This year there was a plan to have a staggered start. The strategy was to have two blasts from the starting cannon. The first detonation would launch everyone except the faster rafts in the America Class. After a short wait a second discharge would launch these high-speed vessels. This arrangement would have the faster rafts catching up to and passing the whole field of entries. This would give everyone else out there a chance to observe these faster rafts battling it out between themselves. This change in format was requested by one of the Captain's of an America Class entry. He felt as if they were not really part of the whole event and were missing out on some of the racing atmosphere. His crew missed seeing the rest of the slower rafts battling it out probably just as much as the semi-competitive rafts missed them.

        Well, when it came right down to it this beautiful plan had one flaw. Not everyone was on board with this new format, so there was a little confusion at the start. As it turned out one of the faster rafts took off early so the others took off too. This worked out just fine, after all, the racing is somewhat informal to begin with and these things will happen. Afterwards everyone had a good laugh and made the pledge to try this format out again next year.
        In the Cruising Class the Chickasaurus Becks took first place. It's been a number of years since we've had a raft entry with an all female crew. So for them to take top honors this year was quite fitting. The Big Johnson came in second 11 minutes behind the leader with horns blaring. These guys sure make one heck of a racket when they cruise across the finish line. Next across the finish line was the Scum Busters who were only two minutes behind the second place raft. There were many other entries in this class, which staggered in throughout the day. They were the Lin Lee, the Banana Boat, Snow Job, the Riverside Rockettes, the Iceberg, the U.S.S. Pumpkin, the Intubator, and the Delta Queen. For a complete run down of everybody's finishing time see the official race results elsewhere in this newsletter.

        The Millenium Buzzard took top honors in Horrendous Class in that this was the sole entry. This raft really keeps the torch burning in this class. Hopefully in the future we will have more entries in this field.

        The Sweeper Class rafts were coming across the finish line all day. These are the motorized rafts exercising the official duties of the event and keeping the racecourse safe for everyone. They also help out any disabled raft and provide emergency assistance. The winner in this category was the Bear's Den entry, which towed the most number of disabled rafts across the finish line. The other entries in the Sweeper Class field were the Lil Frog, Raft America, the Fearless Fools, Miss Moon, the Horrendous, the Cocktail Cruisers, The Hound, Tippin A Few, and Bottoms Up.

        Of all the entries in the field there were three rafts which accomplished something very unique. The Delta Queen won the American Heritage Award. This is given to the raft which best depicts the heritage upon which this race was founded. Tracy McCall and his boys really do a great job of it. They are the ones out on the river who look like Mississippi River castaways of the Mark Twain Era. The Chickasaurus Becks won the Becky Thatcher Award. This is given to the first raft to cross the finish line with an all female crew. This tribute has gone unclaimed for many years so giving it out this year was extra special. The Triceratops won top honors as the first  overall raft to cross the finish line and will have its name engraved on the Sterling Silver Bowl known as the Howie Rauch Award.  each one of these rafts did an excellent job out there on the river and deserve a big congratulations for a job well done! 

        The information presented within this electronic newsletter is from varied sources from whom and which there can be no guarantee as to the accuracy and completeness.  Every effort has been made to provide factual news and the correct race results. Please forgive us for any missing or incomplete information and/or the presence of any typographical errors. 

        A good many years ago a Sterling Silver Bowl was donated to The Connecticut River Raft Race.  This bequest was made in the loving memory of Howie Rauch and was presented by his friends and family.  This unique icon honors a truly remarkable individual who adopted a special regard to each year's race and made huge contributions to its continued success and prosperity.

        Unfortunately Howie met with an untimely demise.  Soon after he had passed away family & friends sought to repay his steadfast devotion to the Raft Race with a special tribute to their fallen comrade.  This marked the beginning of the Howie Rauch award.

