Sharing information about an exciting paddling clinic taking place in Portland next month. Please email James Dunbar directly with questions or to register.

Hello DSUSA Members and Affiliates!
 
The Zamboanga AquaRockets, youth team of the Zamboanga Paddling Club, are fundraising for an ambitious year on the water! We would like to see if you all would be interested in helping us out with competing in Vancouver BC, Long Beach CA, and in the PDBA!
 
We are doing a plant fundraiser that was very successful last year amongst our friends and families and would like to extend the offer to everyone in the Portland-Metro area! Our student-athlete paddlers receive a portion of the total profits, which will be going towards our general scholarship fund that will help offset costs for travel and lodging.
 
Please follow these steps:

• Share copies of the Plant Order Form with your team members, friends, neighbors, coworkers and/or family!
• Fill out your Plant Order Form and PLEASE INCLUDE your:
  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Email (can be put in the order taken by spot)
  • Your method of payment (online payment can be taken by sending money to username @ZamboPDX or finding us by using zambopdx@gmail.com on the three online apps).
  • Circle Youth at the top please.
• Plant Order Forms are due by FRIDAY, APRIL 5TH.
  • If you are paying online, you can scan or take a picture of your form and email it to zambopdx@gmail.com
  • If you are paying with cash or check, please include it in an envelope and you can find us about to get on the water on Tuesday/Thursday 5:00PM-5:30PM, 6:30PM-7:00PM, or after 8:00PM.
    • We can always make special arrangements to meet up with you as well!
• Plants will be delivered to Franklin High School on SUNDAY, APRIL 28TH and will be ready for pickup at 11:00 AM till 1:00 PM
  • Please coordinator to pick up your plants then as we cannot house them at the school later in the day.
  • At this time, we do not have the capacity to deliver your plants, but if you have a very special circumstances, please feel free to reach out and we can see if we can work something out!

 
One of our sponsors, Hornet Watersports, has gladly made a discount code for us to share with our community to receive a 5% discount on all purchases! A portion of the profits goes towards our team, so if you are looking for some of the coolest looking paddles or even looking to design your own paddles, use the code HORNETJAC during checkout.
 
If you would like to DIRECTLY DONATE to the AquaRockets, then please find us on our GoFundMe page. Any help would be most appreciated!
 
Thank You! We hope to see you on the water and have a great season!

​Senior Dragon Boat Captain - Josie C.
Junior Dragon Boat Captain - Sten M.
Outrigger Captain - Pilar D.
Head Coach - JAC Conlu
​

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

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.