Campus boating center earns best-in-show award in parade

For the fifth year in a row, the UC Santa Cruz Community Boating Center earned the coveted best-in-show award at the 33rd annual Lighted Boat Parade held at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor on Saturday, Dec. 1.

The nautical parade was organized by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club.

The parade’s theme this year was "Song of the Wind." Rusty Kingon, the boating club supervisor, said “club members struggled to decide between several design themes, but ultimately the idea of a Beatles-themed vessel was to good an opportunity to pass up.”

“The design team created an amazing submarine replica, complete with a conning tower, periscopes, working propellers, and of course, Blue Meanies,” Kingon said. Adding to the look was “an amazing sound system.” Work is already underway to compete again in 2019.

Club membership consists of a diverse group of students and community members who love to sail and is part of the University Boating Center, which promotes the sport of sailing through education, community engagement, and competition.