Dragonboat Cruising Helm

A one day course of instruction, skills and knowledge building in International Dragonboats (IDB). This course is designed for beginners who want to steer and command an International Dragonboat. The course includes a series of skills building tasks, safety checks and nautical knowledge and seamanship essential to safe usage of a dragonboatboat in a cruising environment.

The Dragonboat Cruising Helm course is a cruising boat handling course, but also aims to cover the safety and skills building exercise of developing cruising boat crew management, command skills, paddling technique and emergency situations such as capsise management. A two ton fully loaded, dragonboat is potentially lethal and thus the training must be of a high level and the helm must be both skillfull and experienced as well as cautious and powerful in command.

This course is aimed at developing beginner helms with medium level skills.The trainee Dragon Boat Helm will be expected to have previous experience of paddling a dragonboat as a minimum.

A Dragonboat Helm will be able to safely manage a lightly loaded dragonboat with 8-12 persons onboard, in a cruising scenario, not a racing situation!. The proficient Dragonboat Helm will begin to command his boat authoritively and maximise the crew potential by giving clear instruction.

The course will develop the students potential to practice their skills and the training continues with weekly opportunities to gain further experience. After 10 hours of further command experience the students may enroll in a Dragonboat Master course to then develop racing command skills and technique.

The onshore teaching will be conducted at SIA's school at Ao Yon. Course start time is 9.30 to 5pm. Basic course materials will be provided by SIA; however a recommended list of materials must be purchased.