MONMOUTH — The Piranha, a duct tape boat made by Jessica Butler and her cousin, Wes Danforth, sailed Saturday afternoon toward the finish line during the Monmouth Beach Party cardboard boat race at Cochnewagon Lake.
As the other boats lagged behind, Butler and Danforth were on a mission to beat their family members, who also had boats in the race.
They spent two hours on the boat and made it ahead of time, which according to the rules, is fine. If people did not have the supplies needed to create their boats, Monmouth Beach Party organizers had cardboard and duct tape for anyone to create a boat.
Butler and Danforth won the first time, but sunk all of the other times they competed. They have participated for five years and have missed only one race — when Danforth was away for his Air Force duties.
“We really only win bragging rights,” Butler said, adding the annual event is fun for the family.
Wes Danforth and his cousin, Jessica Butler, win the older age group Saturday afternoon during the Monmouth Beach Party cardboard boat race at Cochnewagon Lake. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
The other family members who competed included Karen Danforth, Connie Cushman and Michael Danforth and his son, Gear Danforth, who were not far behind the Piranha. All stayed afloat.
Karen Danforth said it took seven hours to make their boat, which included a pipe along the bottom that was attached with duct tape — so much duct tape that the boat was hardly wet after racing.
“We got there and back, and that’s all we wanted,” Cushman said, with Karen Danforth joking that her niece and son had cheated.
The cardboard boat race, held annually as part of the Monmouth Beach Party, typically draws between 12 and 20 participants, according to Kent Ackley, who runs the race.
Ackley said the race began five years with the stipulation all boats be made from cardboard.
“It’s something everyone has got and thinks of as trash,” he said, “and anyone can make it beautiful for a moment.”
August Williams, 6, pilots Sharknado on Saturday afternoon during the Monmouth Beach Party cardboard boat race at Cochnewagon Lake. August received help from his younger brother, Lewie, and father, Joe, in building the cardboard boat, which has a face on the front and fin on top. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
The races were split into two age divisions: 8 or younger and 9 or older. Jessica Butler and Wes Danforth won the older age group, while Biriam Eller, 5 1/2, won the younger division.
Eller said he decided to join at the last minute and made his boat the day of the race with his grandparents, with whom he is staying for the summer.
Eller’s boat, called the Floating Sled, was his idea. He captained the boat, steering past the other children in the race. The Floating Sled was one of the boats that had not become soaked with water.
“I was excited,” Eller said. “I know how to paddle because I have been on a kayak.”
Now in its seventh year, the Monmouth Beach Party concluded Saturday night with fireworks.
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