The first version of the boat (2005) was a 28 foot catamaran-style vessel, with one main hulls with an outrigger canoe (each seats 12 rowers) and a deck in between. In July, 2005, The da Vinci Club members raced the boat in the Connecticut River Raft Race and won second place in their category, finishing the 4.1 mile race in just under two hours.  The boat also won the Mayor's Trophy in Middletown's 2005 Memorial Day Parade.  You can read all about their race in the Summer 2005, Fall 2005, and Fall 2006 NEAT News. 

The final version of the boat was also a 28 foot catamaran with the canoe outrigger replaced by a second handmade hull and no deck.  The final boat seated 24 rowers.  In the 2006 raft race, the daVinci Club's boat, The Amazing Rowing Machine, took first place in its division.  This project was funded by the Middlesex County Community Foundation, the Middletown Area Substance Abuse Prevention Council and the Middletown Rotary Club. Boat builder and environmental activist George Frick directed the project and served as the crew's captain in the CT River Raft Race.

Click here to see photo galleries of the boat being built and raced!