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Reprint Courtesy of the Arlington Star-Telegram
'Board games
Have corrugated boat, will travel -- or
perhaps sink
Arlington, Texas — May 2, 2003
SHIRLEY JINKINS
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Clear the decks (and your calendar) for the 14th Annual
Cardboard Boat Regatta on Saturday, a one-of-a-kind Arlington
tradition that pleases landlubbers and old salts alike.
Here's the deal: Otherwise sane people spend weeks creating
fanciful crafts from corrugated cardboard and plastic, then
launch them in Hurricane Harbor's wave pool and attempt to
maneuver them safely through the waters.
People get wet. Boats collapse. It's not a pretty sight.
It's going to be even more bizarre this year, because a
new class of boats has been added to the fray: built-on-site
boats. "We're going to let people test their engineering
skills in two hours or less," says Amy Walker, fund-development
director of River Legacy Foundation, which benefits from the
mayhem. "We'll see what happens." Walker says each
team of builders will be given a few pieces of cardboard,
a piece of plastic, duct tape, a straight-edge and a box cutter.
Two hours later, they'll supposedly have a seaworthy vessel
that's ready to be launched in the wave pool. The impromptu
crafts will be raced just before the adult semifinals, "and
we'll see who survives," Walker says. Boats have to make
it once around the wave pool without sinking to be certified
as winners. Winners will be awarded handsome trophies handcrafted
by Pantego Christian Academy students. Handsome cardboard
trophies.
But traditional off-site-constructed boats will make up the
bulk of the regatta, with crews from 1 to 10 members. Honors
include trophies for best of show, division and class winners,
most spirited team, people's choice awards, judges' award
(bribes accepted) and even the most spectacular sinking (the
Titanic Award, of course).
Entrants include individuals, businesses, schools, churches
and other nonprofit groups. The regatta draws about 2,000
boat crews, spectators and others each year, but Walker says
officials are predicting a swell of attendees to 2,500 this
year. Part of the attraction will be the chance to buy season
passes to Hurricane Harbor for half-price. It's an offer for
regatta fans only, and some of the money will benefit the
River Legacy Foundation.
Also new this year is a full day of entertainment at the
Hurricane Harbor Pavilion Stage. Most acts will spotlight
children, including groups from Children's University, Dance
Theater of Arlington and Theatre Arlington's Youth Touring
Group. The not-so-young Geezers will also play for the crowd.
Hook's Lagoon will be open all day for children's water play,
a coed volleyball tournament will run throughout the day,
and a team tug-of-war contest will also be held during the
regatta. If all this is too much activity, there's always
the Whale Sail, where spectators can adopt a tiny rubber whale
for $3, or a dozen for $20, and race them down the Lazy River
for prizes.
14th Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
Hurricane Harbor
1800 E. Lamar Blvd.
Arlington TX
$5; free for children under 2
www.riverlegacy.org/cardboardboatregatta.html
Shirley Jinkins, (817) 548-5565 syjinkins@star-telegram.com
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Copyright 2003 Star-Telegram, Inc.
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