JUNIORS

Elliot Johnston

BOAT REGATTAS HAVE taken place since the mid-1700s. Residents of the United Kingdom, Venice, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and France were the first to witness sailing develop in popularity. The term “regatta” stems from the Venetian regata – which means contest – and it’s used to describe racing with rowed or sailed water vessels.

Today, boat regattas have formed into a long-standing tradition for

many families and cultures throughout the world, including the United States.

In 2016, Porters Neck Country Club and Providence Country Club launched their own boat regatta traditions, which have grown into a staple for junior members and their families to enjoy. Porters Neck hosts a Cardboard Boat Regatta in the summer while Providence puts on a Memorial Day Cardboard Boat Regatta with a patriotic theme. Despite COVID19’s cancellation of Providence’s regatta in 2020, members are looking forward to making up for lost time this year as they plan to use their creativity to build boats out of cardboard and duct tape.

“The cardboard boat regatta is such a fun event,” says Sarah Cain, a member at Porters Neck. “The kids have a blast racing their pirate ships, sailboats, canoes and masterful creations made out of simple cardboard and duct tape.”

The boat regattas allow families of all ages to spend quality time together while working as a team to create works of art to enter in the contests. While the boats only last a short amount of time, the families make memories that last a lifetime. Boats of all shapes and sizes have sailed across the pools at Porters Neck and Providence, including designs in the form of sharks, whales, planes, canoes, sailboats, airboats, pirate ships and firetrucks, just to name a few.

“We love participating in the Cardboard Boat Regattas! While our boats were rarely sea-worthy for the long paddle across the pool, we love designing our boats with a theme,” says Beth Johnston, a member at Porters Neck. “My favorite was Gilligan’s Island. My youngest son was a good sport at being a very cute Gilligan, even though he had never seen or heard of the show. Our S.S. Minnow was a fan favorite that year!”

Trophies are awarded to participants with the most creative and fastest boats, based on feedback from a panel

\ ri-ˈgä-tə, -ˈga- \ noun – a rowing, speedboat or sailing race, or a series of such races

Elliot Johnston Providence Country Club Boat Regatta Race

2020 Winners Austyn & Braxton Haydie Cain

of judges. The best part of the races, however, is the camaraderie that forms between competitors and spectators alike. Each year, large crowds gather to cheer on the boat racers and competition between entries grows as members start mapping out their plans for the next regatta.

– Sarah Cain