Most Unusual Overall #14 Lake Erie Monster

It's been a while since Port Stanley had a Boat Parade, but the one held on the fourth day of Canfest, July 4, 2010, made it worth the wait.

Organized by Mark Bowlby, 33 boats registered, two didn't show up, and five joined together from the Kanagio Yacht Club to produce the winning entry for the Most Unusual Overall.

A false start got the parade started a little ahead of the 2:00 p.m. scheduled start time and some onlookers were worried at first that they had missed part of it. But not to worry, the boats made three round trips in the inner harbour so everyone got a chance to see all the boats more than once.

A non-winning favourite of this writer's was the small motorized launch with a bicycle mounted by the motor and towing a waterboard/skier on a balloon covered tow rope, wearing a Canadian flag as a super hero cloak. When our super hero answered his cell phone he fell off his skis and into the water.

The judges were located at the far end of the east pier, by the midway. The judges were: Central Elgin Mayor Tom Marks, Sharon Larmour representing the Port Stanley Lioness, Larry Larmour representing the Port Stanley Lions, and Jim and Angela Howie representing the Port Stanley Optimists. The judges found the triple pass of the boats quite helpful as they saw different things they had missed on prior passes.

The winning boat numbers and entry names were placed in sealed envelopes and no one knew who had won what until the awards were presented at 6:15 p.m. at GT's. Dinghies and pontoon boats were classed in the non-power category as they are small and can't go very fast.

And the winners were (drum roll on the tables as Carol Gates ripped open the envelopes):
Best Theme Non-Power: #15 African Queen
Best Spirit Non-Power: #19 Billy Boat (Bill Irvine)
Best Decorated Non-Power: #14 Lake Erie Monster
Best Theme Power: #20 OK'd By Her
Best Spirit Power: #22 Aqua Girl
Best Decorated Power: #18 Fitty Fitty
Best Decorated Overall: #28 Fore-Tee-Four
Most Unusual Overall: #14 Lake Erie Monster

The Kanagio Yacht Club team who joined together to create the Lake Erie Monster, consisted of John and Donna Fleischauer, Tyler Robertson, Jane and Jerry Hooper, Dan and Ellen Hopkins, Ralph and Lynn Oliver, Lynn Osborne - but of course, we may have some names wrong or misspelled in all the boisterous confusion of the awards ceremony.

The point was that all participants and the crowds watching from shore all had fun. Winners received plaques and the first winner of the trophy for Best Decorated Overall was #18, Four-Tee-Four, Mark Bowlby's boat. Of course he was teased about rigging the contest. Next year the theme will be wide open and not restricted to a Canadian theme.

Pictues

Video now available to view in either our Video section or click on the video link in the left title bar of this article.

July 6, 2010: Correction: Canfest Boat Parade organizer Mark Bowlby apologizes for mistakenly reporting judge Sharon Larmour as representing the Port Stanley Lioness Club. Mrs. Larmour is not a current member of the Port Stanley Lioness Club.