"Small Ships" take plunge into the Shenango

By RICHARD L. BOCCIA

One of the crafts was made in the form of a 10-foot frog.

SHARON, Pa. — Vikings, a giant frog that waved to the crowd and a floating, roller skate dance floor were among the watercraft that competed in a regatta Friday evening.

In the 28th annual Small Ships Revue, there were no boring boats.

A crowd of thousands filled the blocks around the Shenango River to watch the boats roll, then float by as a parade preceded the water race.

Donning horned helmets and furry tunics, the crew of the Viking boat had a good showing, though its captain wore swim trunks, just in case. Scott Bartholomew and Chris Kocher were plunderers for a day, though the Youngstown State University engineering alums originally planned their boat as something very different — a banana.

“I don’t think a banana’s ever won a war,” said Bartholomew. His wife, Jamie, who works as an artist, persuaded him to switch concepts. In the end, it wasn’t enough to edge out winners Ed and Debbie Schuller and their 10-foot plastic frog, which won $1,000. Not bad for three weeks of planning and assembly, which combined 40 plastic barrels and $150 of screws and special plastic paint to create a water-spitting frog boat with moving arms.

The source of their amphibian inspiration? The Schullers have a Hermitage business: the Frogtown Driving Range.

Doris and Randy Genareo of New Castle admired the frog from a prime spectator spot on the Connelly Boulevard bridge.

“I’m not sure how it will float, but it looks good,” Doris said, adding that she’d stick out the weather. Light rain did little to disperse the crowd, which was as large as last year when 20,000 attended, according to Sharon Police Chief Michael J. Menster, who was on hand with officers.

Two-time regatta champion Hayne Welding of Greenville was not so lucky this year, coming in third with a firetruck recycled from its 2007 entry: the famed film transformer Optimus Prime.

Despite father and son Larry and Dan Hayne’s confidence before the parade, the new design’s water hose, siren and extendable ladder were no help when the regatta saw them stuck in shallow waters. Still, there was plenty of candy to throw during the parade before the boat launch, and the Haynes got to spend some quality time on their ship.

“We make it a big family affair,” Dan said.

While host Quaker Steak & Lube advertised the event as a build-your-own-boat, anything-floats regatta, there were a few rules: no motors and no projectiles, though some crews threw water balloons.

Brenda Robinson and her neighbors gathered to sit in lawn chairs and watch the parade from their backstreet homes near the boat launch. “This is ideal,” said the retiree, originally from Sharpsville. “This is the best spot.”

Over the years, she’s known many people who’ve competed in the regatta. “It’s a big thing,” she said.

The disco roller rink boat from Hermitage’s Olympic Fun Center was inspired by two things: the skating that happens at the center and the fashion of the ’70s.

Dawn Smith and her employees from Olympic were inspired by “Roll Bounce,” a film that combines the two. Bell-bottom jeans weren’t a problem, but the skates were replaced with regular shoes when the crew negotiated their boat launch, which saw the fall of their dance floor mirror ball. It was back in place soon enough, although several disco dancers took the plunge into the Shenango.

The event was sponsored by Pepsi and presented by Miller, Phantom Fireworks, Cortland Banks and Y-103.

rboccia@vindy.com