Dragon Boat Practices
Information about practices, practices schedules, and payment for practices
Dragon Boat Team Practices
DragonSports USA moors up to eight Hong Kong-style practice boats at the RiverPlace Marina for use by DSUSA members. When not being used for open practice, the boats are available for rent by dragon boat teams. All team paddlers, callers and tillers must be DSUSA members and have signed a waiver.
If your team would like to reserve practice time on our boats, please email the DSUSA Scheduler to schedule your practice. A Team Contact must submit a Team Roster and complete a Team Rental Agreement prior to scheduling any practices.
Pay Your Rental Fees
Team Rental Terms
- At least one individual from each Team shall be designated as the Team Contact for purposes of renting dragon boats and equipment from DSUSA.
- The Team Contact shall be notified of their Team's priority to schedule practice times at a Scheduling Meeting (typically held during the winter off-season) and may schedule practice times quarterly (by January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1) throughout the calendar year. The Team Roster should be updated with the practice schedule each quarter.
- Team boat rental fees will be invoiced by the DSUSA Treasurer quarterly. Teams will be billed based on a monthly average unless special arrangements have been made.
- Teams may request alternate practice times and will be notified if an alternate practice time is available after all Teams have submitted their quarterly schedules.
- Teams may use DSUSA boats and equipment only during practice times confirmed by the DSUSA Scheduler.
- Dragon boats and equipment must be returned at least 5 minutes before the end of the Team's scheduled practice session for the next Team to use. Please have your team completely unloaded no later than the end of your scheduled session.
- If there is congestion in the dock area, the caller should attempt to signal the next Team that it will pull up to the dock and unload as soon as the congestion clears. The next Team should not extend its practice time unless it is certain that there are no Teams going out after it. Extensive delays/practice shortages on account of other Teams should be reported to the DSUSA Scheduler for handling.
- Damage to boats or equipment must be reported to the DSUSA Board immediately or ASAP after the end of practice during which the damage occurred. The first $100.00 of any repair costs for damage beyond normal wear and tear will be shared among Teams involved.
- Teams must provide their own lights for paddling between sunset and sunrise.
- At the end of each practice, bumpers must be placed outside of the boat (between the boat and the dock or the next boat), the boat must be secured by the bow and stern lines to the dock, the boat must be locked to the dock, excess water from the boat must be bailed, all borrowed DSUSA equipment must be returned and neatly stowed in the DSUSA lockers, and the lockers must be locked.
- All Team members must be members of DragonSports USA. Any Team member not yet registered may do so online. Periodic membership audits may be conducted. Any person found to not be a DSUSA member will have the option of becoming a member or must cease using DSUSA dragon boats and equipment.
- All Team members must be knowledgeable about and adhere to the DragonSports USA Boat Safety Rules & Guidelines at all times.