G'day I've got the pumkins for the juniors greased pumkin race can anyone tell me the best grease to use that will wash out of wetsuits, wash off cats, last while the pumkins are floating and be slippery enough to make the kids struggle?

Barb Short or Chip SHort <chip at the-helm.com>. Barb is at Mutt Nationals until next week.
They did this two years in a row at the Upper Keys Sailing Club,
Rick

We used Crisco when I was a kid. Not sure about the wetsuit compatability, but it's food, so you shouldn't have an environmental issue.

Mike

I'd shy away from any petroleum based lubricants (vasalene, etc) as that can be problematic for lycra and neoprene.

Crisco is animal lard, right?

Does the grease have to be waterproof - will the pumpkins be in the water? Can it be a soluble form of lubricant (KY or equivalent)?

Actually, I think the pumpkins just floating in the water should make them slippery enough...

Crisco is made from 100% vegetable oils:


Lousy for you, but great for greasing pumpkins.

It's also good for keeping the squirrels from climbing the bird feeder posts.

thank god it has ANTIOXIDANTS... at least it has 1 nutritional value!

Thanks for the replies I'm pretty sure that Barb called it the greased pumkin race or similar. I have to get this right as the kids at the club are pretty pumped and we have a couple of new kids wanting to sail just to be in the fun. I might have to wait till Barb gets back .

It was the "Great Greased Watermelon Grab," and they used vegetable oil.

Thanks Mary I'll give it a try.
regards

I hope it doesn't give anybody ideas about putting vegetable oil on their boat hulls.

Thank's Barb Short your a marvel, the juniors did the melon race on Saturday, my jaw still aches from laughing. We had four cats and two 420's compete In 4 knots of wind I used round pie melons, didn't grease them and just threw them off the back of the rescue boat while I went along and let them all at it to get as many as they could. Not one collision and the sailing skills were fantastic, some jumped off their boats and swam for the melon making the skipper pick them up, one little girl's 420 was going too fast she got a good hold of the melon but got pulled of the boat head first and she came up still holding the melon. My 9yo son Eoin skippering for the first time solo, jumped off his Arafura cadet to swim for a melon only to have to swim hard to catch his cat. They all elected not to race just played the melon game for 90 minutes entertaining the people on the beach.

sounds great!

Sounds hilarious. Send us pictures. rick@catsailor.com

Your wish is my command I've sent you full size photos Mary here's some of my favorites