Tuesday, April 19, 2005 11:37 PM

 

FCRCC DB Newsletter (18 Apr 2005) -- May Regattas, Steering, Mooring, Grandragons, Photos

 

FCRCC DB Newsletter – April 18, 2005

 

In this edition ...

  Upcoming Regatta

  Steering Accreditation

  Mooring at Sea Village

  Kudos to the Grandragons

  FCRCC Dragon Boat Photos

 

Distribution:  FCRCC DB team contacts

 

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Upcoming Regattas

 

The FCRCC community will be staging three DB race events in the next few weeks.

 

1. May Day Regatta – Sunday, May 1 at FCRCC (Alder Bay, Granville Island).  This 5km course will feature anything that floats, including kayaks, canoes and dragon boats.  If your team is interested in some fun and something different than the usual 500m course, check this out.  More information at www.fcrcc.com, or by contacting fcrcc.races@telus.net.

 

2. FCRCC Spring Regatta – Sunday, May 8 at Science World.  A few spots are still open.  Entry is $200, $150 for senior or junior teams.  (After April 23, $300 or $200 for senior/junior.)  For more information and registration forms, see www.fcrcc.com or contact Lyna Eng, Race Director at (secretary@fcrcc.com).  Also contact Lyna if you’d like to get into the action by volunteering on race day.  See how Alcan does it, but on a smaller scale.  You’ll be appreciated, fed, and treated like gold!

 

3. False Creek Women’s Dragon Boat Regatta – Saturday, May 28 at Science World.  The False Creek Women’s Team will once again host their annual women’s regatta that draws teams from all over the Pacific Northwest.  Ladies, you don’t want to miss this one of a kind event.   Men, you don’t want to miss volunteering to help (trust us, there’s a line up!).  See www.falsecreekwomen.com for more information.

 

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ADBF Steering Accreditation

 

In past years, the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival (ADBF) has mandated steering accreditation.  For those of you who have been steering for years and have been accredited in the past, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  YOU WILL NO LONGER NEED TO GET RETESTED.  This has been confirmed with ADBF.

 

New steerspeople need to be accredited, which requires completing the following two criteria.

 

1. Attend one of ADBF’s boat safety courses.  Date and location to be communicated by ADBF.

 

2. Complete a steering test.  FCRCC can administer this test to FCRCC teams.  When you are ready for your test, book an appointment with Lela (admin.fcrcc@telus.net).  The test is done during your practice time (either at the start or end) and will take about 15 minutes.  The steersperson and team will be asked to perform 6 maneuvers on the water.  When you pass, FCRCC will submit your name to ADBF for accreditation.

 

New steerspeople may also be interested in an optional practical course, for example one provided by Waters Edge

http://www.watersedgesportperformance.com/index.php?name=Calendar&view=event&event=102, who will stage a course May 1.

 

If you have any questions on steering accreditation, please feel free to email Lyna at secretary@fcrcc.com.

 

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Mooring at Sea Village

 

Please remind your teams of the following simple guidelines for mooring dragon boats at Sea Village.  Following them will minimize wear and tear on the boats, and prevent issues with the friendly people at Sea Village that have agreed to let us moor boats there.

 

These guidelines are taken from the "FCRCC Dragon Boat Rules and Guidelines" that have been distributed to all teams, and are posted at the club.  On-duty dock marshals also have a copy.

 

* Moor no more than three dragon boats on each side of the dock.  What looks like lots of room on the Granville Island side of the dock will be high and dry at low tide.  There is plenty of room on the False Creek side of the dock for three dragon boats, although you may need to maneuver carefully around the Aqua Buses.

 

* Deploy bumpers such that they are effective.  This may require repositioning them in the boat.

 

* Ensure that boats are tied securely.  The lines should be tied to the dock or next boat to minimize fore/aft motion as well as side-to-side motion.  Lines are most effective if tied in opposition.  They may need to be repositioned in the boat to do this.

 

* Ensure that the ends of the boats moored on the False Creek side of the dock do not bang against the end dock.

 

* Ensure that the ends of the boats moored on the Granville Island side of the dock do not protrude under the gangway.  At high tide, the gangway will hit a dragon boat if moored under it.  (Those are sewage lines running under the gangway.  No one will be happy if one of them gets broken!)

