Our reigning champions, Yabba Dabba Don’t, once again proved they are now the team to beat, successfully defending their title in fine form! The beloved Last Unicorn was a boat that has made its fifth consecutive appearance on the water and, rumor has it, Evan and Bitsy already have their sights set on year six.
In what’s becoming one of the great local rivalries, the Fire Department’s Car One took the win over the Police Department’s Reel First Responders — bragging rights officially secured (for now). Meanwhile, Team SS Hotty Totty Nauti Boyce were competing thanks to a lost bet… and honestly, I hope they lose that bet again so we see them compete next year!
One of our amazing event organizers, Summer Hofeldt, gave us all another reason to cheer this year. She's now three years cancer-free and continues to be the heart behind their ongoing efforts to raise funds for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. And because she doesn’t just work the event, Summer took to the water in Heat 12, where she just barely edged out a certain competitor she “likes to spend time with” according to her dad— her boyfriend, Jelani Alfano. A win on the water, a win in life, and an inspiration to everyone around her.
We had a record number of young racers this year, with nearly half our participants under 18. The students from Harborlight Montessori brought an incredible eight boats as part of their curriculum — an amazing display of creativity, teamwork, and spirit.
“This project captures everything we want science to be—hands-on, inquiry-based, and joyful,” said Nichole Schrafft, Harborlight’s K–6 Science Coordinator. “When students build something that has to actually float, they aren’t just learning the formula for buoyant force—they’re experiencing it. They have to problem-solve, test, and adjust, just like real engineers and scientists.”
Good Morning Gloucester was on site live streaming the whole event with so much energy and color commentary, while the Legion kept the crowd fueled with burgers, dogs, and a few well-deserved “adult beverages.” The after party was pure Manchester by the Sea magic with fantastic music from Peter Hoare and Tim LaFountaine, and then to top it all off — the Patriots beat the Saints.
Massive thanks to:
- Our sponsors Sweetwater and Company (Best Design prizes) & Captain Dusty’s (ice cream coupons)
- Mike MacEachern & Bion Pike, our Manchester Harbormasters
- Dave Rowse & Mike Loring, our safety boats
- The Town of Manchester, Selectmen, and especially Brian Sollosy for coordinating all the logistics
- DPW for the trailer (please help keep the lot clean!)
- Chris Langathianos for the sound system
- Lisa Martinez & Chris Williams, our amazing timers
- Becci Sollosy & Sean Zahn, our rockstar support crew
- Good Morning Gloucester for live streaming the action
- Al Kirker, Leah Baker, Amy Rodier & the entire Legion staff for food, drinks, and endless support
- Peter Hoare & Jim LaFontaine for the awesome post-race tunes
It was, without a doubt, a GREAT RACE — full of heart, laughter, and beaming with community pride. Below are the official times and rankings from this year’s event! — congrats to all who participated!
Yabba Dabba Don't Adrian Argento and Taylor Hwong 32.64 seconds (First Place)
Wandering Doaken Joshua and Eric Dokken 39.21 seconds (2nd place TIE)
2. Bird Turd Bernie Romanowski 39.21 seconds (Second Place TIE)
Stitch Lesley Smith Denman 40.93 seconds
