Race Day!
Short photo essay of Race Day and the festivities before the races

And their OFF!  This is what it all leads up to.  This is the moment of truth.  Will she float?  Will she sink? Do we really care?  Heck no!   We're here to have fun!  Here to cheer the floaters and the sinkers alike!   To encourage all to make it to the finish line and to make 'em feel good even if they don't!

Everybody wins because everybody participates.  You can't look at these boats and these crews and believe for a second that they aren't winners, even if just for showing up!  I can't wait for 2001.   I can't wait to see what sorts of fun creations appear on race day.  I can't wait to figure out what the heck I'm going to do this year!

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Enjoy!

Off to the Races
Thumbnail		Description
		The Merrimack Belle in line for her turn to race against the best Merrimack has to offer!
		Here we have the pirate ship and the aircraft carrier, ready for their race!
		There's the shark, beginning her run!  Those are the judges up on the dock, with the press and other staff members.
		Black Magic seems to be having difficulty staying afloat
		Still trying, Black Magic has found a new way to sail
		Meanwhile, the shark crosses the finish line!
		The Pirate and aircraft carrier have begun!
		The aircraft carrier has a slight lead, but the Pirate ship is making a tighter turn which could help!
		but not quite enough as the aircraft carrier crosses the finish line first
		with the Pirate ship right behind!
		Now it's time for the Frog to battle the other aircraft carrier!  Amphibian against the Navy's might!  Who will win!??!  What we need here is a dubbed sound track...  LOL
		The Frog pulls out coming around the first turn!
		Meanwhile, the Viking ship gets T-Boned by Noah's Arc, carrying 39 people!
		The Arc speeds up on the straight away!
		and crosses the finish line to the cheers of all!
		Jim, Ken, Jen and Holly crew the Merrimack Belle on her maiden voyage
		And their off!, paddle wheels kicking up the water as Ken and Jim power the boat and Jen and Holly steer
		Coming around the first turn, the Belle is behind, but gaining as she can corner fast (by reversing the outside wheel), and while slow to start, she has a great top speed!
		Well, it looked good on paper... A design flaw resulted in the right wheel detaching from the axial during the push on the straight away resulting in Ken having to use an oar to keep the Belle moving.
		Jen and Joe climb aboard the DreadNot on her maiden voyage.  They are running in the Business Class as they are sponsored by Harvey's Music of Milford
		BEAUTIFUL!  Straight and true, a fine boat for a fine race!
		#17 is having a heck of a time as they cut away unwanted sections of their boat that are helping to sink it
		The DreadNot corners well and is on it's way to the back turn
		Going for the finish line, the DreadNot cuts a nice wake
		And there she is, flat in the water as she crosses the finish line
		Here comes the Sand Man and the Catamaran (spelling?)
		Sand Man is having some trouble as the crew climbs aboard the cat
		And off she goes!  a crew of 4, one on each corner, is a great idea!
		Rounding the first turn, they head out to open waters
		Coming around the final turn, they have nearly sunk, but are still pushing for the finish line!
		And they make it!  a little wet, but that's what it's all about!  That's me in the life vest and hat, lower right
		Two corporate boats pair off.   That one slick yellow one and the TI-tanic battle paddles heading for the first turn
		A close race coming to the last turn!
		a tight turn makes for a quick run for the finish line!
		The crew bails out, to enjoy a dip before coming to shore!  See? even if you DO stay dry, you WANNA get wet!
		and, true to her name, the TI-tanic sinks JUST before crossing the finish line.  What a finish!
		Big Red in her first run since last year and the first time for a cardboard boat to compete 2 years in a row, running against Bruce Luhrs and his son in the Golden Retriever
		Both off to a good start, my intent is to get a good jump going into the first turn!
		Well, thank you Bruce!   capsizing like that makes it that much easier.  I don't have to keep trying to pass you or looking to see if you're passing me!
		The crew of the TI-tanic covered in shaving cream as a part of their sinking. Who says we don't have fun!!!
		Here comes Big Red around the last turn, heading for home!
		zoom, zoom...
		Bruce trying to get his boat back to shore after the race.
		Now were at the Merrimack Cup race where the first place finishers from each division battle the clock for the coveted Merrimack Cup   Here goes the Cat and one other (can't see from the picture)
		The shark makes a quick run for the Cup!
		Joe and Jen look on.  They took 1st place in business division and will be running in the Cup race soon
		The Frog runs a GREAT cup race, much to the pleasure of her proud crew!
		Off goes Jim in Big Red, having taken first place in the Adult single division.  I can't recall the name of that other boat.
		I worked very hard to put a LOT of distance between me and that other boat, and good thing too.  As I was coming around the last turn, the center seam of Big Red let go and I began taking in a LOT of water, slowing me way down
		With half my canoe sunk, water up to my ears and my arms extended overhead, I continued paddling as the other boat quickly caught up to me, but I was still able to cross the line first.  Man was I tired
		And wet too.  and this spells the end of Big Red.  It's off to the cardboard boat grave yard for her.  She served me well!
		Jen and Joe ready for their Cup run
		And they're off! DreadNot and the Viking ship off to a good start!
		Running a very close race, the Viking ship was slightly ahead coming into the last turn. A tight turn by DreadNot let Joe and Jen capture the lead as they come into the finish line
		pushing hard for the finish line, Joe and Jen sense the excitement
		Oh, what a beautiful sight! Yep, there's dad, applauding their accomplishment!
		And there they go, back to the grass with dad's little good luck note written on the side of the boat
		All in all, the Flis/Coleman teams took home 5 trophy's.  1st place, Adult-Single (Big Red), First Place Business Division (DreadNot), 3rd place adult team (Merrimack Belle), 1st place, Best Looking (Merrimack Belle) and the Merrimack Cup (Big Red), second year in a row.  A good day!
		And here are all of the trophy winners!  For all of the results details, please check out this link at the Merrimack Public Library for 2000 Race Results!

Race Results, Festival 2000

Copyright, ©1998, James M. Flis