Battle of the Battleships is back for another race

  • Published
  • By Bud Cordova
  • Nucleus writer

Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who on Kirtland Air Force Base has the best battleship of them all?

For the third year Kirtland will get to experience Battle of the Battleships on Aug. 5. The friendly competition is about a team of two- to –four people building a battleship out of only cardboard and duct tape and then paddling it across a pool.

“It is fun and builds team spirit and Kirtland pride,” said 377th Medical Group Master Sgt. Korrine Kargl.

The boats are to be constructed before the event and must hold two people. Water guns are also encouraged to have as part of the boat.

“This is a great chance to act as a kid again,” said 377th Medical Group First Sgt. Master Sgt. Ben House.

While in the battleship, teams can try to impede the progress of and potentially sink competing boats. If a team member falls into the water they cannot try to sink “enemy ships” until they are back in their own boat.

“We try to encourage people to dress up in costumes,” Kargl said.

The event is open to all units and offices on Kirtland.

“The best part, for comedy, is the first time teams put their boat in water and test if it’s seaworthy,” House said.

This year, Battle of the Battleships will take place at the pool behind the Mountain View Club to coincide with “First Friday” activities. There will be food and beverages available for purchase.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place for the fastest race times, a prize for the best team spirit, a prize to the most creative boat and one to the most aesthetically challenged boat, a.k.a. the ugly duckling boat.

Each boat will be inspected at check-in to make sure it falls within the requirements of cardboard and duct tape only. Teams can be disqualified for decorations that are not made of cardboard and duct tape. Flags are allowed as long as they are held aloft by cardboard and duct tape.

“The competition is already building, and units are already (boasting) to each other,” Kargl said.

So far only Lee Anne Schulte, 377th Air Base Wing Command Chief Chad Schulte’s wife, has confirmed she will judge the event. Kargl is expecting another three judges to confirm before the battle.

“It’s always a really good time,” House said.

Battle of the Battleships check-in starts at 1 p.m. at the Mountain View Club and the battle starts at 2 p.m. The event has a $30 cost for a team to enter in advance and $40 for day-of-event registration.