JOIN US THIS SUMMER!
The Rusty Dragons are a community-focused non-profit dragon boat club located in Toronto. We practice on Lake Ontario in the scenic and protected Outer Harbour. Dragon boats differ in a big way from tippy canoes and kayaks as they are 40-foot long very stable boats. As a result, beginners and anyone of any ability or age can paddle in a dragon boat. Our paddler's ages have ranged from 8 to 84.
On-water training starts for all teams in May. We have SIX main teams for you to choose from, just differing slightly in how many practices or races they attend, and the day of the week and time that they practice. Anyone can join any team - just pick the one that fits your schedule. See the "Teams" drop-down menu above to explore the details for each team. A summary of each team is also listed below.
A common question we get is "Is there space on the team for me?". The answer is YES! If you see the "Click Here to Register" button on a team page, then registration is open for you to join the team. We use the TeamSnap application for registration (buttons link to it). Payment is separate from registration and is done later (normally via Interac email transfer).
2026 Team Summary:
> Flying Dragons - They train on Thursdays at 7:10 PM and race in Hamilton (July 4), Welland (Aug 15), and Stratford (Sept 19).
> Barracudas - They train on Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM. Coaches Beth Yam and Sammi Wai. This team is a bridge between recreational and competitive teams. Both experienced and competitive minded new paddlers are welcome. They race at Toronto Island (June 13-14), Welland (Aug 15), and at GWN Challenge (Sept 12-13). They also have two Outrigger Canoe (OC) camps on May 30 and Aug 23.
> We Will Rock You - They train on Tuesdays at 5:50 PM, and race in Mississauga (June 20) and Stratford (Sept 19). Coach Catherine MacInnes. This team has a unique earlier start time.
> Liberty Waves - They train on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Coach Jonathan Navarro. Join our 2SLGBTQIA+ team for some fun Sunday practices! They race in Hamilton (July 4), Woodstock (Aug 8), and Stratford (Sept 19).
> Mixed Ability - They train on Saturdays at Noon for 12 weeks, and then race at the Welland Hope Floats Challenge (Aug 15). Coach Tim MacFarlane and Sammi Wai. Part of the international Mixed Ability Sport (iMAS) organization.
> Strokes of Luck - They train on Saturdays at 10:30 AM. Coach Sammi Wai. This program is our shortest (at 7 weeks) and hence the lowest cost of all programs. They race at Hamilton Waterfest on July 4.
Beginners are most welcome at our club (it's our primary focus). We start with the basics and build on that week by week until we are ready to race after several practices. Anyone is welcome to join the club.
Want an extra regatta on the side this summer?
> Motley Crew (racing at various events and open to anyone from any team or club, anywhere in the world). Each of the four available races can be separately registered for. It's for paddlers who are training with any home team, but want this extra race with Rusty Dragons.
