Dragon boating is a great means for team building, getting fit or just having fun in the water. There are various sizes of dragon boats and number of crew they seat. In the United States, Taiwanese's style dragon boat racing is more common on the West Coast and the East Coast. A Hong Kong dragon boat is a slim, 39-foot long, teak wood racer with a dragon's head at the prow and a trail at the stern. Decorated in traditional Chinese colors, it seats a crew of 18-20 paddlers, a helmsperson, and sitting by the dragon's head at the front of the boat, the drummer sets the pace.
Timing is extremely crucial.
Teams race along a straight course in an assigned lane varying from 250 - 1,000 meters with an average time of one to six minutes. The goal is to generate enough speed to cause the boat rise high and smooth above the water by a cresting wave beneath the bow.