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Can one Reddit person go down the Charles River in a pumpkin boat? It’s not as uncommon as you would possibly assume.

October 5, 2023 by gajah.uk

Native Information

It is apparently one Reddit person’s dream to journey down the Charles River in a pumpkin boat.

A man is seen paddling in a boat made out of a giant pumpkin in Maine, with a crowd of spectators behind him.
Pumpkin regattas, just like the Damariscotta, Maine, occasion pictured right here, are competitions the place folks race one another in pumpkin boats. Courtesy of Lisa Conway Macnair with the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta

It’s not unusual for uncommon native sightings or requests to make their method on the Boston subReddit. That will apparently embrace an ask to borrow a forklift, as person Benjamin621 did this week. 

Their put up went viral regionally, not simply because they requested to borrow a forklift, but in addition why they requested to borrow a forklift. 

“It’s my life’s dream to row an enormous pumpkin down the Charles River and I’ve lastly saved up sufficient cash to buy one, however I simply discovered from the pumpkin grower that I would like a forklift to obtain it (as it’s 1000 kilos),” Benjamin621 mentioned.

Assist borrowing forklift to journey a pumpkin down the Charles River
byu/Benjamin621 inboston

Some confused feedback from different customers adopted, calling the request “absurd” and one thing one would possibly ask whereas below the affect. 

Others cheered on the unique poster, asking Benjamin621 to place the main points within the thread so they might watch this offbeat nautical journey, which Benjamin621 hopes will occur Oct. 14. 

However most knew what the OP was getting at: They needed to finally flip the large pumpkin into a ship, then row down the river whereas within the pumpkin boat, which is a factor that occurs.

Many individuals earlier than Benjamin621 have paddled New England waters aboard a pumpkin vessel, and there are even occasions — “pumpkin regattas” — that make a time out of rowing in boats made out of the gourd. 

construct a pumpkin boat

Earlier than you paddle your personal pumpkin boat, there are some things to know. Lisa Conway Macnair, co-chair of the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta, mentioned they’ve two totally different sorts of pumpkin boats they use of their annual regatta: paddle boats and, imagine it or not, motored pumpkin boats. 

She mentioned the gourds you paddle on the Damariscotta occasion, which takes place throughout the Indigenous Peoples’ Day vacation weekend, weigh about 400 to 600 kilos. The motored pumpkin boats are a lot larger, weighing 900 kilos or extra. 

Macnair mentioned development of the paddle boats is “simple” — you simply minimize a gap within the pumpkin, often the flat facet (or the facet the pumpkin was sitting on whereas it grew), then you definitely hole it out so you may hop in and paddle.

However the motored boats require a bit extra work to allow them to maintain up whereas a motor is connected. It’s the identical strategy of slicing a gap you may match into, hollowing it out — albeit a little bit bit extra work because it’s a much bigger gourd. Then you definitely add flotation units that may assist a 10-horsepower motor. 

These huge gourds often have a deck made out of plywood for the boat rider to sit down on. Adorning all of the boats is inspired, however at occasions just like the Damariscotta pageant, the three motored boats are particularly decked out. 

Typically wood homes are constructed atop the pumpkin boat. Horse cutouts are connected to the entrance. Or gnomes enhance the sting of the deck. 

Is it secure?

At an occasion just like the Damariscotta Regatta, or the Goffstown Pumpkin Regatta, it’s — although they’ll make you signal a waiver.

Jaja Martin, each an skilled sailor and a pumpkin boating fanatic, mentioned a part of the enjoyable is capsizing, which these boats will do. Particularly the smaller-sized pumpkins.

“They’re not very secure,” mentioned Martin, who added that almost everybody racing in paddle boats on the Damariscotta occasion capsizes, typically proper on the dock upon stepping into the slimy gourd.

Jim Beauchemin, who began the Goffstown occasion in 2000 after seeing images of an identical exercise carried out in Nova Scotia, mentioned the boats want ballast to remain afloat. To do this, Beauchemin provides a minimum of 100 kilos of sand to the a number of boats raced within the New Hampshire regatta.

“You are able to do it with out ballasting, but it surely’s an actual tipsy journey,” Beauchemin mentioned. “I wouldn’t need to go to the Charles River with out ballasting one.”

On the Goffstown occasion, which takes place Oct. 15, additionally they solely use pumpkins that weigh 1,000 kilos or extra. It’s the particular person on the helm’s alternative if they need a motor or only a paddle.

It must be talked about that these occasions, which each occur on rivers, are effectively resourced with divers or rescue groups in case something goes unsuitable, and the gourd paddlers are suited up with life jackets and even wetsuits (in case they by accident go in for a chilly dip).

However that hasn’t stopped people from braving the waters on their very own, typically touring miles and for half a day of their 1,000-pound gourds. 

Taking off from Jeffries Yacht Membership in East Boston, Christian Ilsley pilots his pumpkin boat round Boston Harbor for about an hour in 2017. It was constructed from his large pumpkin, scrap wooden, 100 ft of rope, 44 screws, a yacht bumper, and dock foam — and powered by a Suzuki 4 Stroke 4HP motor. Rob Cortes, his engineer, mentioned it took “a couple of drinks and 6 hours to assemble.” Pat Greenhouse / The Boston Globe

Simply six years in the past, one Revere man traveled from East Boston throughout the Boston Harbor and again in a pumpkin with a motor connected. When he requested the U.S. Coast Guard if he might, they responded by way of electronic mail “(we) want that you weren’t crossing the channel,” however The Boston Globe reviews that they didn’t cease him. 

Earlier than him, a Taunton man got down to break a file by touring eight miles by way of pumpkin. He made it 5 miles from the Taunton Yacht Membership earlier than he obtained too drained to complete.

Will Benjamin621 be part of the record of those that helmed large pumpkins throughout our bodies of water? Boston.com reached out to the Reddit person however didn’t hear again, and although commenters continued to ask if this request that captivated many was actual or if Benjamin621 ever obtained their forklift, we simply don’t know.

Forklift pumpkin boat man
byu/YogaCookingQueen inboston

It seems one can paddle a canoe or kayak down the Charles River, so rowing round in a giant and well-crafted pumpkin boat appears believable sufficient. However must you? 

“I might do it in an occasion as a result of I’ve raced the boats,” Beauchemin mentioned. “In case you’re not skilled, it may be a good suggestion to get a little bit expertise.”

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Posted in: News Tagged: boat, Charles, pumpkin, Reddit, River, unusual, user

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