 

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Kudos to the Grandragons

 

Once again this year, the Grandragons have volunteered to regularly clean the dragon boats.  Prior to last season, this was something that each team took turns at during the course of the season.  The boats have to be pulled out of the water, and the hulls scrubbed to remove moss and barnacles.

 

When you have one of those great practices where the boat just seems to jump, it may well be because all of your training is paying off, but it may also be because the Grandragons have recently been at work cleaning the hulls to a polish.  Thanks Grandragons!

 

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FCRCC Dragon Boat Photos

 

We're still looking for photos of FCRCC dragon boat teams to put on our new club website.  Race action, team photos, or whatever, from this year or past years, send 'em in to dragonboat@fcrcc.com.  We'll select some of the best and put them on www.fcrcc.com and make your team famous!

 

--- Good Paddling! ---

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, March 02, 2005 11:25 PM

FCRCC DB Newsletter (1 Mar 2005) -- Important Deadlines, Schedule, Dock Marshalls, Lela

 

FCRCC DB Newsletter - March 1, 2005

In this edition ...
  March 15 - Fees and Rosters Deadline
  March 15 - Reserved Registration Deadline for FCRCC Spring Regatta
  Regular Season Practice Schedule
  Dock Marshals
  Safety Notice - No Lights in Shed
  New Office Hours and Contact E-Mail

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March 15 - Fees, Rosters and Waivers Deadline

A reminder that March 15 is the deadline for submission of remaining
practice fees, and of your team rosters and waivers.  Submission of your
roster and waivers is important because your roster as of March 15 is used
to determine FCRCC Dragon Boat Members for two purposes:  (a) for invitation
to and voting rights at the club AGM in September, (b) to identify members
of your team who are also Full club members and thereby entitle your team to
a full member rebate.  Please submit your fees, rosters and waivers to Lela
at the club office.

[Some background on full member rebates ...  Your team is eligible for a $95
rebate for any team member that registers as a full FCRCC member and pays
Adult Base fees.  The member must appear on your roster as of March 15, must
have registered and paid his/her club fees by March 15, and must have
indicated your DB team in the space provided on their club registration
form.  The total rebated to your team cannot exceed the total dragon boat
fees paid by the team.  Rebates will be paid to your team later in the
season.  How full member rebates are processed by each team is up to their
individual team policies.]

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March 15 - Reserved Registration Deadline for FCRCC Spring Regatta

March 15 is also the deadline for priority registration for the FCRCC Spring
Regatta, which once again this year will be held on Mother's Day, Sunday May
8.  There is a limit of 32 teams (so that we can be finished in time to
spend time with our Moms!), and last year the regatta filled early.  Until
March 15, registration is open exclusively to FCRCC teams.  After March 15,
registration will open to teams from outside the club and the regatta will
fill quickly.  Entry for FCRCC teams is $200, $150 for senior or junior
teams. 

Registration forms can be found on the bulletin board just outside of the
FCRCC office.  Please make your cheque payable to "FCRCC" and attach it to
the registration form.  Registration is first come, first served, either by
submitting it to the club office or by mail.

Queries regarding the Spring Regatta can be forwarded to the Race Director
(secretary@fcrcc.com).

====================
Regular Season Practice Schedule

The regular season practice schedule is in effect as of March 1.  All FCRCC
boats are back in the water.  Thanks again to teams that moved their
practice times during February so that we could leave the Geminis on dry
land a little longer.

The current version of the schedule is attached, but may change over time.
Updated versions will be posted on the club website (www.fcrcc.com) and at
the club office.

====================
Dock Marshals

As of March 6, dock marshals will be on duty during dragon boat practice
times.  We are pleased to introduce the members of Roli Canada as this
season's dock marshals.  Their primary role is to ensure safe and organized
practices and use of the dock.  Please do all that you can to help them in
this.

====================
Safety Notice - No Lights in Shed

While CMHC is working on the former parking garage that also houses the
paddle shed, power has been cut off and there are no lights.  Please use
caution after dark.

====================
New Office Hours and Contact E-Mail

Lela has changed.  Well, actually, she's the same helpful, friendly Lela,
but she's changed

(a) office hours - now Tue/Wed 5:30-7:30 and Sat 10:00-12:00.
(b) e-mail address - now admin@fcrcc.com (was admin.fcrcc@telus.net).

--- Good Paddling! ---