        Each year this bowl is engraved with the name of the 1st overall raft to cross the finish line.  To this date twenty-five rafts have received an honored spot on this bowl.  This icon symbolizes all that The Connecticut River Raft Race stands for.  It pays homage to the legion of rafters out there who hold dear to their heart the spirit of the river.  These ambassadors preserve the history of the Raft Race in the Connecticut River Valley.

        The Sterling Silver Bowl we all know as the Howie Rauch Award is on permanent display at The Connecticut River Museum.  For those of you interested in the museum it is located at 67 Main Street in Essex, Connecticut, 06426.  Emily Sterns is the Curator and can be reached at  (860) 767-8269.  The museum is open from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Tuesday through Sunday. 

        Congratulations to everyone involved in the August 7-th running of The Connecticut River Raft Race. This year's event marked a milestone in rafting history, and this gives us all something to brag about. This year's affair was our 25-th year Anniversary! Who would have thought back in 1974 when the inaugural race took place, that The Great Connecticut River Raft Race would have been so long lived? One must realize, however, that this prestigious event has had some formidable difficulties.

        Back in 1994 the future of the raft race was in question. The event had grown so large that the crowd control, parking, police protection, special use permits, and the like were all becoming quite difficult, if not impossible to arrange. There was the serious possibility that the event would not take place. Fortunately, the race was saved due to the efforts of a group of dedicated rafters headed by Malcolm Chapman.

        He single-handedly returned the event back to its roots. That is, a Raft Race for the rafters, not Joe Public. This was when the racecourse was relocated to Portland/Middletown. The finish line was positioned at Dart Island; which was relatively inaccessible to the populace. This transition eliminated the many obstacles and problems involved with catering the event to the general public.

        Throughout the years this race event has gone through other changes as well. Previous Presidents include Franklin Burton, Kenn Fishberg, Eric Maddocks, Malcolm Chapman, and our current Leader Bob Niland. The support of their respective committees contributed immeasurably towards a bigger and better event each and every year. Many of the essential safety procedures have been refined which in turn contributed to a fun and safe event. The number one importance has always been Safety. But through all these years and transformations one thing really stands out, the competition has always been intense.

        Scores of rafters have been drawn to this great event and have subsequently created a legend in their own time. Some were regular folks just like you. Others carried a bit of notoriety and were sponsored by big name corporations. Many were determined to keep the spirit of the race alive. The common thread binding these rafters together was a deeply rooted spirit of adventure. These people made things happen instead of watching from the sidelines as the world went by. Each person who has ever participated in this race has also contributed something back to it. For some it was their personal dedication to the race. To others it could have been countless hours of their time, which they contributed to organizing the event. These generous people kept the race alive. For as some would say, " the race must go on! " And go on it did.

        Many of these folks are no longer with us as they have come to pass. The 25-th Anniversary not only marks a milestone in our history; it also commemorates the people from our past and present. Our Anniversary also pays homage to all the hard work the race committee has contributed towards this race. They really transformed our 25-th race into something extraordinary. A special thanks goes out to the members of the race committee! They are Bob Niland, Christine Riess, Richard Bartkus, Dan Pritchard, Todd Brown, Al Cox, and Bill Gildersleeve. These folks are truly a dedicated bunch of rafters. With these individuals at the helm The Connecticut River Raft Race has a bright future.

        Next year marks a quickly approaching Millennium and with it, our next Raft Race. August 5-th, 2000 is the date you all should be highlighting on your calendars. This is the tentative race day that was set for the 26-th Annual Connecticut River Raft Race. Expect some extra special bonuses to celebrate this historic event.

        This year there were some new raft entries that joined our ranks. These new vessels, their Captain, and crews were a great addition to this year's event. The new entries were the U.S.S. Pumpkin, Chickasaurus Becks, Riverside Rockettes, and the Intubator. This just goes to show that all the recruiting efforts employed throughout the year have finally paid off. We welcome all the new participants and look forward to seeing them again next year! 

