WELCOME TO THE INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS
WICKED WHALEBOAT CHALLENGE!
WHEN: May 2, 2026 - race day check in starts at 8:00 am - Race starts at 9:00 am.
WHERE: Pope's Island Marina, New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
ABOUT:
Leave the boat and trailer at home, all you need is your crew and a sense of adventure. The Wicked Whaleboat Challenge is a race that not only tests the speed of the crew but also tests their skills. We've designed a course that accentuates the maneuverability of whaleboats and also incorporates a variety of skills that will challenge the coordination of the boatsteerer and the crew.
The course is a timed event with each boat staggering their start, so there will only be up to three boats on the course at any time.
After the row, enjoy and vote for your favorite chili and have some tasty New England Chowdah from our very own local sponsor, The Black Whale
The BOATS:
The Wicked Whaleboat Challenge is restricted to WCR whaleboats only. Our fiberglass replica Beetle whaleboats will be available for any teams that wish to row (if you do not have a certified whaleboat boatsteerer, one will be provided for you). If you wish to train on our boats ahead of the challenge, please contact us to schedule a training row.
REGISTRATION FORM: Available on April 1 at 9am. Link will be available at the top of the page.
RACE ORDER IS DETERMINED BY REGISTRATION ORDER. ROWERS MAY BE PART OF 2 BOAT CREWS MAXIMUM. RACE ORDER WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE SKIPPER'S MEETING ON RACE DAY.
Advised Skills:
- Stern Stroke
- Port and Starboard turns
- Man Overboard Drill
- A sense of FUN!
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
1. With the bow lined up with the Starting buoy, at the horn, the boat will STERN STROKE back until the bowlines up with the #2 YELLOW marker buoy.
2. Once lined up with the #2 YELLOW marker buoy, the boat may revert to a normal pull.
3. Go around the island keeping the small GREEN can and the large GREEN can to your starboard.
4. Make a starboard turn around the WHALE
5. Immediately after making a starboard turn at the #5 YELLOW marker, kick BOB overboard and continue to the #6 YELLOW marker.
6. Make a port turn around the marker. Immediately after the turn, pick the steering oar out of the water and go retrieve BOB. Once BOB is back in the boat, you may use the steering oar again.
7. With BOB back in the boat, row like a bat outta hell down the pier towards the #2 YELLOW marker. Make a sharp port turn between the end of the pier and the #2 YELLOW marker. You've finished!
DIVISIONS:
Sorry. there are no divisions.
AWARDS:
The awards given will be for 1st place, 2nd place, and 3rd place and the Drowned Captain award will be given to whichever team leaves BOB (the person-overboard-dummy) in the water for the longest period of time.
SPONSORSHIPS:
If you would like to have your crew, club, or business included on our event shirts, there are four levels of sponsorship: $500 Platinum, $300 Gold, $200 Silver, $100 Bronze. Logo size is determined by level of sponsorship. Thanks for supporting our race! We also welcome any sponsorships of race day food for our volunteer race organizers!