The boats were silly but speedy, and they made a splash at the Silly Boat Regatta.
The community event, a fundraiser for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, was held Sunday at Maffeo Sutton Park.
Superette, a multiple-time champion, was the winning team again, as the small three-person craft made it around the buoy and back to the beach fastest in the final.
Luke Dionne of the Superette team said this year’s silly boat was meant to be simple and sleek.
“We’ve been running with the same successful boat design in the past, but we decided to completely switch it up,” he said, adding that he felt like this was Superette’s quickest silly boat yet.
“We managed to get around that buoy with momentum and once we got around that buoy, we had home base in sight.”
The final had some drama, though, as runners-up U-Lock Mini Storage, the Globe Hotel and the Nanaimo Filipino Canadian Association weren’t far behind.
“Lots of fun, I love that sort of thing,” said Superette paddler Nathan Rogers.
Dionne said Superette looks forward to the regatta every year.
“Our No. 1 goal this year was to fundraise more than we ever have before and we knocked it out of the park, did a lot better on our donations and fundraising,” Dionne said. “And goal No. 2 was to … build a boat that was going to be competitive and fast enough to win it all.”
Shari Sorensen, another Superette paddler, said her team has seen how much the CDC means to the community.
“What these guys do is just amazing, what they do for the kids that need it,” she said.
Love photographing Nanaimo's Silly Boat Regatta every year. Here are pics from today. Putting together some video right now, too… https://t.co/bzK3F2hZXa #Nanaimo pic.twitter.com/XglJFyRw9I
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) July 16, 2018
Heats were delayed after a volunteer fell on the rocks and he received medical attention on the beach before he was able to get up and walk to an ambulance.
One of the boats caught on fire, said MCs, but none of the silly boats sank this year.
“It was a great weather day and I think everybody really enjoyed themselves,” said the child development centre’s Tracy Berg. “We had lots of people out at the park again, so we just really appreciate all the great community spirit.”
The final fundraising total wasn’t available at press time, but Berg said the count was more than $89,000 so far and she hoped it would reach $100,000 when all was said and done.
“It just means so much…” she said. “The amount of money that we make, it basically makes a difference between us having programs that we could have, and not. Having equipment that we need, or not. I can’t even express how important it is.”
Aside from Superette, several other teams were recognized with awards. The Protection Island Lions Club’s Soggy Bottoms 4Kids were top community fundraisers with $8,461, the Palace Hotel was top corporate fundraiser and the Herrington family was top family fundraiser.
Alair Homes won Super Silliest boat for their yellow submarine, with an honourable mention to the RDN Jurassic Ark. Alair also had the day’s best heat time. The Soggy Bottoms were Super Silliest Sailors, with RBC earning an honourable mention. The Filipino association took the Best Team Spirit award, with an honourable mention to Generations Church.
VIP Me V.I. won the Lil’ Tuck Award for youth spirit.