Boat Race focuses on Most Dramatic Sinking
Tata Cardboard Boat Race 2005.
It's on again! For the eleventh year running, in fact. The Tata Titanic Cardboard Boat Race will take off, rain or shine, at 10am on Sunday 11 January at the beach at Tata, or in the lagoon if windy. The overall race winner will be expected to do one or two victory laps, depending upon how windy it is, but the TAG trophy will again this year go to the Most Dramatic Sinking. The winners for the last two years have been the Dodgy Dodsons team.
Explains organiser Dave Myall: "It used to be the first boat around the marked course that took the prize, but this resulted in too much competitive ‘argy bargy', so we decided last year to go back to the best sinking and get some fun back into it."
That shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. Some boats in the past have lasted only seconds before foundering. There will be plenty of help on hand to assist crews who have difficulty keeping their boats afloat, including ship-to-shore radio communication with the Pohara Beach Sailing Club rescue boats.
The crazy event, which usually attracts around 18-24 entrants and hundreds of spectators, is actually governed by strict rules. The challenge for teams is to build and design a vessel, the hull and structure of which must be made entirely of cardboard. Other materials may be used for decoration but cannot contribute to the flotation qualities of the vessel. Any keel fitted must also be made of cardboard. Adhesive tape, string, rope and waterproof paint can be used, but the wrapping of the hull in cling film or plastic, tar substances, epoxy glue, fibreglass, or resins (including two-pot) is not acceptable. Propulsion can be by paddles, oars, feet or sail (not necessarily cardboard), or any combination of these. A minimum crew of two must sit in or on the boat, be able to swim and must wear a lifejacket. To allow all teams to compete fairly, no vandalism of competitors' crafts is allowed. Believe it or not, this has been an issue in the past.
Sheets of sturdy cardboard will again be supplied by Carter Holt Harvey with transport by TNL as their contribution to the event. These sheets will be available on a "first come, first served basis" from GB Recreation at the Community Centre, behind the Brigand Café, along with a limited amount of sealing paint. Local businesses will again supply prizes, everything from coffee and DVD vouchers to Farewell Spit Safari trips.
The cost of each boat entry is $10, which covers as many people as can fit into a floating cardboard vessel. Boats must be registered and ready to sail by 9am. For further information phone Dave Myall at 525 8876.
Gerard Hindmarsh
