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Dragon Boat Canada


IDBF


Canoe Kayak Canada

190 Guests, 0 Users

[Freelancer]

I beg to differ Sir Moturismo.

We have to think about every race as being critical.

We are talking about one individual putting the lives of everyone in their hands. What happens if they lose control and T-Bone..(and it has happened before). Think of the injuries that are caused...simply because the teams DO NOT practice with this steersperson enough. Are the coaches NOT thinking when they put these individuals in these boats without enough experience?....are they making sure the boat is balanced so as not to affect the power and cause the boat to pull to one side?

Think about it people......put yourself in the position of possibly being hit by an out of control dragonboat weighing possibly more than 2 tons and injuring you to the point where you can't paddle anymore.

Steersperson are individuals that have to live with that memory for the rest of their lives. Coaches have to teach their steerspersons just as they have to coach the paddlers.....and you know what.....I can tell you right now....there are a lot of "so called" coaches out there that have never even steered a boat themselves. So....think about that.

My opinion on all of this.

Good points on the job of steersperson Guido! Sorry for the rant I'm gonna post but I think it'll clarify some things on steerspeople...

As a steersperson myself I can attest to the fact that it is taken for granted and underrated. You're expected to make a boat go straight which on paper can seem pretty simple but in practice isn't. In a race if a paddlers screws up the team can win the race, but if a steersperson screws up... it will have a direct affect on the race. There is definitely a certain requirement of strength and balance for the position as well as keeping calm under pressure. Maybe this is more the case in comp teams but they usually have more seasoned steerspeople. As well as the fact that most teams in general don't field a full boat in practice vs races which changes the way the boat steers as well.

All steersperson go through accrediation now as required by Alcan... but that doesn't mean things can't happen. Just like how anyone can get a drivers license but doesn't mean accidents won't happen. The only true experience that a steersperson is gonna get is through things like regattas and big races, not steering solo with nothing really to line up against or racing 1 or 2 teams. So yes mistakes are gonna be made, we're all human here... and to error is human as they say...

As for putting most of the blame on the coaches? It's a tough call just because there is only so much a coach can teach beyond what is taught in the accrediation especially if you're on a rec team that only puts in 1 month of practice time just before the big race. I think most rec teams find it hard just to get someone to steer as most ppl want to paddle.

Okay I'm done... and somehow i feel a moderator temped to push the OTT button on this post...

PS. I also feel for the newbie steerspeople in Geminis as they are 2 or 3 times harder to work with than 6-16s.

[paddleboy]

I just want to add that the steersperson also has the job of indentifing the difference between animal types .For example ............you must be able to indentify the difference between a brown lab and a seal for example . In the case of the seal you just run over (keel hull) it but if it was a brown lab than you must make a hard turn to avoid collision . Now if it were a black lab disguised as a brown lab wearing a seal outfit then the choice is that of the steerspersons .......... run over it or hard avoidance turn ? ..................man it's a tough life being a steersperson sometimes  

[Lethal Weapon]

you must be able to indentify the difference between a brown lab and a seal for example . In the case of the seal you just run over (keel hull) it but if it was a brown lab than you must make a hard turn to avoid collision . Now if it were a black lab disguised as a brown lab wearing a seal outfit then the choice is that of the steerspersons .......... run over it or hard avoidance turn ? .

Yes. It gets even worse when the seal disguised as a brown lab but is really a black lab that you must ensure the black lab doesn't below to DZ staff members (hmmm do I sense a conspiracy here???!?!?!?!?)

Not to belittle the role of the steers person ....I  have had the misfirtune of trying to steer the Gemini's for a practice and when waves or wakes hit the boat it is difficult to hold the line (I can imagine with boats on either side and if you get smacked the wake for the lead boats)

And having a torpedo stealth dog doesn't help either..

[Colossus]

am i the only one who likes steering the gemini more than the 6-16?

[ConfusedAsian]

am i the only one who likes steering the gemini more than the 6-16?

I like steering in the gemini too

[Freelancer]

am i the only one who likes steering the gemini more than the 6-16?

What is it do you like about it???

[Colossus]

i like that there's an actual standing area and not some bar that runs between my legs, i like that they're lighter and easier to steer over all (albiet more tipsy in rougher waters).  just like steering in them.  hate paddling in them (i'm 6'4" with LONG legs), but i like them for steering. hehe

[ConfusedAsian]

am i the only one who likes steering the gemini more than the 6-16?

What is it do you like about it???

More room to steer if you have a full boat there's little room on the 6-16 to steer and I agree that it handles a lot better than the 6-16. paddling I also like the gemini Haha although I'm like a short asian kid so I don't have the room issue

[Colossus]

am i the only one who likes steering the gemini more than the 6-16?

