Come and try with our skilled and experienced coaches

Welcome!!  Wondering if you would like dragon boating?  If you’re looking for competition, fitness, friendship and fun this sport has it all.

Our expert head coach Cath and her coaching team will guide you on your Dragon Boating journey with thoughful traning sessions and dedicated one on ones. Our Head Coach has experience coaching teams from racing in Australia and China, to 30km Ultramarathons, and 100m sprints.

You can have one month of  free sessions to help you decide whether it's the sport for you and all equipment is provided. We will buddy you with an experienced paddler, as this is one of the best way to learn dragon boating. Your buddy will encourage and support you to make your experience fun and memorable. The journey of learning to paddle lasts a lifetime.

Try dragon boating free for one month with a Dragon Pass!

Signing up for a Dragon Pass allows you the opportunity to try dragon boating for a one month consecutive period. It also allows for participation at a regatta if the regatta falls within the one month trial period, however you must have attended at least two training sessions before being able to participate in a regatta.

Click HERE, enter your name and date of birth, and select 1 Dragon Pass - $0.00 from the drop down list of Registration types.

Click NEXT and enter your details to complete your Dragon Pass registration.

You can then come along and paddle with us - see the training page for location and times.

Invictus Dragon Boat Club follows a COVID-19 safety plan that has the health and safety of our paddlers as its number one priority.

Details about our training times, location and other details can be found here.  

The best time to come and try is our Saturday morning training sessions. Please arrive about half an hour before we are due to get on the water so that we can get you a paddle, a PFD and go through the basics with you. 

What to wear (expect to get a bit wet ... it is a water sport after all!!)

• Quick drying and non-restrictive clothes (as you progress in the sport you will know what work for you)
• Covered shoes you don't mind getting wet (no thongs but crocs are ok)

What to bring:

• A water bottle - it can be seriously thirsty work
• Sunscreen, for those warmer days
• A positive attitude, priceless
• A towel for afterwards 

What to expect:

We will kit you out with a paddle and life jacket. Life jackets are required for all come & try paddlers. For others a PFD is required at all times between sunset and sunrise, when the water is cold or if the Sweep (the person who steers our boat) declares the need.

Then fun begins with a team warm up to get you ready to prevent injury, then everyone helps put the dragon boat onto the water. Once the boat is loaded and we're on the water, the coach provides instruction and guides us through our paddling session. As a new paddler we understand if you need to take a break and stop paddling, your paddling endurance and fitness will soon build.

Once back on the land we will clean and cover the boat, do some stretches to cool down, and have a quick team huddle to let you know any news or information including when the next session is.

Ready to join?

After you've completed your three ‘come and try’ paddles and you're keen to join Invictus, you just need to complete the two part membership sign up process outlined below.

Part 1: Dragon Boat ACT (DBACT) membership 

Dragon Boat ACT (DBACT) is the peak body for dragon boating in Canberra. To participate in dragon boating, you need to be a DBACT member and pay the annual membership fee. This fee covers the use of boats, paddles and life jackets. It also covers the cost of insurance, local regatta entry and the AusDBF paddler levy.  Only DBACT financial registered members and new temporary members are permitted to use DBACT equipment and dragon boats.

Available Options...

• Sports Membership - $300.00 per year
• Student Membership - $175.00 per year

Membership is renewed every twelve (12) months. You will receive a renewal notice via the email address you provide. Please keep your details up to date so you don’t miss the emailed renewal notice. If your membership lapses even for just one day, you cannot go out in a boat.

You will need to provide a passport style photo. You will then be issued with an ID tag which you need to take part in regattas.

Part 2: Invictus membership

You need to join Invictus Dragon Boat Club - $50.00 per year.
 

How to Join?

Go to out membership page and get a Dragon Pass to try it, to join send us an email.
 

Other Useful Information

How do I order an Invictus uniform?
The Invictus uniform can be ordered from the Members section of the website once you are a member.  You can try some sample shirts, but if you ask someone of similar build, you’ll find the size for you. Contact: vicepresident@invictus-dbc.com.au

Paddle shorts, gloves and seat mats
Typhoon 8 and other suppliers attend regattas from time to time.  These are not essential items and you will work out what your needs are, and of course your team mates are always happy to provide advice. You can purchase online from www.jpx2.com.au  or  www.typhoon8.com.au

Paddles
There are various types of paddles and a number of suppliers. It’s best to try a few grips and be measured for a paddle before you purchase.  Suppliers will often set up at regattas where you can get measured up. You don't need to purchase your own paddle as you can continue to use the DBACT club paddles for as long as you are a club member.

Personal Flotation Devices
Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) must be worn at night between the advertised time of sunset and sunrise. In addition, because Lake Burley Griffin gets very cold, at all times throughout winter: DBACT determine this period to be from 1 May to 1 September.

You must also wear a PFD if the sweep on the boat determines, for crew safety reasons, all on board must wear a PFD. The sweep can instruct you to wear a PFD if you are injured, unable to swim, or cannot swim 50 metres unaided.

There are PFDs in the shed at Grevillea Park and you are free to use them, however, for a more comfortable, personalised fit, you may choose to purchase your own.