Crew Roles in a Dragon Boat 3 5 Photo Eileen Shattuck, courtesy of the Portland Dragon Boat Festival Every member of a dragon boat crew has an important role to play, according to where they are in the boat. The photo shows a standard, 22-person boat. Small boats are becoming more common, and they hold a crew of 12. 1. Drummer - also called the Caller. For festivals, when the dragon boat is in full regalia, the drummer sits in a chair at the front and uses a large drum to relay the stroke timing to the rest of the boat. In this photo, the drum has been removed for safety during a longer-distance race. The caller works with the tiller to manage the boat and its crew, and is essential for safety because they are the only person that can easily see behind the boat. 2. Strokers (benches 1, 2, and 3) - The first pair, in bench 1, set the timing for the rest of the boat, and seats 2 and 3 pick it up and carry it for the rest of the boat to follow. People in these seats tend to be shorter, lighter, and have the excellent sense of timing that is required to keep the crew together. They tend to have experience for the feel of the boat, and can adjust the timing when they can feel the crew is with them or is struggling to keep up. 3. Mids (benches 4, 5, 6, and 7) - Very often referred to as the "engine room." Taller, stronger, larger paddlers are generally put here, as they generate the raw power that is necessary for speed. They must be able to keep the timing tight for those in the back that might not be able to see the strokers. 4. Rockets (benches 8, 9, and 10) - Also sometimes referred to as the "last kick." In a developing crew, newer paddlers are sometimes put here because it's a place to learn timing and technique without interfering with the rest of the boat. However, for experienced crews, it is a highly technical seat. Those here must have the skill and experience to dig deep beyond the rushing surface water to still water below and "lift" the boat when extra speed and power is needed, particularly at the end of a race. 5. Steersperson - also called the sweep or helm. This person steers the boat using a large oar at the back, and works closely with the caller to manage the boat and crew communication. The steersperson is responsible for the safety of the boat, and therefore their instructions countermand all others from the caller or coach. Dragon boat racing is a sprint sport. Races are generally 500 meters. The fastest crews can race 500 meters from a dead stop in just under 2 minutes. Dragon Boat Club A pain is spreading down my arm. Twenty of us, seated in ten rows, two to a bench, are paddling furiously aboard a 40 ft dragon boat. It is a disconcerting, not to mention exhausting, experience. As we plough down the Rio Grande in Portland's Albert Dock, we take orders from a helmsman and keep time to a drum. It's almost as if we're slaves in a galley, except we're supposed to be doing this for fun. I'm racing with the Fan Boat Club, and I'm quickly learning that perfectly synchronized paddling is the key to survival. Without it there's no way to generate speed through the water. "Watch the strokes at the front of the boat and keep in time with them,' shouts team coach Liam Keane, seated beside me in the boat. 'Ideally, we want everyone's paddles entering and exiting the water at exactly the same time. You could have twenty enormous beefcakes powering a dragon boat, but if they're not paddling in time with each other, they won't be effective.' 'When people first start this sport, they just go for power,' Keane adds. 'But you need to get into a team mentality. Get your timing locked in and feel the rhythm of the boat.' His voice starts to waver as the helmsman suddenly barks out the orders to increase the pace, at which the 10-year- old drummer, Amy, seated at the prow, ups the tempo accordingly. We've reached 65 strokes a minute, which is close to race pace. My arms and shoulders are beginning to protest as the lactic acid builds up, and my heart pumps wildly. Although each paddling action is identical, one has to concentrate hard to get the timing and the angle of entry into and out of the water just right. On more than a few occasions I catch a crab and splash the right ear of the female paddler in front of me with ice-cold water. In due course, I get my own dousing courtesy of the chap sitting behind me, who is also a beginner. There's neither the time nor the spare breath to apologize. I'm told later that we achieved a top speed of about 8 knots. With a full crew of experienced paddlers in a race situation, this might reach 9 knots. The tight teamwork required and the simple technique make dragon boating the perfect corporate team sport. 'Anybody can do this,' Keane stresses. 'You can put a bunch of novices into a boat and within ten minutes they're paddling. You couldn't do that with rowing because it's more of a fine art. They might end up capsizing the boat.' John James, the club chairman, insists that dragon boating is the truest of all team sports. The camaraderie is so important' he says. "We train together, we race together, we get drunk together. That's why lots of companies do this. It's great for team-building.' Back on the water, our practice is beginning to pay off. Suddenly we all lock into the same rhythm - 20 paddlers in perfect unison. It almost feels as if we've ceased to be separate athletes and have joined forces into a single entity, like a shoal of fish or a flock of birds. And for a blissful moment, I forget the pain.