What are the rules for steerspeople?

• Accreditation: steerspeople must be accredited through DBC's Safe Steering Accreditation to take part in any DBC-sanctioned event or race, including the Canadian Dragon Boat Championships, Race Off Regattas and Club Crew Events. Non-Canadian club steers may provide an attestation of their accreditation from their national federation or an equivalent sanctioned body.
• Divisions: a Division I or Division II racer may steer in the other divisions (Division I may steer in II or III, Division II may steer in I or III) at the Canadian Championships, even though they cannot paddle or drum there.
• Women's crews: Premier Women crews must be all female including the steersperson, and no male steersperson is allowed in a Women's crew.
• Age: Senior A crews need a steersperson aged 39 or older (as at December 31). Senior B, C and D have steersperson minimums of 39, 49 and 59 respectively (paddlers 49, 59 and 69 or older). Junior and 24 and Under categories apply their age limits to the drummer and paddlers (24 and Under to all racers).
• On the water: the steersperson holds the start rope in a held start, keeps buoys on the left in turns, and in long races keeps at least 6 metres from the buoys on the left unless overtaking. In races of 2000 m and more, passing inside a turn buoy brings a time penalty of up to 10 seconds.

Source: Rules of Racing, January 2026 Edition, rules 3.8.1, 6.1.3 to 6.1.5, 6.2, 9.4, 13.3, 13.5.