April Tools 2014
April Tools is an annual event in Pender Harbour British Columbia. Contesting teams have a limited time to build a boat which is then entered into a race. Materials and instructions are kept secret and not revealed until building is ready to begin. Usually in the past teams have had two sheets of plywood + something special, one year they had to use double hulls, another they had to use rotating paddle wheels. This year they were provided with half a sheet of plywood, strips of wood and a roll of heavy duty plastic. In addition, each boat was to have a crew of two, one operating the paddle had to wear opaque goggles while the navigator issued instructions. The results were interesting to say the least.
Laurie McConnell
It’s time to get your team together for the 2015 April Tools Wooden Boat Challenge at Pender Harbour’s Millennium Park! On April 25, the 14th annual spring festival will pit teams of up to 4 in a 3-hour boatbuilding frenzy followed by a lap around the government wharf that may or not see all contestants remaining afloat. But in fact it’s a little more complicated than that… Boat builders will not get a chance to see their construction materials, nor will they know the racing ‘twist,’ until 1 hour before they first lay saw to wood!
In past years they have been challenged to paddle blind with a sighted guide or pick up and carry an inflated beach ball around the course or get into and out of their boats in the middle of the race. They have had to build a boat from a sonotube or without the use of screws or with more plastic sheeting than wood. They have even had to power one with a paddlewheel! It’s different every year and this year’s ideas are as devilishly entertaining as ever. But no one but the organizing committee will know the secret until 10 AM April 25.
First prize is $700, second $400 and third $250! Entry fee is $160 per team or $140 if received before April 1 and all team members will receive a T-shirt along with the building materials.
April Tools is a whole community event and the high school races are a thing of their own! Members of the organizing committee or the high school shop teachers will help the teens slam together boats after school, and the kids will show their stuff in the highly competitive trophy race followed by the wet and wild ‘fun’ race. Treat bags supplied by local merchants, T-shirts, and the winning team name on the trophy are a bonus to the cheers from the crowd.
The little kids will not be left out! They will have hulls and wood blocks to hammer into mini-boats that they can then paint, decorate and float in a wading pool. There will be face painting, craft activities and this year will see ‘really little kid boatbuilding’ with foam hulls, paint and press-in decorations. All kids’ activities are free.
So get that team together! Entry forms may be printed from www.apriltools.ca (It’s also a great place to see what past April Tools were like!) and can be sent with the entry fee to April Tools, Box 65, Madeira Park BC V0N 2H0. For more information call Jackie at 606.883.0539.
Here’s last year’s race, so fun!