Home-made boats to race on the lake
A new event created for this year’s Spring Fling is inviting four-person crews to build homemade boats or rafts and then race against each other over 1.5km, from one end of a man-made lake to the other and back.
Backpaddock Lakes is hosting its first Boat Race on Sunday, October 14, before the purpose-built watersports park’s official season opening on October 17.
Boats must be completely man-made with no powered engines or mechanical parts. However the use of sails, paddles, rudders and human power are all acceptable and will probably be needed, said events manager Anna ‘Molly’ Baldwin, given the likelihood of decent headwind on the lake.
Molly said she was expecting to see some crafty ingenuity and secrecy from teams.
“I’m sure there will be a lot of banter between teams about boat design, speed and I suspect a fair bit of cloak-and-dagger activity late at night in workshops and sheds around town as teams create their masterpieces,” she said.
The rules state that the winning boat must have all four team members on board and be in possession of all parts of their boat to be crowned overall Champion of the Lake, while there will also be prizes for best designed entry and best dressed team.
Molly said the team at Backpaddock Lakes wanted to host a fun, family event which got people out on the water. She predicted the rivalry and competition created by the event would also make for fun viewing for spectators and support crews watching from the lake’s edge.
“It will be a fun and relaxed day at Backpaddock Lakes.
“If you haven’t been to visit the lake before we highly recommend you come and see what a special place it is.”
The event kicks off at 11am. Families are welcome to bring a picnic and sit on the water’s edge and enjoy the fun on the water. There will be a coffee cart, food available and kids’ entertainment.
Entry for spectators is free, but teams entering boats are required to register and a $40 entry fee applies. Full details of the event are posted on Backpaddock’s Facebook page.