Boat Regatta makes a splash for fourth year

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Patrice Clarke
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  There is a long list of things you can do with cardboard and duck tape and the more than 125 base members who participated in the 4th Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta Nov. 9, checked building boats off that list. In the end, it was the CENTCOM CCJ2 team who took 1st place with a time of 33.62 seconds. 

Even though 24, five-man teams participated in the event, wing leadership, hundreds of base members and the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team all came out for the fun-filled day at the beach. 

The day began at 8 a.m. when the teams began to build their boats. Teams were giving from 8 to 11 a.m. to construct their boat, then a break for free barbecue lunch and the actual race. 

During the boat construction was when the strategies and trash talking flourished. 

Team U.S.S. OCOM came out with victory on their minds. They had used extensive research for their design. 

"We built a scale model of what our boat was going to look like," said Master Sgt. Carter Altwind, the unofficial team leader. "We even did a buoyancy test and built blue prints of our boat before hand." 

Though strategy was important, staying afloat was number one on many teams list of goals.
 
"Our actual strategy is to stay afloat," said Tech Sgt. Brent Niles, Team Justice member. Team Justice used previous models of their boat for this years design. "We plan on going on top of the water instead of in the water." 

"Our only words for all the other competitors is good luck on the way to the bottom of the ocean," said Capt. Windel Patterson, Team Justice member. "And hey, if we can't beat'em, 15'm. That's our motto." 

For the members of the S.S. Debacle, this was their first boat race and they were eager to hit the water. 

"We just want to stay afloat," said Petty Officer Rueben Scales. "Everyone else doesn't have a chance." 

No matter who sank or float the event was a success, said Wendy Foster, 6th Services Squadron marketing director. 

"This is the fourth year and it's gotten bigger every year. This year our tenant units even participated," she said. "You really never know whose going to win. There are some boats that look very well thought out and end up sinking straight to the bottom and some who look like they are going straight to the bottom and end up winning." 

Mrs. Foster also commented on the Rays Baseball team coming to the event.
"The Tampa Bay Rays baseball team have been awesome sponsors to the base and its great that they chose our base and the Regatta to show off their new logo and image," she said. 

Col. Tim Smith, 6th Air Mobility Wing vice commander, also commented on the Rays participating in the days events. 

"I was glad the Rays came to participate in this event," he said. "It shows team support. They are part of the Greater Tampa Team and we support them just like they support us." 

The event as a whole brought out the best said Colonel Smith.
"The boat regatta is a great opportunity for us all to come out and have a great time. We work hard and in the same sense play hard. It shows teamwork, ingenuity and competitive spirit. The main thing I saw was the unconventional use of the materials. Every team had duck tape and cardboard. I saw one team turn their duck tape into rope and use that instead of using it in the taping sense. It was a great day all together."