BY COLE SINANIAN

news@queensledger.com 

An ice cream sundae, an overturned Chrysler Building, a halved avocado, a miniature Staten Island Ferry and a detailed replica of the famous “Miracle on the Hudson” jetliner, among other eclectic forms, raced through an obstacle course in the choppy waters under Valentino Pier Saturday afternoon amid cheers from the spectators on the packed beach, eagerly pining to see which would emerge victorious. 

Or rather, the crafts bobbed. Some idled. The ice cream sundae was off to a strong start, but began spinning in circles a few yards out. Meanwhile, a group of young children could be heard from atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the cove, jumping up and down and chanting what sounded like “Red Boat! Red Boat!” 

The race, divided into 3D-printed and DIY categories, is just a small part of the annual Red Hook Regatta, billed by organizers as “The World’s Best 3D Printed Boat Race.” A collaboration between local organizations Pioneer Works, Makelab, the Red Hook Community Justice Center and the Red Hook Initiative, the event brought hundreds out to Valentino Pier to view dozens of remote-controlled boats navigate the waters of Upper New York Bay in a celebration of Red Hook’s maritime heritage and local craftsmanship. 

In addition to the races, the Regatta featured a workshop on microscopic ocean life from the community biology lab Genspace, a presentation on marine life from Ryan Thoni of the American Museum of Natural History, line-throwing demos from Portside NY, free books from the Brooklyn Book Bodega, and ocean-themed trivia from actor Travis Raeburn, who emcee’d the festivities. An intermission between races saw performances from the hypnotic, all-woman Batalá percussion ensemble and the Flex Dance Program, which showcased the Brooklyn-born, contortion-heavy “FlexN” dance style. 

Fun, yes, but also educational. Many of the racing boats are the result of Pioneer Works’s “Second Sundays” workshops held throughout the spring, during which participants received boat kits and instruction on how to build a seaworthy vessel. One of the Regatta’s partners is the Red Hook-based Brooklyn Boatworks, an organization that runs a boat-building program for local students to help foster collaboration, teamwork and interest in maritime issues. 

Brooklyn Boatworks instructor Maggie Schaffzin helped a group of high schoolers build crafts for the Regatta, which they named “Blinky,” “Pinky,” and “Inky” after the ghosts in Pac-Man. 

“A lot of kids have this notion that the water is dirty or inaccessible,” she said, “so teaching kids about how to build a boat gives them confidence and introduces them to nature and the world of the water in New York as an accessible and fun place that they can go.” 

The DIY race commenced at 3:00 and featured a simplified version of the obstacle course from the earlier 3D-printed race, which proved a bit too complicated for remote-control navigation. “Blinky” ended up winning 1st place in the DIY race, while a four-man team dressed in matching pilot’s hats came in third with their Miracle-on-the-Hudson-inspired craft.

The team — all of whom work together in a sculpture studio — was optimistic that the jetplane-shaped boat’s heft would work to its advantage in the choppy water.  But when asked about advice for future boat builders, they cautioned against rushing through the design process. 

“We built it all in the last week,” said a team member named Liam. “So I’d say maybe take a little bit more time than that.”