Cockburn Dragonboat Club
Twenty paddlers, one drum and a whole lot of splashing. Whether you want to chase medals or just enjoy a relaxed social paddle, this friendly crew caters for all ages and fitness levels. Stay for coffee after Sunday training and you'll feel at home.
Grab a paddle and feel the beat
Picture this. Twenty paddlers, one drummer, one steerer, and a long, colourful boat with a dragon's head on the front. Everyone digs in together, the drum keeps time, and suddenly you're flying across the water. That's dragon boating, and Cockburn Dragon Boat Club, affectionately known as the Blades, would love to show you how it's done.
It's a sport built on teamwork. Nobody wins on their own. You paddle in time with the crew, and that shared rhythm is what makes it so addictive.
Serious speed or just for fun
Some of the Blades are seriously quick. Club members have represented Australia at the World Dragon Boat Championships and come home with a remarkable haul of medals.
But you don't need to be a world champion to hop in the boat. If you'd rather keep things social, with a bit less intensity and a lot more laughs, there's room for you too. The club fields open, women's and mixed crews, and welcomes paddlers of all fitness levels, from 12 to 70.
What the club offers
- Regular training, both competitive and social
- Regattas around the state, across Australia and overseas
- State team selection training
- Team building sessions for businesses, schools and sporting teams
- Corporate events with all training and equipment provided
- A great social scene for members and their families
When they paddle
The season runs from September to mid-April, with training on:
- Tuesdays at 6pm
- Thursdays at 6pm
- Sundays at 8am
Sunday sessions keep going through winter, starting at 8.30am. Aim to arrive 30 minutes early to help set up the boats and gear. A session is a warm-up followed by an hour on the water working on drills, technique and starts. Then everyone washes down the boats and packs up together.
Stick around afterwards
The Blades are a sociable bunch. You can grab a coffee at the clubhouse after Sunday paddling, or stay for a meal on Thursday nights. Fundraising is part of club life too, and it helps pay for new equipment and supports paddlers travelling to interstate and overseas competitions.
Not ready to commit? Ask about the Dragon Pass. It gives you a month of unlimited training, insurance cover, and a loaned paddle and life jacket, so you can find out if dragon boating is for you.
