BRYANT — It’s once again time for would-be nautical engineers to get to their drafting boards (or a couple of sticky notes) and start their plans for turning polyvinyl chloride pipe and duct tape into a fast boat, or at least one that can keep them afloat for a few minutes.
The Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the second annual Ken Palmquist Duct Tape Boat Race, to be held Oct. 6 during the chamber’s 25th Annual Fall Fest at Bishop Park.
The initial event - featuring a fleet of boats made entirely of duct tape and PVC pipe - drew lots of interest.
Some designs were ingenious and made their way along the race route in shipshape form. Others made it only a few feet before coming to rest on the bottom of the pond.
“One of the guys whose boat sank quickly last year just made the event better,” said Rae Ann Fields, executive director of the Bryant Chamber. “Once t he boat went down, he never abandoned ship. Standing waist deep in the water, he would salute and wave to all the other boats that came by, and sometimes as they passed, he would paddle hard as if he was still in the race. He was just great out there.”
There are some changes in the race this year, including no size restrictions.
“If contestants want to build it big, heck, let them try anything,” Fields said.
The rules concerning construction materials have not changed. Only duct tape and pipe, no larger than 2 inches in diameter, can be used, although pipe glue can be used on end caps and pipe joints. The boats must be entirely wrapped with duct tape with no paints or sealant used to make the boats more watertight.
Like last year, Lowe’s in Bryant is providing a “Duct Tape Boat Kit” for sale to participants. It has 12 pieces of pipe, 10 rolls of duct tape and one container of pipe glue for $50.
“People can buy more and build as big a boat as they want using any design that they think will work,” Fields said. “As long as it’s just the tape and pipe.”
The boats will be inspected before they go into the water to made sure they meet construction rules, Fields said.
Also new for the boat races this year is a two-heat elimination format.
Racers will go across the pond, circle buoys in the water, then race back to cross the start/finish line, according to the published race instructions.
There will be winner brackets and loser brackets, so the boats must be built to withstand at least two trips into the water, maybe more.
Along with a trophy and cash prize for the boat that wins the most races, there will be a $25 prize for the most creative boat. That prize will be awarded based on a vote by the public.
The boat race is just one of the events that will make up the 2012 Fall Fest.
“There will be a lot of new things going on, and we are working on some other stuff. We want to make this year extra special because it’s our 25th,” Fields said.
One part of this year’s festival that is sure to attract attention is a fireworks display.
“Since the city of Bryant’s fireworks show for the Fourth of July was canceled, we asked them if it could be part of our event, and they agreed,” Fields said.
Another new event will be digging for treasure in a sandpit on the park grounds.
“There will be ping pong balls buried in the sand that participants can recover for prizes,” Fields said. “Every hour, there will be additional treasures.”
Since there is no sand pit in Bishop Park, Fields said, the chamber will make its own especially for the event.
“Are we ambitious or what?” she asked.
Fall Fest is a bit later this year. Fields said the traditional date falls this year on the weekend of the Salt Bowl football game between Benton and Bryant.
“Having it later might also be cooler this year,” she said. “That is one of the reasons we are moving all of Fall Fest outside.”
Fields said the chamber has heard from people who said an outdoor venue would have more of a festival feel.
“We have the great grounds at Bishop Park,” she said. “So the festival will be between the ballfields and Boone Road. The sidewalks cross to make an X in the area, and the booths and concessions will be along the walkways.”
Money raised during Fall Fest will be used to fund chamber projects.
For information on the duct-tape boat races or other Fall Fest events, call the Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce at (501) 847-4702 or visit www.bryant-ar.com.
Staff writer Wayne Bryan can be reached at (501) 244-4460
Tri-Lakes, Pages 131 on 07/29/2012