Magnetic Island event has something to float anyone’s boat Water great weekend
THE weekend racing may have been delayed by light winds, but it didn’t stop thousands rocking up to the Beer Can Regatta as Magnetic Island Race Week action started.
The first event of the illustrious week was pushed back nearly two hours on Saturday, after barely a breath of breeze greeted sailors, but once the yachts hit the water it was all entertainment. Viewers along The Strand were able to watch the first race on that route.
Paul Clitheroe’s TP52 Balance won its division, but was beaten out on handicap to Vamp.
Hughie Lewis had some good news as well, with the Tasmanian skippering Ponyo to victory in the SeaLink Spinnaker Division 4 race.
Local hope Poppy, steered by Michael Phillips, was a popular winner.
The Magnetic Island- based yacht took line honours in the Non- Spinnaker Division.
The serious racing continues today, after a lay day yesterday.
Crowds flocked to Picnic Bay yesterday morning to watch the Rotary Magnetic Island Beer Can Regatta.
Magnetic Island Rotary Club president Rod Thorne said 10 boats, handmade by daring seagoers who crafted their vessels from beer cans, took to the water in front of about 3500 spectators.
“Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it, which is the whole idea,” Mr Thorne said. “The jetty was full.”
The race was won by Swamp Donkey, a basic design of beer cans wrapped in gladwrap.
Another entry, believed to be the Peppers Resort team, complete with mattress, was not quite as successful as it struggled to retain buoyancy, as did a number of the other vessels.
Mr Thorne said regatta winners Swamp Donkeys collected $ 500 for their efforts, while the crew on Octopussy came second and scored $ 300.
Best boat was judged to be Wild Stallion, and the team aboard it earned $ 300, in recognition of their beer can building expertise.
Almost $ 540 was raised for the drought appeal during the regatta.
Mr Thorne said the island’s community benefited greatly from the event and the thousands of spectators, especially the market stallholders at Horseshoe Bay.
“It sort of helps every everyone out like that,” he said.