Sunshine Coast Dragon Boat Club

Safety Policy (revised August 2015)

The Sunshine Coast Dragon Boat Club (“SCDBC”) will:

  1. Adhere to Transport Canada (TC) Safe Boating Guide requirements for dragon boats.
  2. Follow Dragon Boat Canada (DBC) Safety Guidelines with the exception of guidelines pertaining to the use of Safety Boats and with adaptations to meet our specific local needs and circumstances.

Safety Guidelines

  1. Responsibility for Safety
  2. Each SCDBC member is responsible for their own personal safety. They must be aware of their physical limitations and their swimming abilities and they must familiarize themselves with the SCDBC Safety Policy.
  3. Each SCDBC team is responsible for knowing and following SCDBC Safety Policy and for bringing to the attention of the Safety Advisor any safety concerns. Each SCDBC team should appoint one member as their safety person.
  4. The SCDBC Board will annually review the Safety Policy under the direction of the Safety Advisor.
  1. Safety Advisor
  2. The Director at Large will be designated as the Safety Advisor. As Safety Advisor, the Director at Large will annually review the SCDBC Safety Policy and with be responsible for maintaining SCDBC safety equipment in proper working order.
  1. Safety Guideline Manual
  2. A copy of the SCDBC Safety Policy will be kept in the shed in the folder which contains the sign in and sign out sheets.
  3. A Copy of the DBC Safety Guidelines and the TC Safe Boat Guidelines will be attached to the SCDBC Safety Policy.
  4. A safety equipment list will be created and kept with the SCDBC Safety Policy.
  5. A plan of local water hazards is kept in Steers Manual.
  6. Emergency contact information is posted on the outside of the Club storage shed.

3.6SCDBC boats must carry the following equipmentin the safety bag: watertight flashlight, TC approved navigation lights if the boats are taken out after sunset, 2 bailers, a sound signal or air horn, throw line/bag, a cellphone in a waterproof bag or a radio, a first aid kit, a thermal blanket.

  1. SCDBC Operations:
  2. All membersmust wear TC approved PFD’s at all times. Inflatables are not permitted. Members must wear weather appropriate clothing. Members should advise their coach of any pertinent health conditions. Members should advise their coach if they are a weak or a non-swimmer.
  3. All teams should review safety procedures at the first practice of the season. Newcomers should be advised of safety procedures.
  4. Team coaches should be aware of any pertinent health conditions for their team members. Coaches should be aware of weak or non-swimmers.
  5. Coach and/or Steer should check local weather conditions and if in doubt don’t go out. It is unwise to begin or continue a practice if a significant storm or high winds is occurring. Teams should never be paddling during thunder or electrical storms. The coach and steer should decide jointly the route the dragon boat will take. Boats out past sunset must have proper TC approved lights.
  6. Steersperson has the final responsibility for the safety of the boat from the time the boat starts to load until the boat is unloaded at the completion of the race/practice. The steersperson must remain observant, issue commands and directions loudly and clearly. In the event a steersperson goes overboard, the coach assume responsibility of the boat and the rescue efforts. The steersperson must complete an in/out log each time a boat is taken out.
  7. Safety Person is to ensure that the proper safety equipment is on board for each practice. To ensure that each paddler is aware of their “buddy” in the event of an incident. To take a head count and to advise the coach and the steer. The Safety Person, on behalf of their team, should bring any safety concerns to the attention of the Safety Advisor.
  1. Procedure in the event of the boat swamping or capsizing
  2. Stay with your buddy, know their name and watch out for them
  3. The Coach and the Steer are to buddy with the paddlers closest to them
  4. Remain with the boat and Do Not attempt to swim to shore. Use the boat as a life raft
  5. Do a head count every 30 seconds and keep close/huddled together to conserve heat and to watch out for each other
  6. Attempt to provide non-swimmers with extra assistance and buoyancy
  7. Use an air horn, whistle or cell phone to call for assistance
  8. All safety incidents must be reported to the Safety Advisor and be recorded in the minutes of the next Board meeting
  9. At regattas, the safety practices of the host are to be followed
  1. Boat/Club Rules:
  2. Boats cannot go out without a club approved Coach and Steer
  3. Club boats are only to be used at Club sanctioned activities. The boats are not to be used by individual Club members for private activities.
  4. The minimum age of any paddler is to be 13 years.
  5. The recommended minimum number of paddlers is as follows: 14 paddlers in the D2, 12 paddlers in the BuK and 6 paddlers in the Dragonfly with a club designated coach and steersperson. Should the recommended minimum number of paddlers not be met, the coach and the steer may still take the boat out if they are satisfied that doing so would not pose any safety risks.
  6. When non-member paddlers are participating, the ratio of members to non-members shall be: 1 member to every 3 youth paddlers aged 13 to 16 and 1 member to ever 4 paddlers aged 17 and up.

Table 1: Required Equipment List

M=Must, S=Should, Revised/New / SCDBC 2015 / TC / DBC
In Boat House:
First Aid kit / S
Thermal blankets / S
Life Ring/buoy & line / S
PFDs / M / S
Safety Code/Emergency #s / M / S
3 SAFETY BAGS / M
In Boat/Safety Bags
Watertight flashlight if boat> 6m (20') / M / M / M
6 flares if boat > 6 m & 1.8K from shore / M / M
Navigation lights after sunset before sunrise, reduced visibility / M / M / M
Bailer holds > 3 c, 3.5" mouth / M 2 / M: 1 / M
Sound signal/air horn / M / M / M
Throw Lines/Bag / M: 1@ 15 M / M: 1 @ 15M / M
Spare Paddle / in race can carry 2
Cell phone in waterproof bag or radio / M / S
Spare PFD
First Aid kit & Thermal Blanket / M / S
PFDS per person / M wear / M: in boat / M: in boat
Re-boarding device if > 0.5m 1.6') above water / M
Medical Info
Pertinent medical conditions/injuries / Make coach aware
Ability to swim (tested) / 50 m or wear PFD
Buddy System / M / S
Min Age / 13