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The most asked question at our Open Houses, in our emails or during our phone calls are the costs associated with dragon boating. I will try and answer that question as best as I can below.
Club Costs
The membership fee to join the Fraser Valley Dragon Boat Club is $135.00 per year and is due no later than April 15th. These fees help pay insurance, moorage costs, maintenance and upkeep on equipment, our web page, administrative, etc. As a member of the FVDBC you get the use of our boats, life jackets, paddles and coaching.
In addition to the membership fees, each team may also charge a monthly fee to help offset costs in running their dragon boat team. These costs may include team shirt purchases, team tents, team paddles, etc. Each team also decides on which regattas to compete in throughout the year. These regattas can cost the teams between $600.00 to $1200.00 each. It is the responsibility of each team to pay for the regattas they attend. Teams usually try to find sponsors and/or host fundraisers as a way to offset theses costs. As each team is an independent entity I would advice you to contact the Team Captains to get a more detailed idea of their fee structure (if they have one).
Equipment Costs
As a member of the FVDBC you are entitled to use the club equipment. This includes a life jacket, boat and paddle. As with any sport, you also have the option to purchase your own equipment. Costs in purchasing your own equipment will vary depending upon quality and personal taste. Expect to pay between $60 to $120 for your own life jacket. A dragon boat paddle will start at around the $50.00 and can easily reach above $300. The differences is price reflect the materials used. As the price of paddlers increase, the weight of the paddle decreases. This is due to the different materials used.
As Dragon Boating is a water sport, we also suggest you purchase clothing that will meet your needs. The most important piece of equipment a paddler can own is a pair of neoprene paddling gloves. These gloves will keep your hands warm during the early spring practices and give you a good grip on your paddle.
Other items to think about are: rainwear (water proof or water resistant jacket, pants, shoes and hat), portable chair (for regattas), a cooler (regattas) and change of cloths.
Places to shop for these items include:
Waiver and Membership Forms
Below are the mixed team and junior team waiver/membership forms. These forms need to be filled out and presented to your team captain at the start of each season. Returning members need to fill out both forms. Potential new members need to fill out the waiver only. After deciding on joining a team, the membership form will need to be completed and given to your captain.
Of Note: These forms are in PDF form. If you are unable to view these forms after download, please go to the Adobe website and download their Adobe Reader.
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