ROCHESTER — Part boat sale, part fundraiser and part instruction for Mattapoisett River racers, an April 6 workshop at the Rochester Fire Station was all about the annual Memorial Day Boat Race.

Sponsored by the Rochester Fire Department since 2001 but held for the past 84 years, the annual holiday tradition pits teams of two against each other paddling homemade craft down the
Mattapoisett River.

On Saturday, race organizer Art Benner said he was pleased with turnout for the workshop, designed to prepare racers and raise money for the event.

“I got involved with the boat-building when I was a kid in 4H,” Benner said,” There is no charge to enter the race, so the raffles really help. Even road races have registration fees. . . but we’ve been doing it this way all along.”

At Saturday’s workshop, two boats were up for sale, with a third, built by Chris Tangney, being raffled off.

The workshop also taught people how to build a boat and more about the race.

Benner said the race’s numbers have dwindled over the last few years. He hoped the workshop would get more people interested in the event. “We are trying to promote those interests and
bring these numbers up,” he said.

Bill Watling, who built carbon fiber paddles that were raffled at the workshop, said this is his second year participating. “It’s a good fun family tradition,” he said.

Participants can register for the boat race on May 10 and 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rochester Senior Center, 67 Dexter Lane. The race will be held Monday, May 27, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Grandma Hartley’s Reservoir on Snipatuit Road. All contestants must be at the reservoir by 8 a.m.