Inlet Spring Regatta
Dragon boat on Burrard Inlet

Race Rules

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OFFICIAL RULES AND RACE REGULATIONS

Race Grid – Announced no later than one week prior to event.

Race Package emailed to managers, no later than two-weeks prior to the event.

  • Waiver/Roster form (coming soon)

Mixed Crew:

  • Maximum 10 men, minimum 10 women

  • Steersperson and drummer may be either gender on a crew

  • Team manager may be part of the racing crew

  • Maximum of 24 paddlers on a racing crew, plus drummer and steersperson

Women’s Crew:

  • All crew must be women except steersperson

  • Maximum of 24 paddlers on a racing crew, plus drummer and steersperson

  • Team manager may be part of the racing crew

*Random roster checks at marshalling area will be conducted throughout the day

Equipment

  • BUK boats will be provided by regatta organizers

  • PFDs must be certified by Transport Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, or Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

  • Paddlers residing in the US and on a US Team may use US Coast Guard approved PFDs.

  • Waist-belt and/or self-inflating flotation devices are not allowed

  • It is up to the discretion of the dock manager if a personal flotation device will be allowed
    – all participants must provide their own PFDs and paddles.

Race Course

  • Races will be 200m

  • There will be 4 lanes (may change based on number of teams registered)

  • Each team will have 4 races: 2 heats, 1 semi, 1 final

The Start

  • Starter will position Start boat across the Start Line

  • Race Referee will have the boats line up in their proper lanes 2 boat lengths back from the start line

  • Race Referee will land the race over to the Starter

  • In the event of windy conditions – running Starts will be used

  • Race referee will have the boats line up 3 boat lengths behind the start line

  • Race Referee will hand the race over to the Starter

New Steers

  • New steers are welcome and must be identified with a yellow PFD cover.

Start commands

  • WE HAVE ALIGNMENT

  • ATTENTION PLEASE

  • AIRHORN BLAST OR SIMILAR SIGNAL (from 1–5 seconds after ‘attention please’)


Re-Race rules - At the official’s discretion, a re-race may be ordered when:

  • There is a false start called by the Starter, or

  • There is clearly a collision within the first 50M of the race, or

  • There is an equipment breakage, other than a paddle, within the first 50M of a race

There will absolutely be no ground for re-races once all boats have passed the 50M mark, except one that is initiated by Officials under extraordinary circumstances. 

Protests

  • Require a $50 non-refundable fee and the protest must be in written form.

  • Must be brought up prior to your team leaving the dock area. Otherwise the offence cannot be verified.


A Team May Protest

  • Illegal paddle/PFD used by another team

  • A team not complying with the roster rules

  • Collision initiated by another team during the race

A Team may NOT Protest

  • Boat/ lane assignment

  • Interference from another boat that did not result in a collision

Penalties:  At the Official’s discretion, a varying- second penalty or team disqualification may be imposed for the following infractions:

  • Verbal/physical abuse to any Official /volunteer

  • Crew does not comply with the Official Team roster

  • False starting

  • Crew does not follow Official’s instructions to change course, resulting in impeding another crew or resulting in a collision with another crew

  • The use of unofficial paddle /PFD