Come race the Hooters Girls at Bowditch Jug Boat Race
The Fort Myers Beach Hooters girls have formed a team to compete in the Bowditch Jug Boat Race this Saturday (Nov. 5). This is a fund-raising event to benefit a local food bank.
Calusa Ghost Tours, the concessioner at Bowditch Point Regional Park, invites everyone with a little ingenuity and some extra plastic jugs to have fun and raise some money for Wake Up America. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and the race starts at 10.
The event is a race for boats made out of plastic jugs and will be held in conjunction with the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival. It will launch from Bowditch Point Park located at the northern point of Fort Myers Beach and take place on the shallow waters between Bowditch Point and Bunche Beach.
The only two main requirements are that the jug boat’s flotation must be made of plastic jugs and no motors are allowed. Other than those requirements, the boat’s design and propulsion are up to the boat builders. With safety in mind, all participants are encouraged to test float their boats before the race and there is one more requirement: all racers must wear PFD’s (aka: life preservers).
There is a $20 per boat entry fee before the race and $25 for on-site registration. Checks, cash and charges will be made directly to Wake Up America. Depending on the number of entrants, divisions may be established for the number of people on each boat and/or type of propulsion. Families, companies, and like-minded fun seekers are all welcome to enter their uniquely designed jug boats. Prospective entrants should enter “milk jug boat races” into an Internet search engine for design guidance.
Parking at this Lee County Parks and Recreation facility costs $1 per hour and fills quickly. Pre-registration and car-pooling are highly recommended. There are free day docks and a kayak launch at the park spectators and entrants can also come by boat. There is a free parking lot off-site with trolley service so participants can drop off their boats and then commute back to the site once they have parked at that lot. In addition to the race launch, there are food and paddle craft rentals available at Bowditch, a 17-acre preserve, picnic facilities, restrooms and showers and a beautiful wide beach.
For more information or to register your winning jug boat, call 810-4742 or visit www.bowditchpark.com.