Swan Boat Races For Fun

Greetings from the west,

I am keen to learn dragonboat racing and participate in the festival in Bangkok and beyond (Malaysia, Vietnam etc). Although I swim a kilometer daily, for me its about having fun - I am not a jock. I want to expand my water sports repertoire. The idea of paddling like mad to a drummer and celebrating being the losing team at the end. I could train in the west but I am turned off by the regimented nature of the sport, its competitveness and high cost here... insurance, superfiber paddles, training, safety regulations, and ugh - lifejackets. Thailand can't be this safety and trophy maniacal could it? But whatever the situation, where does one get connected to the local scene? It needn't be an exclusively expat team, in fact I think I would prefer an integrated team of locals and foreigners. Here on the west coast the sport is part of the upper middle class social scene, the 'preppy' mileu like tennis and skiing used to be. I suppose it is bound to have as it takes considerable leisure time for preparation and fees to be paid. Anyway, even if it isn't a sweaty push on the Chaophraya ending up with a sweaty push at Chaophraya II, - how to begin?