Local News - July 2003

Raft-up resets lake’s world record

By AMY WADSWORTH, Staff Writer

The sixth annual Lake Norman Raft-Up achieved a new world record Saturday — 944 boats tied up in a single line — breaking the event’s previous record of 703 boats set last year.

“We beat last year’s tie-up by 34 percent,” said Mickey Nutting of the event’s management firm, Bulldawg Marketing. “There were over 1,200 boats in the area.”

The water surrounding Marker T-5 was swarming with people partying and spending time with their families on their boats. Raft-up directors chose the location for its low winds, and anchored buoys to help with tying the boats in a line.

Presentation for the event was sponsored by Auto Sports by the Lake, and all proceeds went to the Lake Norman Marine Commission, who focus on safety issues regarding the lake. Over $18,000 has been donated to the commission over the past three years.

Frank Bray said he drove all the way from Cary to Lake Norman for the Raft-Up.

“I came because I want to make the lake a safer place to be,” he said. “I heard that is what they were doing this year, and I wanted to be part of it.”

Kay Cato of Huntersville was at the event for her first time.

“It’s more fun than I thought it would be,” she said. “I was not really sure that I would like it, but now I know that I do.”

Others had been at the Raft-Up many times before. Joe Petterson and Karen Hern of Birkdale were admiring the Raft-Up from the shore.

“I rafted up three years ago,” Petterson said. “It is a good social event.”

Hern said she and Petterson came this year to meet up with some friends that live at the lake.

“We will probably go out on the water,” she said. “I don’t know if we will raft-up or not.”

Amie Mowen of Huntersville was at the Raft-Up last year. She said it had seemed to be a big success.

“I am on the lake all the time,” she said. “It seems a lot bigger than last year.”

A photo of all the boats tied up will be sent to the Guinness World Record office in order to document the new record.

The record was first set at Lake Norman in 1998, starting with 263 boats. The Raft-Up Committee Board of Directors says plans are underway to possibly make Raft-Up 2004 a three-day event.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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