New Paddlers Welcome! Join Free Dragons for 3 free paddles Saturdays 9am....Great for fitness, friendship, and enjoying our beautiful harbour!

ABOUT

The Bay of Plenty Dragon Boat Club Inc. (BOPDBC) is a non-profit incorporated society that promotes and fosters good fellowship, social interaction, friendship and fair play within the sport of dragon boating.

We affiliate to the Eastern Region Dragon Boat Association (ERDBA), the New Zealand Dragon Boat Association (NZDBA) and the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF).

We provide training facilities, equipment (boats, life jackets and paddles), and events within the Bay of Plenty area.

Dragon Boating is an exciting sport to participate in. You have the opportunity to paddle in Dragon Boat Regattas locally, nationally and internationally in both Standard Boats (20-man) and Small Boats (10-man)

TEAMS:

We currently have 5 teams within our Club. They are:

  • Bay Dragons - All Womens  - Click here for more information.
  • BooBops - Breast Cancer Survivors - Click here for more information.
  • BOP Dragon Flyers - Mixed - Click here for more information.
  • The Free Dragons - Recreational team - Click here for more information.
  • Salt Dragons - Premier Under 49s - Click here for more information.


During the Winter season we also run a mid-week session (numbers and weather permitting)

  • Paddle Fitness - Mid-Week paddling - Email for more information

We are still growing and looking for male and female paddlers of all ages, as well as working towards forming teams in the following divisions:

  • Secondary School Team(s)
  • Age category - Under 49 years.


PADDLING SEASON (September to April)

As a Club, we paddle all-year-round at Sulphur Point, Tauranga. Our National Competition Season commences at the end of September, around day light savings each year, with the NZDBA National Dragon Boat Championships ending the competition season in March/April of the following year.

During the competition season, teams can train up to 3 times a week. This may include 2 x week-night training sessions and a Saturday morning. For more information on each teams' training days and times, please go to their page on the 'Teams' tab.


WINTER PADDLING (April to September)

This is the 'off season' for the National Competition of Dragon Boating; and where we can have the opportunity to compete internationally in Club teams. We paddle as a Club, not in teams, and this is also when we may undertake our Winter Recruitment. Paddling is usually held on a Saturday morning only, with some night paddling opportunities where sweep availability allows.