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Dragon Boat Canada


IDBF


Canoe Kayak Canada

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[rb]

The biggest factor on boat speed is the cleanliness. It doesn't take much of a film on the boat to really slow it down. As long as they're cleaned that's the biggest thing. Weight is next. If they're weighed and then sandbags added to make them all the same then you're pretty good. After that maybe straightness if they've been hit, but like I said the cleanliness is the biggest factor. Tell me they're clean and I'm relatively happy.

[kryssee]

WOOHOO! We have a race grid! (The woohoo's for the grid..not for our start time..lol) 

http://www.fraservalleydragonboatclub.com/documents/Regatta%20Info/Race%20Grid%202007.pdf

[ian]

Quote from the "Prez"

In reply to the people who are worried about the boats not being clean. It is 11:00pm right  now. We had a work b tonight with approx 7 people. Six boats were picked up and have arrived. We managed to pressure wash, scrub, clean and polish three tonight and will be finishing the last three tomorrow. Another boat is being delivered tomorrow morning and will also be cleaned and polished and pressure washed. To the people who are worried about the boats and the shape they are in they will not believe the difference and we have taken before and after pictures.
THE BOATS WILL BE CLEAN

[fvdbcprez]

Hi Bern Man, Manfred here.
Was nice putting a face to a name on Monday night.
Your comment about the boat being a slug was correct.
When we pulled it out of the water,
there was an inch thick coating of barnicals on it.
No need to tow a tire for a resistance training practice.
It took 4 people an hour to scrap the barnicals off before we could use a 3000 psi pressure washer to get to the outside of the boat. We scrubbed the surface to find an off white colour under all this stuff.
Some of the other boats were just about as bad, but the one your team was in when you paddled it to the dock was the worse.
No wonder you guy's are so strong after paddling one of these crusted boats.
So don't worry, they're all being cleaned so when you win it won't be because the other teams had slower boats.
It'll be because you were the best team on that day.
Manfred A Preuss
FVDBC PREZ

[BernMan]

Hi Bern Man, Manfred here.
Was nice putting a face to a name on Monday night.
Your comment about the boat being a slug was correct.
When we pulled it out of the water,
there was an inch thick coating of barnicals on it.
No need to tow a tire for a resistance training practice.
It took 4 people an hour to scrap the barnicals off before we could use a 3000 psi pressure washer to get to the outside of the boat. We scrubbed the surface to find an off white colour under all this stuff.
Some of the other boats were just about as bad, but the one your team was in when you paddled it to the dock was the worse.
No wonder you guy's are so strong after paddling one of these crusted boats.
So don't worry, they're all being cleaned so when you win it won't be because the other teams had slower boats.
It'll be because you were the best team on that day.
Manfred A Preuss
FVDBC PREZ

Geez all this pressure by the prez. FYI Phat Phish is a strong REC team in my opinion but always striving to be better. But it was nice meeting you too Manfred. And thanks for agreeing that the particular boat in question was not something just in my mind!    But thank you goes out to you and your crew putting this race on and taking care of any concerns even before the racing begings. All we ask is for fair racing and by the sounds of things it will be. Good luck to us all! And heres hoping for yet another more paddler friendly/spectator friendly weather forecast!

[paddlecwazy]

I appreciate all the hard work in getting the boats cleaned... but cleanliness was never an issue for me in terms of the boats disparity.

If the only thing that made a "slow boat" slow was it's level of cleanliness then would we all have had to endure Barney for so many years.... and if it's the same fleet of boats as last year, then I assume we can expect the now white Barney will be used at harrison again.... as well as the FVDBC boats which have not been the same since they were involved in an accident a few years back and allegedly caused such havoc last year in Kelowna.

Looking at the race grid, it is pretty obvious that no attempt has been made to seed teams...given that cumulative times are bing used the only fair thing to do would be to assign teams to heats then have a random draw for lanes while in pre-marshalling (just like they did at Alcan in the old days)....that way no one can point fingers at the end of the day and say their fate we predetermined by their lane assignment.

[harshness]

Yea but who draws first?

