The UC Santa Cruz Community Boating Center sailed away with the coveted best-in-show award at the 32nd annual Lighted Boat Parade held at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor Saturday, Dec. 2.
It was the boating center’s fourth consecutive best-in-show win in five years participating in the nautical parade organized by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club.
“We had 10 folks on the boat, representing students, summer junior sailors, staff, an alumnus, and community members,” said Rusty Kingon, campus boating supervisor. “Many more worked on the design and build who were not part of the crew that evening.”
The parade’s theme this year was "Holiday Magic." Kingon said boating club members decided the logical display should center around Peter Pan, complete with Captain Hook, Tinker Bell, Wendy, The Lost Boys, and of course, Tick Tock, the hungry crocodile who follows Hook (and the boat) wherever he goes.
“The design team created an amazing replica of a traditional 1800's vessel, complete with the aft captain's quarters, a crow's nest, and Jacob's ladders,” Kingon said. Adding to the look was “an amazing sound system.”
A second UC Santa Cruz entry transformed a canoe into the notorious crocodile "Tick Tock" and won second place in the human-powered division.
