The BDA executive committee is responsible for the policy, organisation and administration of the sport, at UK level, and for the selection of British crews competing abroad.

Dragon Boat Racing first featured competitively in the UK in September 1980 at the Hong Kong in London Chinese Festival.

The formation of the DBRC (Dragon Boat Racing Club of Great Britain) in June 1985, by Mike MacKeddie-Haslam, was the first serious attempt to organise the sport on a national scale in the British Isles.

After making its debut on the BBC TV's 'Blue Peter' programme, in May 1986 a dragon boat was raced from London to Nottingham via the canal system by a crew of soldiers in aid of charity.

The crew paddled 180 miles (including 180 portages for canal locks) in 9 days and raised over £4,000 for Sport Aid en route.