No entry fee, construction materials provided

Camden Windjammer Festival: Build-a-Boat contestants wanted

Begin building Sept. 3, race Sept. 4
Mon, 08/29/2016 - 11:15pm
This entrant from year’s past was long on imagery, and a crowd favorite, but ended up short on maneuverability and speed once it hit the water. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
Traditional designs cut through the water best, but it also helps to have strong, synchronized paddles. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
Each boat is brought down the fisherman’s rail at the start of the race, and the first test is whether the boat will float. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
A unique design that relies on crew members to row and move the paddle, with a rudder used for steering around corners. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
Another entry making its way down the rail. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
This paddle boat design moves a lot of water as it begins the race. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
Build-a-Boat is for all ages! (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)
A solid and sturdy designed handmade boat makes it way back around the course. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)

Story Location:
5 Public Landing
Camden, ME 04843
United States

    CAMDEN - The Camden Windjammer Festival committee is once again seeking entrants for the annual Build-a-Boat competition, which involves not only building a boat - that floats - but building a boat that can best others in a race around Camden’s inner harbor and the dinghy floats.

    That may not seem like a huge challenge, but consider this. You have about 24 hours to build your boat and you are given just some 2 x 2s, a sheet of plywood and some Sikaflex glue to work with. You also have to come up with the design. But those are your biggest challenges.

    You have the option to build off-site, but if you stay on the Public Landing, expert on-site supervision will be made available. Bring your own tools, where electric power will be made available, and on-site experts will be there to help with the long saw cuts.

    From there, there is no limit to your imagination in design, style, theme and decoration. Be it a dinghy with a sail, an old fashioned paddle boat or a Hawaiian canoe design, they’ve all been tried over the years. Some have succeeded, some have failed. Sometimes it’s the design, sometimes it’s the amount of glue used, or the amount time the glue is allowed to dry. Sometimes it’s the ballast and the balance of the crew manning the paddles! Any number of variables go into building, floating and racing a winning Build-a-Boat.

    But the most important factor is that you have to sign up. Build-a-Boat construction begins promptly on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. and you don’t want to waste a precious designing-and-building minute futzing with registration and waivers. Download the entry form here, and sign up now. It’s free!

    The Build-a-Boat race is sponsored by PenBayPilot.com, and the official race commences on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 11:30 a.m. May the best boat win, but may there also be lots of boats competing!

    FMI: camdenwindjammerfestival.org

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