Our Flag-Catching boats are getting a makeover!

We currently own four dragon boats, two flag-catcher style boats and two Hong Kong style. The Hong Kong style, in case you don't know, are lighter, sleeker and lower in the water and are used for the competitive races, while the Flag Catcher boats are used for the recreational races. They're fun, and very popular with spectators.

But the two Flag Catcher boats were tired and worn out.
So we've given them a makeover, just so they can celebrate the Year of the Dragon in style and start the next 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac all spiffed up.
They look so nice and clean and bright now that we're sure every team will be inspired to paddle faster this year!

You'll be able to see the newly-painted Flag Catcher boats in action starting 8 am each day this weekend during the festival. The races will alternate between the two styles of boats, and will run until 6 pm Saturday and 5 pm Sunday.

If you've never seen a Dragon Boat Race before, it's an exciting site -- an intense minute and a half of teams paddling in sync to get to the finish line first. In the case of these Flag Catcher boats, a team member has to climb on top of the dragon's head as the boat approaches the finish line, and snatch a flag out of the water. The first team to pull out the flag wins.

Check out the Before and after pics.