Silly boaters made a spectacle of themselves once again in Nanaimo harbour.
The Silly Boat Regatta was held Sunday, July 21, in the waters off Maffeo Sutton Park. Teams constructed boats out of re-used materials in the park the morning of the event and then raced them in the afternoon.
This year's winner was the Rotary Club entry, with representatives from various Nanaimo and Lantzville clubs.
Team captain Scott Manson pedalled and his teammates paddled their way to victory in a close three-way race in the final. Manson said Rotary has tried the same design several times and he had a feeling the team was going to win this year.
"We came in second last year so we did a little Frankensteining to the boat because our chain came off last year," he said. "It's been tweaked year by year, but I think we've got it now."
He said as the team scouted out the opposition leading up to the heats, they underestimated some of the boats and overestimated others.
"It's really hard to tell from the design of the boat whether it's going to work or not," Manson said. "We were lucky and we had a great crew and everybody gave it their best."
Tracy Berg, event volunteer and a former fundraising officer with the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, said she loved the event again this year, and mentioned that it would have been the 40th anniversary of the regatta if not for COVID-19 cancellations.
"I can't believe that all these people are still coming out," she said. "After so many years of doing this event, they're still supporting it. It's such a great, fun community event."
The CDC was hoping to raise $125,000 at this years event for various programs and equipment, while also continuing to make community connections.
"It's sort of two-fold," Berg said. "They like giving back to the community and putting on a show for the community to enjoy, and at the same time, the community gets a chance to be able to donate … and understand all of the services that they offer."
Sailors splashed around the harbour at Nanaimo's Silly Boat Regatta this afternoon. The Rotary Club entry was this year's champion… https://t.co/TFFo7WdAKO#Nanaimo pic.twitter.com/cJQI2tynHd
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) July 22, 2024
Tectonica's 'Titanica' vessel – complete with iceberg and Rose – was definitely the silliest at the Silly Boat Regatta today in Nanaimo… https://t.co/TFFo7WdAKO#Titanic pic.twitter.com/9QqeccNIhC
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) July 22, 2024