What is it do you like about it???

More room to steer if you have a full boat there's little room on the 6-16 to steer and I agree that it handles a lot better than the 6-16. paddling I also like the gemini Haha although I'm like a short asian kid so I don't have the room issue

hehe  our boat is rarely full, so i forgot about the full boat/space issue, but very true.  
i wish i was a short asian dude when it comes to paddling in the geminis.....

[Freelancer]

i like that there's an actual standing area and not some bar that runs between my legs,
i like that they're lighter and easier to steer over all (albiet more tipsy in rougher waters).  
just like steering in them.

Heh nice poem... I guess one man's junk is another man's treasure... I prefer the centre beam because it helps support me for a more solid stance(I stand sideways). No matter what I do in the gemini's designated steers person area there is no real support area, and combine that with a wet surface on plastic... someone is bound to slip in or out of the boat... the sand paper strips help... a little... or the fact if the boat gets very tippy, again very easy to slip and fall.

As for the better steering, again same idea. It's more sensitive which some people like, but I'm sure some people don't, just like the steering wheel of a car. But I see it as pointless to have sensitive steering when going straight. On the flip side if you do a hard turn on a gemini the boat goes off-balance which basically freaks everyone on the boat out.

I will say 1 good thing bout the steering gemini, it is easier to park! 8)

[Colossus]

my shoes get really good grip on those sandpaper strips, even when completely soaked with water, and the standing area soaked.  i brace my feet at the top right and bottom left corners (i stand at an angle)
i have pretty good balance most of the time, so i dont' notice the loss of balance thing as much i guess.

100% agree on parking

[Rossifumi]

The Geminis are awesome for the 2000m race, turns on a dime!

I prefer steering Geminis as well to the 16's.

[No shirt guy]

am i the only one who likes steering the gemini more than the 6-16?

I'll have to agree, you have, what seems like, a lot more room to stand and manouver the boat.  Although my experience is limited to all pratices when our steersperson isn't there.

[gunghaggis]

Guido wrote:

Think about it people......put yourself in the position of possibly being hit by an out of control dragonboat weighing possibly more than 2 tons and injuring you to the point where you can't paddle anymore.

Steersperson are individuals that have to live with that memory for the rest of their lives. Coaches have to teach their steerspersons just as they have to coach the paddlers.....and you know what.....I can tell you right now....there are a lot of "so called" coaches out there that have never even steered a boat themselves. So....think about that.

I will side with Guido on what he says here, especially since many people simply DO NOT THINK about safety in a dragon boat.  Beginner and Recreation teams think this is FUN stuff.  They take their dog on the boat with them, they talk on their cell phone - all during practice.

Ideally, steering a dragon boat is like taking a bus on the road.  You need a special licence for that.  So... ideally, all steerspeople should be taking the special license course that is required for power boats over 13 feet, which will be soon be mandatory (for powerboats).  Dragon boats technically fall into the clause for athletic race events - but then technically should therefore be followed by a coach boat, as the racing skulls are on the creek.

I already had 23 years of power boat and row boat experience before I ever steered a dragon boat.  Gaging drift and momentuum is difficult to teach a newby steersperson.  They always end up oversteering.  If somebody really wants to learn how to steer a boat - go practice in a canoe, kayak or outrigger on their own.  They will learn how a boat feels and handles on its own.  Then graduate to larger boats to learn how to handle the near 2 tons of weight and figure out the impossibility of trying to stop it all by yourself.

During practice, take the boat in "S" turns while the team is going full-bore.  Maybe the team won't like it if water comes in on a tight turn, but if their steersperson can master the technique, it may one day save their finger, hand, arm, or life.  Especially have the team go full-bore, then have the steersperson make a sharp turn - then correct themselves.  This is especially important for the team to develop their ability to recover from an unexpected "incident" and keep their focus.

TRUE STORY: In Portland, a dragon boat team was out at night... and their steers person went behind a tugboat.  But they did not see the barge behind the tugboat.  They hit the towline and the boat went down.  Everybody and the boat went under the barge.  Everybody lived, and survived safely, but the steersperson never returned to dragon boating.  This story was told to me by Wasabi paddlers.

So... make sure your coach knows how to steer a boat, and is an accredited steersperson before you hire them.

Oh - how do we know your coach is accredited?  That's another string.
But "potential" coaches can take Alan Carlson's technical dragon boat coaching course (recognized by Dragon Boat Canada).  People can take the NCCP flat water technical course and they can take the NCCP coaching theory courses - that are required by every RECOGNIZED SPORT across Canada.

[ConfusedAsian]

Just got accredited today and passed with flying colour , Wonder when I can expect my green vest in the mail?