A Guide to Fundraising with a Dragon Boat Race Day

Dragon Boat Events Ltd has 20 years' experience of delivering profitable events for charities, Rotary & Lions Clubs, community groups and so on. We have delivered events that have raised more than £10million! The concept is simple - teams are charged an entry fee which more than covers the costs of running the event, and more money can be raised from team and corporate sponsorship, contributions and ancillary activities such as craft stalls, catering, parking, etc

More Detail on how to Organise Your Event....

The size of a race day range from 15 to 50 teams. Imagine a 35-team event where each boat raises sponsorship of £1,000 (£60 per team member): that’s fund-raising for your charity or club of £35,000 before any extras. Our smallest event in 2008 raised over £9,000 whilst our largest raised over £165,000.

The method is simple:

Market your event to local clubs, firms, etc. and encourage them to enter teams in your event.
Each team pays you an entry fee, which covers the running costs of your event.
Each member of each team raises sponsorship, which all goes to you.
Our dragon boats hold a maximum seventeen people – and as most teams have several reserves, it is possible to have teams numbering twenty people, each raising sponsorship.
In our experience, the average sums raised ranges from £50- £100 per person, giving you a potential income of between £1,000 - £2,000 per team.

Additional fund raising can be achieved by:

recruiting teams from companies which match the sums raised by their teams.
raise funds from companies through our Boat Branding facility.
Charge teams additional fees for marquees to use as a base during the event. These can also be used to host friends, family or clients. Dragon Boat Events can supply marquees in a range of sizes.
The racing is a focal point for other attractions: fairgrounds, catering, market stalls. You can raise significant extra funds by charging these for their pitches while broadening the scope of the event

How to Organise a Dragon Boat Race Event

Dragon Boat Events can help you to plan and set up your event – we have done so for dozens of charities over the years. We can talk you through the logistics and a site visit is included in the race day fee. Key considerations are listed below.

Although the first event can seem hard work to set up, almost all our charity dragon boat events are run every year, so you will be creating an annual fundraising stream and a familiar community spectacle, making its organization in subsequent years a breeze!

Venue: This can be a lake, reservoir, river, canal, or sheltered tidal waters in harbours or marinas. If your chosen venue already has a water sports centre such as a sailing club or rowing club, that could make things easier as facilities like toilets, showers and a facility for the provision of hot and or cold food and drinks will already be in place. Local councils will often allow free use of their water, but expect to pay a facilities fee for the use of a club’s facilities or large water sports venue. We can give you useful ideas and experience on how to reduce this fee.

Viewing: A good view of the event for everyone present makes for a more enjoyable day, with repeat booking more likely the following year. Additionally, increased spectator involvement not only improves awareness of your club’s role in the community, but provides further opportunities for income generation.

Family Fun: If your venue has the available land, then it is worth organising family oriented activities and side shows. Established Dragon Boat Events attract large crowds of people, so the more family oriented activities you have at your event, the better the atmosphere – and the better your income as you can charge a pitch fee for every stall holder!

Race Control: Race control needs to be near the action in a prominent position and preferably, with good viewing. As large crowds of people gather round race control during the day to compare their times, access for both the teams and other users needs to be taken into consideration.

Briefing Area: This needs to be an open area sufficient for four rows of ten team members to stand, with enough room for everyone to wave their paddles safely. The briefing area needs to be located near Race Control so our marshals can find the teams.

Power: If local power is available it is preferable as it gives a more stable supply, but if not we supply our own generator.

Dragon Boats: The dragon boats are 40’ long. Space will need to be available on shore and in the water to store them when not in use.

Slipway: We will need a slipway or similar access to launch the boats, requiring access for our control truck and dragon boat trailer. Sometimes the nearest slipway is some distance away but we can usually tow the boats with our safety boat.

Secure Overnight lock-up. The event teams and boats will usually need to be onsite by 06:30 and normally the team travels up the day before. Ideally, secure overnight storage needs to be available for the control truck and dragon boat trailer (70’ long vehicle) and other equipment.

Team Boat Loading: access for race teams can either be done off a pontoon, a bank side or (if we can safely beach the dragon boats) from the shore. For bank side loading, the step down into the boat must be sufficiently small so participants can load safely without risking falling.

Toilets: It may be necessary to organise portaloos for your event if no toilets are available on site. In such cases, remember to order in sufficient disabled toilets as well regular ones. If you don’t have your own contacts, Dragon Boat Events have special rates with a number of suppliers.

Catering: Most organisers charge 10% of turnover as a pitch fee for catering units. Remember to get copies of both Food Safety & Hygiene and Public Liability Insurance, which any reputable caterer will provide.

Parking: If there is not sufficient parking on site, then take an idea from our Chester event and engage the local Park & Ride to transport competitors and spectators to and from the venue.

First Aid: All water-based Dragon Boat Events staff are first aid trained. A number of our staff are highly trained and experienced first aiders, and subject to availability we will undertake to cover your first aid function for a fixed rate of £100.00 plus VAT.

For an informal consultation, please contact us.

What’s included in the Dragon Boat Events race day fee….

All equipment, transport & delivery charges.
Trained event staff, including safety boat and qualified operators and a Health & Safety Office.
First Aid Cover (water based only)
Risk Assessment & Safety plan
EU approved buoyancy aids (lifejackets)
High visibility safety wristbands
Control base, with event co-ordinator and broadcast commentary
Computerised results service with up to date score leader board
£5 million public liability and £10 million employees’ liability
Venue selection and assessment

Additional fundraising opportunities for your charity…

Marquees
Team marquees will compliment your event as they add a professional look to the day, should help ensure repeat bookings in subsequent years and will provide a useful additional income stream for you.

Our 3m x 3m team marquees make an ideal base for each team and provide shelter from the elements, whether rain or shine.
Need a larger marquee? We can also supply the larger 9m x 9m marquees used by many as a refreshment area, as well as all the tables and chairs you might need to support your event.

Boat Branding
Our boats provide a unique advertising opportunity for your clients. With each dragon boat being used throughout the day, parading their company logo or message to thousands of people, it is a fabulous and very high profile way to get their name noticed!