The countdown is on as Team RUSH members finish the final touches on their boats for the eighth annual RUSH Regatta set for this Saturday at Deer Lake Beach.
Students on the Clarkston High School’s robotics team take to the water in boats they created out of cardboard and duct tape. While building their boats they also go to local business for sponsorships.
It’s the first regatta for sophomore Jason Richards from Team One – the Juggernauts.
“I knew it was a summer engineering challenge with entrepreneur experience,” he said. “I have had a lot of experience with how to build a boat and ideas for what I should do for building the boat. I have learned a lot about contacting companies and working on how to talk. It’s a lot to ask from companies but they are really excited when they can donate. It has been a really great experience.”
He added he has also learned a lot about building a boat out of cardboard and duct tape.
“I didn’t know about waterproofing and all the different supplies we use,” Richards said.
Junior Ethen McMichael heads into his third regatta and one of the biggest issues he has faced with Team Five – America/Canada is time since this year’s event is earlier than years past.
He added it has affected the amount of time they have to call businesses to get a sponsorship.
“It has been a big limit as how we call companies and what companies we call first and who we call,” McMichael said, adding his team did start calling business before school got out for the summer.
It also restricted the amount of time they had to look around and find places with flat cardboard and not cardboard boxes, which have creases and can affect the boat on the water.
“We’ve had to go with what we have,” McMichael said. “The only cardboard we have is boxes. They have a lot of creases and there are a lot of places which have holes. It’s been challenging to continuing to layer the cardboard, to make sure it is completely flat and ready to go for painting and building onto it. It’s taken quite a bit of time to do the bottom which usually takes one day.”
Kyle Hughes, coach for Team RUSH, explained the objective for the regatta is not only to build a boat which is able to float, climb into, and sail, but also to build relationships with the community through sponsorships and within the team.
The teams have an opportunity to win three different awards – WickedFast Watercrafe, presented to the team that wins the regatta race; Enterprising & Seaworthy Sailors Award, presented to the team that concisely and precisely describes how their boat was engineered and constructed and each team’s business structure and prowess will also be evaluated; and Cash Crusaders Award, presented to the team that collects the most sponsorship funds.
The team who earns the most points in the categories will be named the Rush Regatta Cup Champion.
McMichael and Richards invite the community to come out for the free and fun event.
“You get to see a bunch of high schoolers dress up in random costumes,” McMichael smiled.
“Also, you get to see them ride in their cardboard boats and half of them will probably sink. It is always fun to see people sink – I know that.”
“It’s a lot of fun,” Richards added. “You get to see how well these kids built these boats. It will be a great time and a lot of fun to see some people sink out there.”
Judging takes place from 9 a.m. – 11: 30 a.m. The boat parade is at noon followed by the races.