The boats were all hand-built, mostly out of foam, conduit and duct tape and whatever other stuff could be scrounged in garages and basements. And sea-worthy ships they were.
The preliminary event was the Sinking Dinghy race. Two dinghys were entered, each with a team of two paddlers and one bailer. The bailer could use only a beer cup to bail water out of the dinghy.
The object was to paddle two laps around the course without sinking after the stern plug was removed. Go!
The winners made two laps without sinking. Hooray!
There was a brief intermission while a water ski team put on a show.
And now for the regatta, the main event!
The national anthem was played while a flyby....of snowmobiles....skimmed past the beach. yes, snowmobiles, racing across the lake, trying to make it to the beach before sinking. Two made it, six did not.
The regatta begins!
Boats must be paddled for two laps in a counter-clockwise direction around the course. Boats must have three paddlers. Previous year's winners must add one additional person for each year they've won. The starting cannon is fired. BOOOM!!
Defying (or maybe too drunk to remember) the rules, the boats take off in a clockwise direction. The first boat to capsize does so immediately after the start.
Confusion ensues as some paddles are lost overboard, some boat forgets which way it is going and the cop car boat turns on its flashing red and blue lights.
The leading boat, the green one, starts to lap the field, only to be met with ramming, pushing and general piracy.
The boats at the rear start coming apart...........
And the winner crashes into the shore. It's the green boat - a boat made of scrap sheet metal by three engineering students. Doggone engineers!
The winners were cheered. More food and drink was consumed. And the large crowd loved the beautiful, wonderful, sunny Saturday spent on a sparkling lake. A perfect day, spent without thinking of work, politics or anything other than having a very good time.
Want to be there next year? Bookmark this website.
Not a bad way to spend a sunny day. Not a bad way at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the report from the front lines of fun.
What a great bunch of photo's.
ReplyDeleteWhatever floats your boat is what I say!
Tell you what...I am one of the person that organized the "Polish Flyover....and all I can say is that, this is one of the best bar party's I have ever been too!!! It is absolutely a hysterical time... If you have never been to Pitlik's Regatta, please make it a point to do so. It is a event you will never forget!!!!!
ReplyDelete