Households trip wave of enjoyable at cardboard boat races in Southampton

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Some had extra success than others in getting their vessels to the end line on the Marine Heritage Festival’s cardboard boat races in Southampton on Saturday.

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But no matter whether or not their crafts stayed afloat or not, those that took half had been all smiles on the finish of all of it.

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About 65 boats of all shapes, sizes and designs took half on this yr’s occasion, whereas lots of of spectators lined the Lake Huron shoreline a number of rows deep to look at what has grow to be an enormous draw to the native Marine Heritage Society’s annual occasion.

While some have been participating within the occasion for years now, the six members of the Dykstra household of Port Elgin climbed right into a cardboard boat to compete for the primary time within the household class on Saturday. Unfortunately their boat – appropriately named Soggy Bottom – was solely ready keep afloat for about half of the course earlier than it slowly sank into the lake, however it didn’t dampen their spirits in any method.

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“It was a little bit tippier than we thought, but we got in OK I think,” captain and mother Shona Dykstra mentioned. “It got further than I thought we might, so getting halfway before we sank I am going to call a success.”

Dykstra mentioned one of many folks at their church enters boats within the occasion every year they usually thought they might give it a strive too.

They began constructing their boat a couple of week-and-a-half in the past, with grasp cardboard boat craftsman Randy Schnarr offering some tips about tips on how to make it a bit extra secure.

While many of the boats on Saturday had one, two or three passengers, the Dykstras went large and all six members of the family climbed in, together with dad Alistair, and siblings Jacob, 14, Josh, 13, Ben, 10, and Tim, 8.

“If we can do something together then we are going to go for it,” Shona Dykstra mentioned. “Overall I think it was really good and it was fun to watch the other boats.”

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Ben and Tim took half within the 12-and-under division and their duck-themed vessel efficiently made it to the end line.

“It has been a good family day of fun and something we can do together,” Dykstra mentioned. “I think we will get a few pointers on what worked and what didn’t work so well and I think we will go again next year.”

Another household with extra expertise within the annual races is the Rooyakkers household from Southampton, and that have paid off once more on Saturday with some podium placings.

Grace Rooyakkers received the teenager division for the fourth straight yr, powering her Batman-inspired boat by means of the course in below a minute. Parents Mike and Shannon additionally had sturdy showings, as did cousin Will.

Rooyakkers, who has positioned in eight of the 9 years she has competed, mentioned her secret is to only go as quick as she will be able to.

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“It is definitely a big family event for us,” mentioned Rooyakkers. “I hang out with my dad while he builds boats and I do help, as much as may not admit it.”

Rooyakkers has grow to be well-known within the occasion as she returns every year with a Batman-themed vessel. She determined early on that she would do each single Batman film so as every year and it has now been seven years now for the Batboat. This yr’s craft was the Dark Knight Rises, with plans to proceed the theme sooner or later.

She is shifting up subsequent yr to the grownup class, however she has confidence she’s going to nonetheless have success. She fired a shot throughout the bow of her dad Mike’s carboard boat on Saturday.

“I did beat my dad’s time this year, so I am going to beat him,” mentioned Rooyakkers. “His name next year is going to be ‘Watch Me Beat My Kids’ so I can’t let that happen.”

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While having enjoyable was the No. 1 rule for Saturday’s occasion, there was positively some bragging rights on the road as nicely. The competitors was most intense within the company division, the place Savannah Stoll, a camp chief on the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre powered the museum’s entry to a win. She beat out Graham Starrs within the Martin’s Bicycle Shop entry, which has dominated the division for the final decade.

“It is all fun, but the museum really wanted to win it,” Stoll mentioned after hoisting the carboard trophy that goes to the division winner.

Stoll, who was cheered alongside by a bunch of her camp college students, mentioned the profitable components included a robust begin, intense paddling and the handiwork of Schnarr, who crafted the General Hunter II she captained.

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Schnarr mentioned he has most likely created six or seven boats for the occasion, with them getting a bit extra refined every year. He mentioned he does it as a result of he likes to see folks having enjoyable.

“I like to see people doing things, having fun and getting involved,” mentioned Schnarr. “Just look at the spirit here and it is just awesome seeing these people all with smiles. It is a great community.”

It was the 14th yr for the competition, which had quite a lot of occasions unfold over three days.

Friday’s actions included a Beneath the Surface presentation at St. Paul’s Church, a youngsters’ bike rally, leisure and a corn roast barbecue. The Chantry Time-Trek Adventure round Fairy Lake featured mariners and characters of Southampton’s previous all wearing interval costume.

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On Saturday there was a pancake breakfast, a kids’s gold hunt, and enjoyable within the park with leisure, a beer backyard, highway hockey and extra. On the water, the Southampton Yacht Club did a sail previous and Bernie’s Boat, powered by a crew of breast most cancers survivors, was on show. There was a barbecue dinner and sundown seashore social gathering within the night.

On Sunday, occasions included a non-denominational ecumenical service, Chantry Island Lighthouse Tours, Lookup Theatre’s summer time camp finale, Range Light excursions and extra.

Festival co-chair Deb Kaufman mentioned it had most likely been the largest occasion they’ve had but, with double the folks at lots of their occasions. At the youngsters’s gold hunt, the variety of individuals pushed handed 200 for the primary time, whereas about 600 folks got here out to occasions on the museum on Friday night. The 65 carboard boats was essentially the most that they had but.

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“We are ecstatic. It is getting to the point where I don’t know if we can expand much more,” mentioned Kaufman. “The community has been amazing. The Town of Saugeen Shores helps us out with even the setup here down at the beach, and we have a lot of community groups that step in and help us as well, which is really phenomenal.”

The occasion is held by the Marine Heritage Society to thank the neighborhood for all of the assist it receives. Organizers take pleasure in the truth that the occasion stays free and accessible to everybody, with meals, refreshments and souvenirs the one price to folks.

“It really started as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of running tours to Chantry Island, and we have been going ever since,” competition co-chair Wayne Kaufman mentioned. “It was just to say thank you to all the people who donate money for all the restoration work. We like that we have been able to keep it free so that families can come and build memories and it doesn’t cost them any money.”

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Deb Kaufman mentioned this yr they had been lucky to obtain some grant funding from Experience Ontario that has allowed them to do some issues they haven’t carried out previously, like gathering demographics information, which will help them safe funding for main initiatives sooner or later.

The group and its greater than 200 volunteer members are devoted to preserving and enhancing the marine heritage of the world, and the competition permits them to focus on the work they do in the neighborhood. They have a significant challenge on the horizon with the Imperial Lighthouse on Chantry Island requiring some in depth repairs.

“We are starting to rev up for that so bringing attention to us is going to help us we hope in the long run,” Deb Kaufman mentioned. “As I say, the community is really good at supporting us and we are definitely going to need some big support for that.”

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