Duct tape boat races

Ken Johnston

As if the boaters competing in the 4th Annual Rainy River Great Beaver Duct Tape Boat Races did not have enough to worry about with rumours about an Ogo Pogo monster being loose... word circulated about a 1,000 lb. sturgeon being caught at the mouth of the river last week.
Race coordinator, Jack Elliott, said that competitor’s will have to be on guard for more than rough water conditions. “Before the race we are planning to offer up a sacrifice to the creatures. We are planning to throw the Mad Trapper (Wayne McCarthy) and the Town Crier (Doug Giles) to it.”
That pair has gotten wind of Elliott’s plans and have gone into hiding. “Perhaps a member of the press or M.P. Ken Boshcoff would do as a substitute,” said Elliott.
Registration for the races will be held at Government Dock at Noon this Sunday. Teams of four will be given two rolls of duct tape and two sheets of cardboard. With the threat of monsters on the river, Elliott said that the duct tape donated by 3M has been enhanced. “They have added some armor plated fibers to the tape so that the boats can withstand impacts from the deep.”
However, Elliott has said some boaters may wish to use the regular duct tape as there is prizes for the Most Spectacular Sinking as well as the fastest boats.
Teams will have three hours to build their boats. Elliott said there are two main categories for the event. Purists will build their boats primarily for racing. Themers will construct a boat with a specific theme and less emphasis on speed. However, at 3 p.m. they will all line up on the shore of the Rainy River and take to the water in heats.
There will be a kids class (ages 8-13), an adult class (13 and over) and family class (one adult, one kid in the boat). While there are four people on a team, only two are allowed to paddle the boat.
There are prizes for the fast boat in each class, Most Spectacular Sinking and Best Theme.
The public is encouraged to come out and cheer the boaters on. Race time is 3 p.m. and the RR Music Fest will pause from its program for the races.
Last year there were over 30 entries and Elliott is anticipating that number will be surpassed again this year.
All racers have to supply their own paddles and life jackets. There is a $10 registration fee.
The race will run from the Second St. boat launch to the Government Dock (Main St.).
Elliott said that, “This is definitely an outlandish event. There are some people that take their duct tape very seriously. It should be great fun and we try to keep it loosy goosy.”