As we’re sure you’re aware, the wake board boats are increasing in number and weight, creating more and bigger wakes. In addition to causing damage to the shoreline, docks, and other structures, they have created a hazard for us, kayakers, SUPs and other non-motorized river users. The Oregon House of Representatives is considering two bills this session. The first would require licensing and safety training for all motorized boats (HB 2351) and the second bill will provide the Marine Board with the power and authority to limit their usage in certain parts of the river (HB 2352).

We strongly urge our membership to write a short note to your state representative in support of these measures. It would be helpful if you stated your concerns about the safety of the paddlers on your team, emphasizing the seriousness of getting swamped and flipping the boat.  You may use this link to find your representative: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/findyourlegislator/leg-districts.html

As we have done in previous years, we will focus on cleaning up the Willamette River between the south end of Ross Island and the Steel Bridge. Cleaning up the riverbanks is actually very hard work. We can see the trash as we pass by on our dragon boats but removing the trash from the landside is very difficult.

Most volunteers will be walking to the areas needing to be cleaned up. Once there, the trash is gathered into piles then placed into one of several chase boats we are using to help move the trash to our collection point at the Fire Boat Dock. 

Our current clean-up plan is as follows: 
(1) Members of the Golden Dragons will meet at 9:00 am to paddle or walk to clean up the East Bank of the Holgate Channel, 
(2) Members of Wasabi will also meet at 9:00 a.m. to paddle to clean up Ross Island. 
(3) Members of all other DragonSports teams will gather near the Fire Boat Dock at 10:00 am and will walk to the clean-up areas on the East Bank between the Hawthorne and Steel Bridges. There are two homeless camps near the Steel Bridge that may or may not be abandoned by the time we get there on Saturday. If still occupied, we will avoid these encampments.  
(4) A couple of DragonSports members may be needed to help get the trash from the shore to the chase boats. Please bring waders or wear shoes and gear that you don't mind getting wet and muddy if you would like to volunteer for this task (there is no separate sign-up).
(5) Members from Pink Phoenix and Amazon Dragons will be cleaning the West Bank from the Hawthorne Bridge to SW Montgomery the following weekend, on October 6.

SOLVE will furnish gloves, pick-up wands, vests, and waivers. Lunch will be provided after the cleanup, scheduled to go until 1:00, but may be done as early as noon.

Sharing the following from the Columbia River Outrigger Canoe Club:

​We look forward to training you and getting everyone on the water! ​

The application for any/all candidates wishing to be considered for 2019 Team USA has been published to the USDBF Team USA Page.

This is a new Google Form that will capture applicants in a spreadsheet that can be shared with the coaches for whom each paddler has requested consideration.

Pink Phoenix Dragon Boat Team presents Hollywood Halloween, a festive fundraising tribute to Tinsel Town.

​Come dressed in costume from your favorite movie or TV show. Prizes for Best Costumes - Individual and Groups! 

Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Time: 6:00 - 9:30pm
Location: Lagunitas Brewing Company, 237 NE Broadway, Portland
Tickets: $20 in advance / $25 at the door per person includes 2 drink tickets, food, music and fun! Purchase tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Limited tickets also available for the "Enjoy Portland" Raffle valued at over $750.

All proceeds support Pink Phoenix Dragon Boat Team, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering breast cancer survivors through the sport of dragon boating.

Someone has been retying the ropes on our boats! This may be a well-meaning gesture, but the way the ropes are being retied could cause damage to the boats.

Over the past few weeks we have seen ropes retied so tight that they get under the stringer boards, pulling out screws and damaging the seat tops as pictured below:

We have also seen ropes retied to the foot braces which are very fragile and may break if a rope tied to them is pulled on:

The ropes are tied loosely around the stringers at the front and rear of the boats using a bowline knot to 1) not tug on any of the fragile parts of our boats when tied to the dock and 2) allow us to tow the boats to and from Willamette Park when we rotate our fleet. This is what they should look like:

Please, please, please do not retie these ropes in the manner shown in the first two pictures above. If a rope comes loose or is missing, retie it as best as you can as shown in the third picture and notify the maintenance hotline (via text of voice message) at (503) 479-5577 as to which boat / end may need further attention. Also, if you witness anyone retying our ropes, please ask them to stop (if you are comfortable doing so) and report the details to the maintenance hotline as well.

Thank you!

DragonSports is going to be conducting joint introductory steer training for the outrigger canoes and dragon boats. We'll be doing a classroom portion, which is the first step in learning to steer, at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, August 9th. The class should last about an hour and a half.
 
The class will be at PBS Environmental + Engineering, at 4343 SW Corbett, Portland, OR.
 
The materials for this class are available FREE online at our website; you will need to print them and bring them with you to the classroom.
 
Outrigger handbook is here. 
Dragon Boat handbook is here.
 
Please email Burton at steering@dragonsports.org to RSVP your attendance and/or if you have any questions.  Please include your team name and if you're interested in dragon boat steering, outrigger steering, or both.

We look forward to training you and getting everyone on the water! ​

Last call to register! Pacific Dragon Boat Association is pleased to provide you with the following training opportunity:

USDBF Race Officials Training Class
Date: Saturday August 5th, 2017
Time: 9am-4pm
Location: Beaverton, OR
Cost: $50
Instructor: Dr. Joel Shilling

This is the first step towards becoming certified as a United States Dragon Boat Federation Race Official. Once you have completed the class you will need to log hours at each of four stations.  See the USDBF website for more details.

To register for the class, please complete and email the Registration Form to Diane McCabe and forward payment to:

Diane McCabe
Treasurer, PDBAUSA
607 30th Street
Hermosa Beach
CA 90254-2212

If you have questions, please email president@pdbausa.org.  

​Note: it would be beneficial even if you aren't interested in becoming an official, but just becoming more familiar with the IDBF Rules and Regulations.