Homemade boats made mostly out of beer cans have battled it out in one of Darwin’s most iconic events at Mindil Beach.
The annual Beer Can Regatta draws competitors together to race rafts engineered out of drinking containers — the popular choice this year being beer or soft drink cans.
The 52nd edition of the event was full of entertainment on and off the water, including tug of war, iron man, and thong throwing.
Three boats competed at the Beer Can Regatta this year. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
A team of military personnel competed in the race. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
The boats came in different shapes and sizes. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
Despite only three boats entering this year, the crowds at Mindil Beach were huge, numbering in the thousands.
The event was also a fundraiser, with proceeds this year donated to St John NT and Mindil Beach Surf Lifesaving Club.
A thong throwing contest was also held at the event. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
Competitor Corporal Rob Meharg, who is on a six-month rotation in Darwin, said he had wanted to enter the competition for 20 years.
“This is absolutely bucket list sort of stuff,” he said.
National pride was on show. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
Kids had fun playing in the sand while the race was on. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
People of all ages attended the event. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
Corporal Meharg said his team built their boat a little more than a week before the competition, scrounging together cans found in bins on a military base.
“Our guys got together pretty much over the course of the weekend, and smashed it,” he said.
“I reckon you could get to Indonesia on it; there’s enough flotation in this to lift the Titanic.“
The race was hotly contested. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
People enjoyed the dry season weather at Mindil Beach. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
The best viewing spot was in the water. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
He said he wasn’t worried about crocodiles in Darwin’s sometimes dangerous waters.
“Strategy for that was to row faster, like row really fast,” he said.
Corporal Mehard’s team, made up of various military personnel, won the boat race early Sunday afternoon.
People in boats watched on. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
Fellow competitor Ted Haniford said his son designed their ship last year.
“He’d been in the Beer Can [Regatta] the year before and unfortunately it was more of a submarine than a ship, so he decided last year to build something a bit more substantial,” he said.
“It is big but we’ve got some good manpower.”
Surf lifesavers were on the look out for crocodiles. (ABC News: Dane Hirst )
Coralie Brannelly has been helping organise the event for more than 10 years, and has seen many boat designs in her time.
“There’s a real emphasis on beer but actually it wasn’t about that at all, it was about trying to reuse stuff that was around,” she said.
“That’s what it comes down to, just thinking outside the box.”
