A RECORD number of entrants will take part in this year’s ‘Low Wood No Wood’ cardboard boat races on Windermere.

Twenty-five crews have already registered for the event on Saturday May 14 from the Low Wood Bay Resort Hotel and Marina jetty near Ambleside.

This year’s event also features an extended Armada battle after the time trial races, with the top crews hand-picked to take on the Low Wood ‘Sea Monster’, an expertly piloted ‘flyboard’ firing highly pressurised water jets.

Earlier in the Spring, the sea monster launched a surprise attack during trials of the cardboard boat HMS Wonky, making off with a horde of stolen treasure. The Armada will be raised to win back the booty and donate the recovered treasure to charity.

There will also be a range of family activities on the lakeside throughout the day, including a brass band, a bouncy castle, face painting, a barbecue and plenty of food and drink.

Organiser Ben Berry from English Lakes Hotels Resorts and Venues said: “We’ve had a great response from people wanting to enter a crew and have a go at building a cardboard boat. The event gets bigger every year.

“As usual, the boat designs and engineering techniques are top secret until the day of the races, but we have seen a sneak preview of a couple of vessels. One looks to be over 10 feet long and could accommodate quite a large team of paddlers.

“If I was a betting man I would say we will get between 27 and 30 crews going head to head on the water. We hope local residents from Windermere, Ambleside and beyond will come on down and join the fun, cheering the crews on from the water’s edge and enjoying the lakeside festivities.”

All boats must be made entirely of cardboard, with races around marker buoys along a set course, with safety coverage for any sinkers. Prizes are up for grabs courtesy of Low Wood Bay Watersports Centre, including fastest boat, best dressed team, best design, under 16s award and the Titanic prize for the most spectacular sinking.

This year’s racing is being held to support St Mary’s Hospice, Ulverston, and the Lake District Calvert Trust, Bassenthwaite. The event is sponsored by Progression Solicitors and Low Wood Bay Resort Hotel and Marina.

There is still time for crews to make a late entry by registering at www.cardboardboatrace.co.uk or find out more at http://englishlakes.co.uk/