        A big thank you goes out to Kenny & Elsie Gouin who are the owners of Riverside Marina. These folks welcome all the rafters; provide launching facilities, parking, and a homeport to the event. These guys have supported The Connecticut River Raft Race for many years. They have given the committee their blessings throughout the many races and both deserve a big thank-you. Let them know how much you appreciate their generosity and how you cherish the memories of each race day. So please, give them a call at 860-342-1911 or write them a short letter at: Riverside Marina, 37 Riverview Street, Portland, CT, 06480. For those of you with a fax machine you could also send any correspondences you might have to 860-342-5389.

        A special thanks also goes out to the Coast Guard, the Middletown & Portland Fire Department, the Middletown Marine Patrol, Jimmy O'Keefe on board the Twocan finish line boat, all the beach volunteers, and of course the Riverside & Yankee Marinas. All this wonderful support is what helps make The Connecticut River Raft Race such a successful and safe event. These people and agencies really deserve a big round of applause and heaping praise for their support and efforts.

        If you want to know more about The Connecticut River Raft Race, have ideas to share, would like to contribute to future newsletter articles, OR just want to help out, the monthly meetings are held at Bob Niland's house the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 P.M. These get-togethers are open to all. Please feel free to contact any one of the committee members if you need additional information OR want directions to the next meeting.

President:  Bob Niland, 860-342-4473

Vice President:  Christine Riess, 860-537-6979 christine.s.riess@us.arthurandersen.com

Treasurer:  Richard Bartkus, 203-757-7063 rbartkus@sargentlock.com

Recording Secretary:  Dan Pritchard (Otto), 860-883-5176 Dpritc7347@aol.com

Board of Directors:  Todd Brown: 860-721-7332 GeneticShipyards@Yahoo.com
                                  Al Cox: 860-283-8018 COXA@torrington.com
                                  Bill Gildersleeve: 860-342-5314

Web Master:  David Malboeuf: 860-298-9216 crazydave757@Hotmail.com

        This year the race committee drastically changed the format of the Captain's meeting. In previous years this engagement has been held at the local Elks club in Middletown. Although this site worked out fine in the past, the committee determined that there was a more suitable location. The committee wanted a site where many of the old timers could reminisce of past victories and adventures. They also desired a place where the new and upcoming rafters could enjoy this camaraderie and get a feel for the event, the other participants, as well as the launch location, course layout, and finish area. The site chosen to hold this year's rendezvous of the Captains was The Riverside Marina in Portland.

        This is the marina where much of the preliminary race day activities are centered. Many of the rafts are launched from here on race day. This landing also serves as homeport to various committee members and their respective vessels. In addition to this, there was a newly finished meeting hall that was available. Otto was able to set up his D.J. equipment & P.A. system. This led to a much better transfer of information to everyone as now people could hear the presentation more clearly. There was also plenty of parking for all, clean bathrooms, a terrific view of the river, and a portable barbecue grill to use. As it turned out this was the perfect place to hold a gathering.

        On Saturday, July 24-th at 10:00 A.M. the Captains meeting got underway. Bob Niland who is the new President of the rafting committee, went over the raft race rules, answered any questions, conveyed last minute developments, and paid special attention to the safety requirements of the event. Everyone listened attentively as Bob covered all the bases. After this, an honorable mention was bestowed to the crew of The Big Johnson. These guys have been promoting the event throughout the year and have really contributed a lot towards a better raft race. A good example of their handiwork was at hand this year. As an added bonus to this year's event Team Johnson built & donated a really nice looking scoreboard for race day. Various colored markers were left out and many of the rafters autographed the scoreboard as they came up to hand in their entry forms.

        To memorialize this year's 25-th Anniversary the Captain of each raft received a brass plate bearing a commemorative inscription. This plate had pre-drilled holes, thereby facilitating mounting on their raft. This completed the business end of the meeting. After this the T-shirt & hat sales began. This also marked the beginning of the socializing hour where everyone exchanged stories about previous races, discussed raft improvements, and declared how much fun or misery they endured at last year's event. While all this was going on a flurry of action was taking place over at the barbeque grill. Bob was busy carving the roast, Christine & Bill were pulling the roasted corn off the grill, Richard & Todd prepared the salads, and Mal primed a well-iced container of fermented beverages. Before long everything was in place and chow was on!

