Dragon Boat West

This probably seem like a bunch of amateurish questions but this is our first time flying out of town to another festival! 

What do you guys do with your paddles when you fly?  Do you pay extra?  Can you take your paddle on board?  It's so thin it probably can slip into the overhead compartment along with other bags?

We have heard tons of horror luggage stories... we just don't want to be a statistic.  :x

Just a bit worried about possible paddle damage - so appreciate any feedback here!

You cannot put your paddle in the overhead bin as it is considered sports gear.  Depending on what airline you are flying on, you will get either 1 or 2 free checked bags.  Highly recommend you do not put all the paddles in one bag.  Split them up.  A snowboard bag works really well and can take quite a few paddles.  Share with a couple of people and split the cost if you have to pay.  It usually costs no more than $25.00 bag.  Burnwater sells a small and large paddle bag.  Some people have used a golf bag as well.   Good luck.

Because the paddle is so long, it may not fit in the overhead bin. One team used two plastic garbage cans and taped it together. Inside were the paddles with pfds. If you are travelling solo, I had my charged as extra baggage, sport equipment one way and free as sport equipment the other way on the same airline (Air Canada).

Thanks guys!  We are going down to San Francisco in September and some peeps are driving down just to transport the paddles so I just thought to pose a question here to see how it works out!

^ I'd suggest speaking to Kerry about potentially borrowing his "bazooka container." You can fit all your paddles and pad it more with clothes or something to ensure there's no clanking of paddles.

If you've got good paddles, it's good to take them. However, if you're paddling with regular, nothing special paddles, I'd suggest leaving yours at home and using whatever regatta paddles are available. That being said, 3 of us flew this year on American, used a golf bag and padded it with our PFDs. Good luck.

@StrokeItHard Thanks!  Will ask Kerry about his "bazooka container" if his team is not racing in San Fran!

@Bling_it_on  Most of us have our carbon fiber paddles and a few of us have our good wooden paddles so... I think we definitely want to paddle with them!  :lol:  Will need to look into golf bags too.