[Monk]

You know, as long as the boats are clean that's as much as anyone can ask for... And I hope that this thread won't degenerate into one of those 'its so unfair' discussions.

As for Barney:

I've heard of 'Barney' for a number of years and though I haven't had the pleasure, I am beginning to think that its disadvantage is psychological.

I mean, assuming that it is clean and that it has the same hull geometry, the only undermining factor would be weight. When one considers the total weight of boat & crew, the differential would have to be significant to have any noticable effect.

[Lethal Weapon]

As for Barney:

I've heard of 'Barney' for a number of years and though I haven't had the pleasure, I am beginning to think that its disadvantage is psychological

Beg to Differ but I have experineced Barney first hand as a daily practice boat and during MANY races
Not an engineer or such but To say Barney can affect an outcome of a race or performance of a team is an understatement
I've seen Barney drag Competative teams down to Rec level due to its inability to have ANY glide what so ever the teams not adjusting to him/her
The only way to make it move was to up your rate considerably to compensate for the lack of Glide and Leave your lungs and other vital organs in a tupperware container so u can find them after a 300 meter finish (required to keep Barney in the pack)
That being said I do not know what makes a boat a pig but being around a bit I can recognize the bloodline of Barney no matter what color they paint them.....
Otherwise I predict SUN Bernman in this weekend!
And THANK Goodness for no Mz Dragonboat, My womens team threatened to shave me....
(more than I am already shaved...Doh! TMI)

[glowing_ice]

barney is old, it's splintering (watch your ass when you sit down), and there's multiple layers of paint over it.  i doubt it's even the same weight class or hull shape as when it was brand spanking new.  no wonder it doesn't glide.

it's a slug boat... great for resistence training. yes no?

[rightarm]

Indeed, if a team wants a great resistance training tool, look no further than the ghostly white, formerly-purple-thus-known-as-"Barney" boat, it is second to none.  Definitely not psychological.

having said that, if its in the fleet, then deal with it.  that would be unfortunate, but unless you plan on packing your own 6/16 up there, you paddle with what you get. 

[dogpaddle]

I'm a Harrison festival virgin.    Is there anything that I should know about the venue? Is there good sight lines for spectators? Any vendors? Bathrooms? Shelter? etc...

Thank you Mana Wahines for inviting me to paddle with you this weekend!

Looking forward to seeing you all on the water! 

[rightarm]

there are excellent sight lines from everywhere along the beach as the course runs parallel to it.  many spots within the paddlers village will work as well, and last year they had a giant LCD tv in the paddlers village (hopefully will again) so you get lots of views of the race

The wind pushing the boats towards shore can make starts a bit of a gongshow... hopefully you'll get some calm winds on saturday, otherwsie be prepared to be up close and friendly with the boats around you.

[mustbecrazy]

Jeez guys, you'd think there was some bad juju left over from last year.  We've all ( well most of us) paddled a race or two and we all know that, boats notwithstanding, there are a number of things to influence times and placements; winds, rain, how my hair looks, lanes, pre-seeding, if there is any, etc.  Let's get serious:  Last year was a real learning experience for those who hosted Harrison.  They race in 6/16's.  You can't tell me that there are any more fair conditions that exist among the many disparate fleet of boats out there..  We all have issue with the 6/16's along with those lovely retrofitted Geminis...or any other boats we don't regularly practice in.  C'mon folks...this is a regatta, not a blueprint for world peace.  Get over it and get in the damn boat and paddle.  And, by the way, have a little bit of fun...for the sheer joy of doing something that involves 20 of your friends, a day of freedom on the water and the fact that you can move at all!  Clean boats,dirty boats, branded boats...  Leave the esoterica for the monks or the saints or those with an appetite for the arcane.  I just wanna race...

 

[harshness]

I think the only thing in question is that why is Barney still around? Every time the 6\16's are used here comes Barney. Why don't they just get rid of it and race one less lane? I've had the experience to race in it unfortunetely in a final race and I will tell you in a concellation race maybe I don't mind but you race hard to get to the final and then Bang Barney.