Practice Weekend Tips

Every team is encouraged to take advantage of our free practice session. Why wouldn’t you? It’s a way to experience what teamwork is all about! Come learn what a difference an hour on the water makes. Paddles up everyone!

Where is the practice held?

Rally your team and come on down to our Dragonheart Dock at Waterfront Park Community Boat Launch for some paddling fun. Our Dragonheart team will be waiting for you at the dock, located directly in front of the U.S. Coast Guard station.

Parking is always at a premium down at the waterfront so plan ahead to allow plenty of time to park and walk to the dock. Between Practice Weekend and BrewFest (taking place Friday and Saturday) the area will be especially busy, so please allow extra time. Note that parking is not permitted in the Community Boat Launch area or the Skateboard Park parking lot. Check out our parking suggestions for both Practice and Festival Weekends.

For Saturday and Sunday only we have arranged parking in the North Meadow parking lot on Lake Street between Main Street Landing and the condos at 200 Lake Street. Look for the LCDBF Practice Weekend Sandwich Board. You will be asked to identify the name of your team and your practice time to park in this lot.

What do you need for practice?

Dragon boating is a water sport so:

• Wear clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet! Flip-flops, Keens, or Crocs seem to be the water shoe of choice. Unless you want to feel like a lead weight, avoid 100% cotton fabrics. Choose fabrics that wick, breathe, and best of all, dry quickly. You’ve got to be prepared for the splish splash of the first strokes.
• Wear sun block to protect your skin.
• Bring a bottle of water because you will be getting thirsty as you’re splishing and splashing.

Dragonheart will provide the boats, paddles, life jackets, and coaches. You may bring your own lifejacket if it is a Coast Guard approved personal floatation device. The most important piece of equipment, next to the paddle, is the ‘butt pad’ a.k.a. the gardening kneepad. Those who have paddled in the past know only too well how essential a piece of foam is to your comfort when you are sitting on 4-inch-wide board.

Practice Weekend Cancellation Policy

Practice Weekend will only be cancelled in case of lightning or very high winds at the waterfront. Please make an effort to come as the weather where you are may not be the same as that at the waterfront.

What about those great hats?

Yes, the hats have been such a hit past years that we will have them again this year. The hats will be grey/blue with a new design. So get your black ink pen ready to have your donors sign your hat in an effort to raise funds for our Survivorship Network on Wellness Initative. We are encouraging every paddler to raise dollars beyond their race fees to help the initiative and to feel supported on race day. Hats will be given to the Captain to hand out to the team. Start your fundraising now. Also see team fund raising tips.

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