Double Oar Nothing Aashika and Kayuri Patel 41 seconds (First Place Kids)
The Last Unicorn Bitsy Olsen 47.21 seconds
Car One Josh 48.7 seconds
Boston Duck Boat Liana Sanchez and Ezra Pfohl 51.91 seconds [Harborlight] (2nd place Kids}
Watermelon Crawl Annika Stewart 53.98 seconds
Back in Black Chris Langathianos 54.91 seconds
Reel First Responders Sean Mullins 1 min 8.44 seconds
The Lobsta Boat Summer Hofeldt 1 min 18.46 seconds
SS Hotty Totty Team Nauti-Boyce Kyle Boyce 1 min 20.66
Uber Eats Jelani Alfano 1 min 26.40 seconds
SS Minnow Fischer Quesenberry 1 min 30.53 seconds
License to Keel Akshay Patel 1min 34.93 seconds Cat-Ass-Trophe Award
Whispering Werewolves Lucian Reznik, Ivy Glod, Arthur 1 min 38.54 seconds [Harborlight]
Duck of Doom Levi Pfohl and Crispin Soulette 1 min 42.38 seconds [Harborlight]
Harborlight Honeybadgers 1 min 43.6 seconds [Harborlight]
Tape-Tanic Taylor Seymour and Leo Wilmott, and 1min 57.46 seconds
Untitled Boat Viggo Murphy and Sam Herman 2 min 0.11 seconds [Harborlight]
Blooming Blossoms Emma Carpenter 2 min 1.28 seconds [Harborlight]
Duct Boat Brian Sollosy 2 min 25.14 seconds
Big Backs Nicky Soulette 2 min 27.97 seconds [Harborlight]
Frenchy Fries Lana Crawford 2 min 34.0 seconds [Harborlight] (Best Design KIDS)
Asymetrical Aunti-Akshay Bob Hofeldt 2 min 44.23 seconds
My Boat Will Float On Becci Sollosy 2 min 51.52 seconds
HEAT 1: Yabba Dabba Don't Adrian Argento and Taylor Hwong 32.64 seconds (First Place)
HEAT 1: Duct Boat Brian Sollosy 2 min 25.14 seconds
HEAT 2: It's a great day to be a Panther Harry Boyd DNF
HEAT 2: Life of a ShowBoat Ella Boyd DNF
HEAT 3: Asymetrical Aunti-Akshay Bob Hofeldt 2 min 44.23 seconds
HEAT 3: License to Keel Akshay Patel 1min 34.93 seconds Cat-Ass-Trophe Award
HEAT 4: Double Oar Nothing Aashika and Kayuri Patel 41 seconds (First Place Kids)
HEAT 4: SS Minnow Fischer Quesenberry 1 min 30.53 seconds
HEAT 5: Boston Duck Boat Liana Sanchez and Ezra Pfohl 51.91 seconds [Harborlight] (2nd place Kids}
HEAT 5: Whispering Werewolves Lucian Reznik, Ivy Glod, Arthur 1 min 38.54 seconds [Harborlight]
HEAT 6: The Last Unicorn Bitsy Olsen 47.21 seconds
HEAT 6: Watermelon Crawl Annika Stewart 53.98 seconds
HEAT 7: Untitled Boat Viggo Murphy and Sam Herman 2 min 0.11 seconds [Harborlight]
HEAT 7: Duck of Doom Levi Pfohl and Crispin Soulette 1 min 42.38 seconds [Harborlight]
HEAT 8: Bird Turd Bernie Romanowski 39.21 seconds (Second Place TIE)
HEAT 8: Back in Black Chris Langathianos 54.91 seconds
HEAT 9: Frenchy Fries Lana Crawford 2 min 34.0 seconds [Harborlight] (Best Design KIDS)
HEAT 9: Blooming Blossoms Emma Carpenter 2 min 1.28 seconds [Harborlight]
HEAT 10: Reel First Responders Sean Mullins 1 min 8.44 seconds
HEAT 10: Car One Josh 48.7 seconds
HEAT 11: Big Backs Nicky Soulette 2 min 27.97 seconds [Harborlight]
HEAT 11: Harborlight Honeybadgers 1 min 43.6 seconds [Harborlight]
HEAT 12: The Lobsta Boat Summer Hofeldt 1 min 18.46 seconds
HEAT 12: Uber Eats Jelani Alfano 1 min 26.40 seconds
HEAT 13: Wandering Doaken Joshua and Eric Dokken 39.21 seconds (2nd place TIE)
HEAT 13: Tape-Tanic Taylor Seymour and Leo Wilmott, and 1 min 57.46
HEAT 14: SS Hotty Totty Team Nauti-Boyce Kyle Boyce 1 min 20.66
HEAT 14: Gulls Gone Wild Luis Vala DNF. (Best Design/Fan Favorite)
HEAT 15: Stitch Lesley Smith Denman 40.93 seconds
HEAT 15: Labubu Boat Kim Hofeldt DNF
HEAT 15: My Boat Will Float On Becci Sollosy 2 min 51.52 seconds
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Sunday, October 12
