Not just cardboard and duct tape

CRYSTAL LAKE – Between 40 and 50 boaters raced Saturday along Crystal Lake’s Main Beach to join the 25th annual America’s Cardboard Cup Regatta as spectators cheered all ages who designed boats using cardboard, duct tape and creativity.

Todd and Lynette Collins came for their fourth year from DeKalb to design three boats.

Taking five weeks to build was a Mystery Machine from the Scooby Doo cartoon, proving that vans can float.

“This is the one fun thing we do every year,” Lynette Collins said. “We put more into it than cardboard and duct tape.”

The youngest racers hit the water in the kiddie cup. Winning second place were brothers 10-year-old Andrew and 7-year-old Brian Stripp of Crystal Lake. Andrew said they named the boat The Sulu after their hamster of the same name.

“Our hamster motivated us to win,” Brian added.

Some racers used oars or water wheels to move. Members of Lost Cause used snow shovels to cross the finish line first. Team member Josh Brownell of the eight-member crew said he was surprised, as they expected that their boat would sink halfway through.

“It doesn’t hurt we had twice as many people as the other boat,” Brownell said.

Races were filled with dramatic moments when team Down, who designed the house with balloons from the movie “Up,” took an early dive. There also were close races, such as when Shark Steaks defeated POS #4 by a nose.

“It was adrenaline that got us to the end,” teammate Joe Fike of Crystal Lake said.

First-, second- and third-place prizes were awarded to top racers in four classes as well as other categories.

Earning the title of most enthusiastic crew and third place people’s choice was the team called Kiss.

Rich Ladderbough and Ron Rogers, wearing Kiss face makeup, earned cheers when they decided halfway through the course to stand on their boat shaped like an guitar and entertain the crowd. Ladderbough said they chose their theme after learning that Kiss was performing the same day at Summerfest and thought it would be a fan favorite.

Bringing Rogers from Dallas, Texas, for four years to come up for the race, Ladderbough of Crystal Lake said, “In 50 weeks, we’ll plan for next year.”

Created by members of the Crystal Lake Yacht Club, all proceeds from America’s Cardboard Cup Regatta benefit a variety of local charities.

Winners

SFlbOar-powered

First: The Metal

Second: Baxter Woodman

Pedal- or mechanical-powered

First and second: Torqpedo

Third: Miss Behave

Kiddie Cup

First: Gatorade

Second: The Sulu

Third: Eat My Wake

Kwiki Cup

First: The Destroyer

Second: The PL

Third: Golden Eagle

Stars and Stripes

First: Miss Behave

Second: America’s Freedom

Third: Hope (by the Hair Cuttery)

Most Enthusiastic Crew

First: Kiss

Second: Eileen (by Other World Computing)

Third: Buffalo Wild Wings

Ugliest Boat

First: Lost Cause

Second: POS #4

Third: Obnoxious Orange

People’s Choice

First: Go Cubs Go

Second: Mystery Machine

Third: Kiss

Most Creative Theme

First: Mystery Machine

Second: Down

Third: All Fired Up 4 Unity

Most Spectacular Sinking

First: Down

Second: Da Frogs

Third: Asparagus