Events > April tools
APRIL TOOLS WOODEN BOAT CHALLENGE 2018
April 28, 2018: A boat in Two Parts
2018 Winners: The Fireflies (Nick Price, Bonz Cote, Bruno Cote, Kerry Rand)
Mother Nature gave April Tools a rainy day, but it sure didn’t dampen the enthusiasm and creativity of the 14 teams that took on the 17th annual boatbuilding challenge!
Their task was to construct a boat in 2 approximately equal parts using hand tools and battery powered screw guns, but they were not allowed to join the halves until the start of the race. The materials they had included 2 ¼ sheets of plywood, a bundle of 1 x 2s, some caulking, a whole bunch of screws, some string, some sill foam for a gasket and 4 carriage bolts with wingnuts to work with. The preliminary races began with the teams placing their unattached 2-piece boats at the start line at the top of the launch ramp and when the horn sounded they had to assemble their craft using ONLY hand tools. When that was accomplished they had to carry their boats to the water, launch and paddle the course around the finger piers. Since the paddling part of the races is relatively short, speed joining the halves was fairly critical…but not everything! One team (The Cheap Oars) cleverly made their 2 halves nest together so assembly was a snap, but the resulting short boat turned out to not move very quickly. Shapes varied from canoes to scows to catamarans. Four boats didn’t hold together well enough to finish the course. The Fireflies again brought home the First Prize, and their good looking craft decorated fittingly with flames also won the Spiffy Skiffy Award. Cabin Fever took a comfortable Second Place and the Gunboat Bay Challengers prevailed in a photo finish for Third. Cheap Oars had the Broken Paddle Award for really persevering in adversity! In the Youth Races, Michelle Fielding piloted the Train in Trades Carpentry boat to a First Place finish in the Trophy Race. The Fun Race was wet and, well, fun with Train in Trades (Driest), The Costco Wholesails (Sportsmanship), Bean Boozlers (Piracy), Egg (Bad Egg), and The Rhondas (No Quitter) all bringing home bags of goodies. Lots of miniboats were built, faces painted, crafts crafted, and faces stuffed with good food. All in all, 2018 was classic April Tools! 
2018 Youth Winner: Michelle/Train in Trades
Thank you to our 2018 sponsors!
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See you
next year on April 27, 2019! 
LocationSituated on the shore of spectacular Pender Harbour, Madeira Park is a jewel of the Sunshine Coast. With only a ferry ride and a scenic one hour drive north, it is easily accessible from both Vancouver and the lower mainland. View our location on Google Maps. 
2018 Winners
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Pender Harbour Developments and
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Additional support provided by Sunshine Coast Resort.
To sponsor April Tools 2018,
please contact Jackie at 604-883-0539.
To sponsor April Tools 2018,
please contact Jackie at 604-883-0539.
APRIL TOOLS WOODEN BOAT CHALLENGE 2017
And the winner is: The Fireflies! (with Gunboat Bay Challengers a close second!)
Full details and photos at April Tools 2017 Recap & Gallery
Full details and photos at April Tools 2017 Recap & Gallery
Boatbuilding and Kids Activities
Adult Races
Past April Tools Event Highlights
April Tools 2014 Event Recap Video
April Tools 2013 Recap Video: Multi-Hull Mayhem!