Ahoy there! Cardboard regatta returns to North Salem

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - When the summer winds beckon in North Salem, folks gotta regatta.

A flotilla of cleverly constructed cardboard craft hit the water on Sunday, Aug. 3, at Vail’s Grove’s annual contest of nerve, engineering skills, and duct tape.

Lots and lots of duct tape.

Rule No. 1: No skimping on the stuff that keeps your boat afloat.

Rule No. 2, and probably more important: Have fun.

Artistic ability helps, too.

Adorning the wee vessels was everything from mythical Scottish creatures and for-real toothy denizens of the deep (think da-dum, da-dum) to eyepatch-wearing pirate cats and red-lipped sirens with crepe paper roses in their curly crepe paper hair.

Lightning bolts, impressionistic sunsets, and a giant ace of spades were also deployed.

With hope in their hearts and homemade paddles in their hands, everyone valiantly launched from the dock into Peach Lake at the Frank Cassidy Memorial Beach with the goal of making it to the finish line – if not with their boat, at least their dignity – intact.

Parents and friends cheered wildly from beachside as two lifeguards kept careful watch.

“Paddle your heart out!” one spectator bellowed.

After the races were over, both the kiddos and the grown-ups dove back in for separate pitched battles over a greased watermelon.

Once wrestled back to shore, the slippery spheres were divvied up and messily consumed by all.

Certificates and small golden trophies were passed out by Helen Vail of the clan after which the one-time summer colony, now year-round haven of homes, was named.

Hail the Conquering Heroes

The First-Place winners were:

Roman Kameron, in the age 10 and under category; Keaton Paxton-Cumming (ages 11 to 18); and Rob Lee (ages 19 and up).

Best Boat Name: Rose Thoma (Rosey Dawn III).

Best Team Spirit: Keaton Paxton-Cumming (Loch-Mess Monster).

Best Stay Afloat: Simon and Matteo Rubini (Dred Naught).

Best Theme: Roman Jaramillo and Hank Myers (Ace of Spades).

Best Design: Roman Kameron (The Speeder).

Best Costume: Nina Fox (Battle Cat).

People’s Choice: Nina Fox (Battle Cat).

Best Oars and Paddles: Brynn Early, Mike Early (Sunset Paradise).

And the winner of the most coveted prize of all – the Titanic, which is awarded for the most spectacular sinking – was Hanna Vail in Jaws 50, built with the help of her mom and dad, Rich and Nina Vail, her uncle Thomas, and her little cousin Myles.

Here’s a tasty tidbit of trivia.

Nina’s uncle was an extra in the original Jaws movie, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

(The residuals are still rolling in, says Helen.)

While the Vails' cardboard version didn’t ultimately prove seaworthy, it did provide some comic relief as its toothy deck appeared to close slowly over Hanna’s head when it sank.

Next year, maybe a bigger boat?