We practice in the Berkeley Marina amongst the sailboats, fishing boats, and Hornblowers. Our steers test references the USCG Navigation Rules for International and U.S. Inland. We are cordial to our boating neighbors and invite them to join us on the dragon boat. We wave to them and also communicate our intentions on the water when we are navigating the same area. We look out for fishing line from the shore, though fishing isn't allowed in the areas we practice. We are very respectful to larger boats that are under motor or sail and are conscientious of where we are in the water at all times when boats approach or enter into the waterway.

We were practicing for Ravenna 2024 at the Berkeley Marina on one of the windiest days I have ever steered in. The waves were choppy and coming from different directions, making it extremely difficult to control the boat. At one point, one of our paddlers, who cannot swim, said, “I want to get off at the guest dock! I’m not comfortable being out here!” And in my head, I was thinking the exact same thing: I want to get off the boat, too! But I was steering! I attempted to safely bring her to the guest dock, but the wind and choppy water made it impossible to approach the dock safely. I was giving several different commands to my paddlers, trying to get the boat to respond, but whatever I asked the boat to do, nothing was working the way I needed it to. At that point, my paddler became even more insistent about getting off the boat. I had to explain to her that it was not safe to let her off at the guest dock under those conditions. I assured her that I would take her back to our loading dock, where I could get her off the boat safely. I abandoned the attempt to dock at the guest dock and chose the calmer and safer option: returning to our loading dock to let my teammate off the boat safely. After dropping off the teammate who had been frightened by the waves and wind, we returned to the water to pick up another paddler from a dock where the wind and current were pushing the boat around. The docking area was small, and maneuvering in those conditions was challenging. Nevertheless, I successfully picked him up and managed to get the boat back out of the tight area despite the difficult wind and water conditions. That experience taught me that steering isn't just about knowing how to maneuver a boat. Sometimes, it means recognizing when a plan isn't working, staying calm under pressure, communicating clearly with your crew, and making the safest decision—even when the conditions are working against you.

@Liisa Reimann thank you! Should we enroll in your steering courses, would that be best practices for us as steers and clear us faster for races?

@Liisa Reimann yes, I raced with Adaptive Fusion and got to steer for Warring Redi Dragons! It was a lot of fun!

@Liisa Reimann yes, I steered for Warring Redi Dragons (200M, 500M and 2K) and for the Women's AFC 2K.