The Great Raft Race

Fifty-two entries in the Gisborne Industries Fair raft race spent an hour of delightful chaos and comedy on the Taruheru and Waimata Rivers on the sunny Saturday afternoon before the fair opened.

Starting at the Botanical Gardens bridge, the rafts made their wallowing way along the one-and-a-half mile course to the finishing line at Anzac Park.

More than 8000 spectators lined the riverbanks and bridges to see this epic effort of nautical nonsense.

Made from every floating object imaginable, the rafts varied in size from giant 20-man vessels to little two-man gadgets.

Many were equipped with armaments of varying descriptions, including water-pumps, catapults, skyrockets, and flour-bombs.

The scene at the starting line was one of utter mayhem as the unorthodox vessels choked the river jockeying for positions. While waiting for the starter's gun, minor "battles" broke out, bringing the various weapons into play. As a result, many of the competitors started the race soaked to the skin.

Made from oil drums, rubber tubes, water tanks, cravfish floats. and bathtubs, some rafts were propelled by ingenious devices, with revolving paddles and bicycle parts, but hard work was the key to the finishing line in all cases.

Among the obstacles which confronted the competitors on the course was a continuous jet of water supplied by the Fire Brigade, and mud balls thrown from the bridges.

The eventual winners were two boys, Ian Croker and Tony Adeane, in a small sleekly-shaped vessel, followed by the "Walters and "Kohntiki". Next home were two of the larger entries, Clare and Clare's double decker, and J. L. Primrose's "Vulgar Boatmen".

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The scene in the Taruheru River looking towards the Botanical Gardens from the Derby Street bridge as the unwieldy craft make their laborious way downstream.

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A damsel in distress

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The rafts wallowing away from the starting line

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Beatle-wigged bag-piper added to the general confusion at the start. The trio are Peter Plummer, Tony Pickett, and Dave Smith.

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Clare and Clare and the "Vulgar Boatmen" race neck-and-neck down the Taruheru

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Competitors battle it out at the start line

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Waihirere Wines ingenious "Rollo Bollo" raft made from two revolving water tanks nearing the finish line.

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Some of the many spectators follow the race from the Derby Street bridge

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The Photo News-Condor Craft pirate raft paddles clear of submerging Herald staff as their inner tube vessel sinks at the finishing line