        On hand this year was a Steamship round of beef, corn on the cob, various salads, drinks, snacks, and a frosted cake. Many people brought along their favorite carbonated beverages to wash everything down. After a short blessing everyone dug in. Otto played music during the meal and was taking special requests. There was also lots of rafting memorabilia left out for everyone to browse through while they ate. This included pictures, albums, news articles, and videotapes. Everyone had ample time to eat, talk, visit with old friends, eat, look at all the rafting stuff, eat some more, and listen to the music played by Otto. A great time was had by all!

        During the meal a special award was presented to Malcolm Chapman for his dedication and commitment to the cause of the Raft Race. Without his guidance and leadership these past years, there might not be a Connecticut River Raft Race event at all. Malcolm was truly taken back by the hand made driftwood award and for a moment he stood there looking at the bestowal with a deep reflection. Some would say a tear came to his eye. To say the award surprised Malcolm would be an understatement. He then gave a short acceptance speech and made a toast to the new raft committee.

        Once everyone had their fill of eats Mike Pidskalny invited some of the new rafters out onto the river aboard his raft, Bear's Den. This excursion was a casual tour of the starting area, racecourse, and finish line. All those on board had a good time capping the day off with this tranquil cruise out on the Connecticut River.

        Want to see some rafting material on the World Wide Web pertaining to The Connecticut River Raft Race? Listed here are a few links that should assist you. There is a lot of information available at these web sites. Many of these locations have additional links to even more web sites containing rafting material. You can access raft pictures, articles, event history, rules, race committee members, and other great stuff. If you'd like your raft on a web page, want to have a page updated and/or want to link from these web pages to yours, please contact Chris Miller at c1j1miller@aol.com, If you would like to submit any material to be included in these sites you can also contact Nick Schade at Schade@guillemot-kayaks.com  Another person you may contact to get your information posted on the web is David Malboeuf at crazydave757@hotmail.com This is a partial listing of just some of the material available out there on the Web. If you surf the Net on your own you will without doubt find even more Raft Race material. Good luck!

The "Official" Connecticut River Raft Race Web Site:  http://geocities.datacellar.net/ctraftrace
Nick Schade's Raft Race Page:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Raftrace.html
Chris Miller's Raft Race Page:  http://members.xoom.com/raftrace/
Race Rules:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/RAFTRULES.html
Millenium Buzzard:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Buzzard.html
Triceratops:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Triceratops.html
Building Triceratops:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/BuildingTriceratops/Building.html
Agony of the Fleet:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Agony.html
Mianus:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Mianus.html
Drinkasaurus Becks:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Drinkasaurus.html
Intrepid:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Intrepid.html
Flycatcher:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Flycatcher.html
Paradox:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Paradox.html
Other Rafts ( Lee Jet & B. Fontennella):  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/Otherrafts/OtherRafts.html
Glastonbury Cup:  http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/RaftRace/GlastonburyCup.html
Nick's Raft Race Pages:  http://www.mindport.net/RaftRace/*.html 

        On November 10-Th. the Raft Race Committee resolved to make some charitable donations to local non-profit organizations. Raft Race monies taken in at this year's event funded the contributions bestowed to these groups. These funds were raised through entrance fees, T-shirt & Hat sales, and donations made by private parties. These charitable donations represent approximately 10 % of the total assets of The Connecticut River Raft Race. The following is a summary of the donated amounts and the organizations receiving these contributions.

$100 "Warm the children Program" @ Hartford Courant: This program provides new winter clothing for needy children.

$100 "Care & Share Program" @ Webster Bank: This program helps to feed a hungry child.

$200 "Middletown Marine Patrol" These folks monitor the racecourse on race day.

$200 "Portland Volunteer Fire Department" These guys put out fires on their own time, which is a great public service. They are also a driving force that promotes safety on race day.

