Three boats competed in the head to head race at the end, including “Square Shooter Terex.”

This article has been updated to reflect additional and/or corrected information.

WINONA LAKE — The weather was perfect for Canal Days, held in Winona Lake Saturday, Aug. 24. The family-friendly event, featuring craft and art booths, food vendors and kids’ activities, drew a large crowd. 

The main attraction was the 3rd annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, along the canal, which raised funds for Fellowship Missions of Warsaw.

Eight homemade cardboard boats were entered in the race. 

As if paddling cardboard boats up and down a canal didn’t provide enough of a challenge, spectators were allowed to purchase water balloons and Super Soaker water guns to use on the boaters — and many took full advantage of this opportunity.

Three boats competed in the head to head race at the end —  the “SS Great Scott,” with a time of 3:53; “Square Shooter Terex,” with a time of 5:12; and  “Bad Rhubarb,” with a time of 5:37. The racers of the other boats opted not to participate or their boats sank in their category heat so were unable to compete.

“While we don’t have a total yet for the amount of money raised for Fellowship Missions, we are confident that this was our best year in terms of dollars raised, the crowd of spectators and participants in the races,” said Fellowship Missions Community Relations Director Melissa Demopoulos. “Next year we’re hoping to have at least 12 boats, with multiple entries in each of the four categories.”

Final Results

Kids category:

Boat Name: “Something to Watch”
Racers: Isaac Bloomfield, 11, and Julie Bloomfield, 8,
Award: Fastest Finish – Kids, with a time of 3:13

Boat Name: “Unicorn Posse”
Racers: Maelle Hauck, 8, and Audrie Winey, 11

Youth Category:

Boat Name: “SS Gecko”
Racers: Syrus Shelhart, 13, and Jackson Winey, 13
Awards: Fastest Finish – Youth (sank after 12 seconds, won by default for the only entry in this category); Titanic Award (for most spectacular sinking)

Adult Category:

Boat Name: “SS Great Scott”
Racers: Eli Demopoulos and Alexi Demopoulos.
Awards: Best in Show (won with 92 votes from spectators); Fastest Finish – Adult, with a time of 3:13; Best Overall Finish (first to finish in the head to head race)

Corporate Category:

Boat Name: “Square Shooter Terex”
Company: Winona Lake Restoration
Racers: Matt Light and Jim Zachary
Award: Fastest Finish – Corporate, with a time of 4:04

Boat Name: Bad Rhubarb
Company: MudLOVE and Belove
Racers: Athena Deck and Luke Wright

Boat Name: Baby Shark
Company: Green Earth Multisport
Racers: Paula and Melissa Deming

Boat Name: Our boat might suck but our wine doesn’t
Company: Port Winona
Racers: Vanessa Brito and Tiffany Aites