Splashing Fun At Greenport's 1st Cardboard Boat Races: Photos, Video

GREENPORT, NY — Despite a soggy start to the weekend and strong winds Sunday, the first-ever Greenport Cardboard Boat Race, held during the Maritime Festival, drew a cheering crowd to the dock to watch the fun unfold.

Teams took to the water on vessels created with cardboard, lots of duct tape — as well as a healthy dose of grit and determination.

The Greenport Harbor Brewing Company boat, helmed by Aidan Vandenburgh and Eamon Deegan, sailed to a smooth finish in the adult category, and award were also given for most creative theme, judge's choice and captain's choice.

(Video by Lisa Finn for Patch)

Cyrus Gatland, 12, who competed in his boat Orca, had the crowd captivated as he capsized and yet, after another team came to his aid, he rallied and hopped back aboard his once-again upright vessel with a confident smile. "I saw the wreck of the Titanic," he said. "I'm not going to let that happen to me."

(Video by Lisa Finn for Patch)

Cyrus' dad Jeff said the boat took many hours, and much duct tape, to create. Of his son, he said, "I thought he did amazingly well."

Other teams competing included the Fairweather Friends on their boat Boxy McBoxface and Anakin Jackson Mignone and Robert Ellston team, with their RMS Titanic.

"It was a lot of fun to have an opportunity to join in on such a wonderful community event," said Anakin."The crowd was so kind and generous with their support. Even though our boat met the same fate as its namesake, we were cheered on the whole way to the finish line. Everyone was cheering and smiling, both on the boat and the land. I can't wait until next year!"

Diane Tucci, who organized the event, was one of the many cheering on the intrepid racers. She, along with Tracey Orlando, executive director of the East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation worked tirelessly to reschedule the festival and the cardboard boat race after a storm derailed the first planned date. But Mother Nature wasn't able to stop the fun this past weekend.

"We made it happen!" Tucci said.