A Motley Crew Races Along the River for Charity

Sunday's 2nd Annual River House Raft Race launched from the banks of the Saugatuck River at Pasacreta Park and wrapped upstream at The River House with a festive bash to benefit a local charity.

The cause—Volunteers of America's Charter Oak Community Support Services (VOA)—is a program providing services for people in Connecticut living with permanent disabilities.

The Connecticut Raft Association took top honors, but five other rafts including those from Warnaco, Speedo, Calvin Klein, The River House/Dunville's and VOA's own Gilligan's Island themed vessel the S.S. Minnow made the race even more fun for spectators.

The winning captain, a raft racer with 17-years of experience, had been asked to judge last year's event but declined in order to become a participant. His raft, the Knotty Gurl was at the time "soundly beaten." However on Sunday, he avenged last year's winner along with teammates Drew Papanek and Jane Louis.

"Winning this year's raft race was definitely very cool," said David Malboeuf, who works in the aerospace industry for Hamilton Sundstrand in Windsor Locks as an overhaul & repair technician of air management systems. "The River House Raft Race has a very good vibe to it and all the people involved are super friendly and fun to be around. This camaraderie really makes for a great event as everyone looks out for each other and lends a hand where help is needed. This was apparent in the early stages when the competitors were helping each other unload their rafts, assemble them, and getting each one launched and into the river."

Surprisingly, Captain Dave's favorite team was not his own.

"My personal favorite was Tracy Kolarich's Gilligan's Island raft racing team," he said. "Their raft was made out of two sonotubes and foam panels. It was super light, strong, and much improved over last year's dock float design. Each one of the guys on the team dressed up as different Gilligan's Island character. Mrs. Howell, Ginger, and Mary-Ann were literally ready for a drag race. Tracy's husband Nick, in particular, looked especially stunning in his slinky black dress, red wig, and white pearls. Mary-Ann had just the right tomboy look but had popped a few blouse buttons."

Yet the big race for charity was not without controversy.

"The winning [raft] used a double peddle, double propeller manufactured mechanism which most people felt was an unfair advantage," said Charles Pritchard, who raced for The River House and Dunville's with his Roman themed vessel, Annalisa.

The Annalisa won last year's race and came in second this year.

"Last year the Annalisa raft beat us so we set our sights at beating them this year," said Malboeuf, a committee member and organizer for the Connecticut River Raft Race. "Since the larger muscles in our legs produce more powerful propulsion versus arms using paddles, we opted to use a pedal powered propeller. While all the other teams were paddling furiously, we were busy pedaling along similar to a bicycle."

Both Malboeuf and Papanek are avid bicyclists and trained vigorously in preparation for the competition.

"The combination of efficient propulsion, a sleek raft, and training helped us to glide through the water with great ease and speed," added Malboeuf, who also serves as CRRR public relations officer. "Rumor has it that one of the other teams plans to add a rocket engine to their craft, as the competition ramps up and the technology develops. Clearly, this is only beer boasting, but the friendly rivalry has begun, and the real winner is charity!"

In addition to the River Raft Race, Malboeuf has also participated in other raft races throughout the state. He first became interested in the sport in 1992 after spotting "over a hundred homemade rafts out in the river and thousands of spectators" at the 18^th Annual Connecticut River Raft Race.

Team Annalisa also includes Chris Adams, and Westporters Todd Revenhelm, Peter Matthews, Steve Shaw and Ryan Burke. 

"The raft was recycled from last year," said Pritchard, a kayak designer from South Africa who has sailed around the world.  "Knocked off some old stuff and put on new stuff to make it from Viking to Roman galleon. It was designed and built by all the team members last year.  This year is was just a simple change of theme, which I knocked off over a few afternoons."

According to Kolarich, Pritchard was instrumental in assisting VOA put the event together and in demonstrating how to build a durable raft.

"There was a great party afterward and some prize giving," said Pritchard. "It was a long day and I can't remember the rest."

Susan Jackson, director of VOA's Charter Oak Community Services, said, "The race was a huge success—not only did Good Day Connecticut's weatherman and celebrity judge Matt Scott bring along great weather, but the over 100 onlookers were treated to some amazing rafts."

Barry Wood, of TLC's show Trading Spaces was also a celebrity judge. The River House donated all the goodies for the after party.

Charter Oak Community Support Services program (the Connecticut division of Volunteers of America of Greater New York) provides training services ranging from vocational, social and independent-living goals for people with disabilities including vision and hearing impairments, acquired brain injuries, developmental disabilities, autism, mental illness, dual diagnoses and high school students transitioning from school, into the adult world.