The Grand Masters Dragon Boat Club is comprised of over 400 paddlers arranged in nine teams. We are one of the largest Dragon Boat Clubs in the United States. Our Club is headquartered in The Villages, Florida and is managed under the Villages Resident Activity structure. As such, our Club is comprised of only Residents of the Villages.
We have 4 competitive teams that race regionally and sometimes internationally. There are also 5 teams that are more recreational for paddlers who want to enjoy the comraderie and exercise experienced with paddling. Our teams are mostly made up of people of age of 55 and up, competing in Senior Class B, C and D events along with community races.
The Club manages 9 boats, used on 3 lakes within the Villages' area - Lake Miona, Lake Sumter and Central Lake
The Club provides training opportunities for new paddlers and experienced paddlers in men's boats, women's boats and mixed boats. We also hold training events for steersperson and drummers. Two of our teams- This Boat Rocks (recreational) and The Leatherneck Warriors (competitive) lead new-paddler training events every week. The local Enrichment Academy also holds new-paddler training sessions.
As a club we participate in Camp Villages. Also our members volunteer, support and assist many local charitable organizations in and around The Villages.
