How an outrigger canoe will help paddlers.

Why an outrigger canoe for a dragon boat team?

Getting our dragon boats on the water requires at least eight paddlers but ten, twelve or more make for a better paddling experience and the dragon boat can have as many as eighteen paddlers along with a helm who steers the boat and a drummer.

Windermere can vary from dead calm  to quite challenging waves and strong winds. If the winds come from the north west our helms and paddlers are challenged. The paddlers are the ‘engine’ of the dragon boat and it is their power and strength that the helm uses to keep the boat safe. There have been a few times when paddling cannot take place due to the conditions.

The size and shape of the outrigger canoe with its attached outrigger makes it much more stable. It is designed to cope with difficult sea conditions.

Our outrigger canoe will seat up to six paddlers. It is steered by the paddlers themselves and is better able to cope with challenging weather and water conditions.

So the outrigger canoe OC6 will be a great asset to the team allowing us to paddle in more difficult weather and as an extra boat when there are a small number of paddlers without a seat in the boat.

Small groups of paddlers could get together to paddle at other times such as weekdays or evenings.

See what an outrigger canoe race is like. This 26-mile outrigger canoe race is from DT Flemings Beach, Maui to Kaunakakai Pier, Moloka’i.

Two and a half times the length of Windermere. Just think of the Solstice paddle, then multiply by two and a half and add waves!

Finally the paddling technique for an outrigger canoe is quite similar to the technique for dragon boat paddling.

So the strenuous upper body paddling movement will have the same benefits for people who have had the lymph nodes removed under their arm as part of breast cancer surgery.