RACES BEGIN AT 8 AMAND RUN UNTIL 5 PM 
LENGTH OF RACE IS 1,000 FT 

CONDITIONS OF RACE ENTRY & RACE INSTRUCTIONS 

I. CONDITIONS OF RACE ENTRY. EACH PARTICIPANT AGREES TO: 1. Abide by the race and the instructions of the race officials. 2. Sign a waiver prior to the race regarding any claims against the Rhode Island Dragon Boat Races.3. Use only the equipment provided by the Race Committee, including boats, paddles, drums and life jackets.4. You must wear the life jacket provided for you. 
II. TEAM COMPOSITION.1. Each team shall consist of 22 members: 20 paddlers, 1 drummer and 1 steersperson. 2. All steerspersons must be checked out and cleared for steering prior to race day. This will be done at a practice session prior to race day or the morning of the race. 3. All teams are allowed 5 alternate paddlers. Alternate paddlers may be rotated into the race.4. If members of any team do not show up on race day, the team captain may fill the vacancies with alternate or substitute paddlers, including paddlers from other teams, as long as they sign a waiver with the restrictions of the division. However no team may race with more than 5 alternate or substitute paddlers.6. All teams must race with a drummer and a steersperson in addition to their paddlers. 
III. PRE-RACE INSTRUCTIONS.1. A schedule of events with the starting times for all of the preliminary heats will be distributed to each team captain prior to race day.2. Race day is September 10, 2005.3. Paddlers should report to race officials at the check in booth by 7:00 am on race day. A captain’s meeting will be held September 9th at 5:00 pm.4. Times for semi-final and final heats will be announced as soon as race officials determine them.5. Shirts will be provided but are not required to be worn. 6. Team captains shall insure that all participants are wearing a lifejacket. 
IV. RACE INSTRUCTIONS.1. Race officials will call teams to report for their heats 10 minutes before the start of the heat. Failure to report in a timely manner may result in disqualification and that team will be given last in their heat.2. Steerspersons should get their crews onboard and move their boat into a starting position as quickly as possible.3. Steerspersons shall hold their boats in position and wait for the starter’s instructions. “Hold water” means that paddlers in the water stop the boat from drifting forward in the water. “Back water” means that paddlers should put their paddles in the water to move the boat backwards.4. When the starter is satisfied that all boats are properly lined up, he/she shall say “Paddles up” and sound the air horn.5. Any boat that crosses the start line prior to the sound of the air horn will be disqualified for a false start and assigned last. No heat will be restarted for a false start. 
V. RACE CONDUCT.1. The correct course for each boat is a straight line from the start line to finish line. Each boat must remain in its lane.2. If race officials determine that one boat has interfered with another by not keeping a proper course, the interfering boat is disqualified.3. All team members must remain in the boat from start to finish.4. If any member falls overboard during the race, the boat must stop and pick them up. Failure to pick up a team member will result in disqualification and last place in the heat.5. If race officials determine that any team has deliberately swamped or capsized another boat, that team will be disqualified, get last place in the heat and may be refused further participation in the races.6. At the conclusion of each heat, the head judge will determine the official order of finish.7. After crossing the finish line, team members shall remain in their boats and return to the dock immediately.8. In the event of a tie between any boats, the boats will race again in a tiebreaker heat. 
VI. SAFETY1. If a paddler breaks or drops his/her paddle, he/she should not attempt to retrieve it. Each boat will carry two spare paddles.2. If a boat swamps, team members should stay with the boat until the water safety officials arrive.3. If a boat becomes unuseable throughout the course of the day, race officials will reconfigure heats accordingly. 
VII. PROTESTS.1. Only the team captain may file protest.2. Protests must be filed with the Protest Committee* within 10 minutes after the completion of the disputed race. 
*The Protest Committee shall consist of the Race Director and two finish judges. Their decisions are final.