BLADES, Del. – The third annual Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta – presented by the Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, in conjunction with DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Reclaim Our River Program, the Town of Blades and the Nanticoke River Sail & Power Squadron – will cast off Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Nanticoke River Public Marine Park, 26 N. Market Street, Blades, DE 19973. Sign-in and registration begin at noon, with judging of boats’ appearances at 1 p.m. and races starting at 2 p.m.
The Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta is open to anyone who can build a boat from recycled cardboard and paddle it approximately 200 yards to the regatta finish line. First-place awards will be given for winners of races in four different categories: individual, family, clubs and businesses, and non-profits and government organizations.
Boats may be any size, shape or design, but must be made of recycled cardboard. They may (and should) be painted with multiple coats of any one-part polyurethane or enamel paint. Special awards will be given for “Best Constructed Boat,” “Best Decorated Boat,” “Best Team Effort,” and “Most Whimsical Boat.” Decorations may be removed after aesthetic judging by Gallery 107 of Seaford, prior to the race start. Also, spectators will be asked to pick a “People’s Choice” award winner, while a special “Titanic Award” will be given for the best and “Most Dramatic Sinking!”
Participants can register the day of the event, but are encouraged to start building their boats as well as registering early for a discounted fee of $20. Registration fee is $30 the week of the event, July 31-Aug. 6. Participants are encouraged to challenge others to race in the cardboard regatta and can do so by choosing the challenge option during registration to ensure both parties will be in the same race.
During the event, attendees can enjoy music, grilled and baked foods as well as snacks and beverages from the Blades United Methodist Church, and find information from the Reclaim Our River (ROR) partnership on how to protect Delaware’s waterways.
The ROR partnership also welcomes event sponsors with proceeds going toward event costs, river restoration and water quality education. Sponsorships begin at $50.
More information, rules, flyer and an event entry form are available at www.delawarewatersheds.org, or by emailing Phil Miller or calling 302-290-3578.
A video from the past two years of the Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDqFDY7eQWU.
The Reclaim Our River – Nanticoke Series is devoted to bringing monthly events, workshops and recreational activities to the Nanticoke Watershed. The series offers participants fun opportunities to connect with Delaware’s waterways and provides important information on water quality that can help in protecting aquatic resources.
Contact: Contact: Philip Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, 302-672-1149, or philip.miller@delaware.gov
Vol. 46, No. 264
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