$400 "Middletown Town Library" These funds are earmarked for programs geared towards children's programs.

$400 "Portland Town Library" This money is also earmarked for programs geared towards children's curriculum. 

        Comcast Cablevision of Middletown took video footage of the Raft Race aboard the U.S.S. Pumpkin. These images were aired on The Mr. Pumpkin Show on Thursday nights at 8:00 P.M. This program was shown for a number of weeks after the event. If you missed this showing and would like a copy of the video try calling Calaco Productions c/o advertising sales at (860) 635-0404 

        This year the Captain and crew from The Big Johnson built and donated a new scoreboard for the event. They thought that it would be a nice touch for everybody to be able to see the race results at the finish line on Dart Island. Most everyone signed the scoreboard and helped color it in, lending a special ambiance to the finish area. This was the direct result of Team Johnson getting involved with the committee and wanting to make a contribution to the event. Thanks guys! Great job. 

        Designing a T-shirt for the 25-th Anniversary of the Raft Race was no easy task. To simplify this chore a good flow of ideas was needed. The race committee determined that they should enlist the help of the raft race contestants. To facilitate this an announcement was printed in the spring newsletter asking people to submit their ideas. As people contributed their T-shirt designs the board put their heads together and carefully selected the best idea. This plan really worked out quite well as many people sent in lots of ideas.

        Steve Ruhl from The Hound raft submitted the final choice for the back of this year's T-shirt. And the Race Committee submitted the final design for the front of the T-shirt. When put together on the same shirt these choices really accented each other quite well. This was apparent, as the T-shirt and hat sales were excellent.
The race committee would like to use this same plan to create a T-shirt for the 26-th Annual Raft Race T-shirt, so please send in your ideas by April 1, 2000. The winning design(s) will receive a T-shirt & mug.

        The race committee wishes to express their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Joan & Eddie. Throughout the years we have come to know them as our close friends and have welcomed them into our rafting family. We will truly miss Joan & Eddie and hold dear to us all the fond memories we shared together. Both these people helped to sculpt a bigger and better Raft Race and with it lasting memories we will cherish infinitely.

        In an effort to usher in the new Millennium the Race Committee has decide to establish a presence on the internet This endeavor presents new and exciting potential in our efforts to promote The Connecticut River Raft Race. The first phase of this project was to get the committee members on board with Email. Now we have a quick means of communication that helps us to expedite correspondence between members of the board.

        Phase two was to establish a catalog of existing "'Raft Race" web sights and a listing of the Committee's Email addresses. These directories will provide some avenues one could utilize when seeking rafting information, voicing concerns, and/or submitting ideas & suggestions. You can find these listings elsewhere in the newsletter.

        Phase three will be to create our very own Web Site on the Internet. Captain Dave from Team Johnson was elected to get the ball rolling in this venture. He is now the Web Master or as Todd Brown eloquently put it, "he's our Minister of Propaganda." Anyone who is at all interested in helping to create this Web Site or wants to make a contribution to this project can contact any Committee member or e-mail our "Web Master" Dave at crazydave757@hotmail.com via snail mail at 109 Lovell Avenue, Windsor, CT 06095. 

        During this year's awards ceremony on Dart Island Team Johnson was honored for their efforts in promoting The Connecticut River Raft Race. They worked very hard all year long campaigning for our event. They were contestants in all of the raft races listed above. They constructed three different rafts for these events, they are The Big Johnson, the Vast Deferens, and the Morning Wood. Team Johnson has also displayed their homemade watercraft in four different parades, exhibited their rafts in a country fair, presented a raft-building seminar, and helped to establish a world record in Southwick, MA for the longest pontoon boat bridge between two towns. These guys have been our ambassadors all year long and they really get the word out. During these activities they have passed out hundreds of rafting flyers, answered questions, and provided advice. Captain Dave, Chief Engineer Drew, and Project Manager Heidi each received an engraved Pewter Mug to honor all their hard work. Thanks again guys, for a job well done!!