Command

Meaning

Set the boat

Crew members lean forward with arms straight, resting on the gunwales and with the paddle at a 90 degree angle, nearly touching the paddler in front of them.

Paddles up

Move your paddle to the start position

Go

Start paddling

Stop the boat

Paddlers stop the dragon boat quickly by holding the paddle vertically in the water

Hold water

Paddlers hold their paddles still in the water to halt the dragon boat motion and to keep the boat stationary

Paddles behind

Paddles are placed in a backward position for paddling backwards

Paddles flat

Paddlers press the blade of the paddle flat on the water to stabilise the dragon boat

Let it run

Paddles come out of the water, allowing the dragon boat to glide (run) through the water, gradually slowing down to a stop