be better ... yeah but it was a great venue, great community support, and there is also great competition from Calgary, Vancouver, and the surrounding communities.