2008 Dates: Saturday 12/6

Port Isabel 22^st Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade

2008 Entry Form and Information~ New Categories • Parade Route • Info Saturday, December 1, 2007~ Wrap Up!             The PORT ISABEL 21st ANNUAL CHRISTMAS LIGHTED BOAT PARADE was held on Saturday, December  1st beginning at the Port Isabel City Docks, Port Isabel, Texas, at 6:00 p.m.  and continued to the allternate judging site at Pirates Landing where large power boats and sailboats with a draft deeper than the finger’s channel were judged. Judging at the Pirates Landing location will take place at 6:30 p.m. The event was hosted by the PORT ISABEL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.  Designated viewing locations throughout the route will offer public viewing offered a front row seat to this tradition on the Laguna Madre. Winners are listed below. Best overall went to Sean Donnelly aboard the Stayin' Alive. Service Award went to Rick Ekstrom and TowBoat US. *AWARDS* Trophies & prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners in the following six (6) categories. A prize for Best Overall & Service Award will also be awarded. Commercial Boats                                    Small Power Boats 18 feet & under  Medium Power 19 to 29 feet                  Large Power 30 feet & over Sailboats 26 feet and over                      Sailboats 25 feet and under         *JUDGING* Vessels will be judged based upon the following criteria: 1. First impression~ 2. Theme~ 3. Special Effects~ 4. Amount of Lights~ 5. Animated Characters *RULES & INFORMATION* 1.  A MUST ATTEND MEETING PRIOR TO THE EVENT OF ALL BOAT CAPTAINS OR THEIR DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE HELD AT THE WHITE SANDS DOCKS AT 4:00 P.M. BOAT NUMBERS & LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE GIVEN OUT.  Boats will then rendezvous at the Port Isabel City Docks & Surrounding Areas by 5:30 p.m. Large power and sailboats will be judged at Pirate’s Landing, if necessary, due to shallow waters and must be in front of the pier by 6:30 pm. 2.  Participants must stay in assigned order during judging. 3.  All boats equipped with VHF radios must monitor Channel 68 for instructions. 4.  All boats must maintain proper spacing for safety. 5.  Small, low-powered boats must give way in restricted channels. 6.  Each boat entry will receive 2 tickets for the Sunday awards ceremony.  Additional tickets at $5.00 each. For additional information, please call the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce at (956) 943-2262 OR 800-527-6102. Trophies will be awarded at the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony on Sunday, December 2, 2007 from 6 to 8 p.m. at White Sands Restaurant
Thanks to our fine sponsors and the following businesses and individuals who donated prizes: Seabreeze Beach Resort Ramada Limited Travel Lodge White Sands Motor Lodge Super 8 Motel Casa Rosa La Quinta Southwind Inn Comfort Suites Manuel's Restaurant Pelican Station Restaurant La Jaiba Restaurant Sandi's Café & Coffee Shop Lost Galleon Restaurant Dorado's Restaurant Benny's By the Bay Cece's Restaurant Pirate's Landing Restaurant Zeste Ted's Restaurant Sheraton Alex Avalos Printing Bob Patterson Marcello's Restaurant Blue Marlin Supermarket BayMaster Boats Lavina's Natural Nail Care David Gower Coleman Hall & Heinze Insurance First National Bank of Edinburg American Diving Boater's World GMAC Coastal Real Estate Ron Hoover RV & Marine BayMaster Boats Osprey Capt. Murphy's Passions Towboat U.S. Southern Wave White Lumber & Supply Quik Stop Radio Shack B & A Seafood Budget Host Flamingo Motel Port Isabel/South Padre Press South Padre Parade Wells Fargo Bank Commercial- 1st place American Diving / Double Sunshine Commercial- 2nd place John Ferrone / Southern Wave Commercial- 3rd place Breakaway Cruises / Xcape Power Boats (30' +)- 1st Place & Best Overall Sean Donnelly / Stayin' Alive Power Boats (30' +)- 2nd Place Richard Nunez/Deposition Power Boats (19 - 29' +)- 1st Place Jim & Joan Bathurst/Wild Blue Power Boats (19 - 29' +)- 2nd Place Mike Gower/Barbara Jane Sailboat (26' +)- 1st Place Jim White/Olivia Service Award Rick Ekstrom/TowBoat US
2007 LIGHTED BOAT PARADE WINNERS! (pictured here)
COMMERCIAL BOATS POWER BOATS 30 feet and over POWER BOATS 19' - 29' feet SAILBOAT 26' feet & over SERVICE AWARD BEST OVERALL		1st Place - American Diving/Double Sunshine 2nd Place - John Ferrone/Southern Wave 3rd Place - Breakaway Cruises/Xcape 1st Place - Sean Donnelly/Stayin' Alive 2nd Place - Richard Nunez/Deposition 3rd Place - United States Coast Guard 1st Place - Jim & Joan Bathurst/Wild Blue 2nd Place - Mike Gower/Barbara Jane 1st Place - Jim White/Olivia Rick Ekstrom/TowBoat US Sean Donnelly/Stayin' Alive

LIGHTED BOAT PARADE LINKS: <Parade Info l Entry Form l Decorating Info l Parade Route>
2007 Lighted Boat Parade Sponsored in part by the:
Port Isabel / South Padre Press & Parade • David Gower & Coastal Properties GMAC Real Estate
Awards Ceremony & Judging Venue courtesy of White Sands Restaurant & Pirate's Landing Fishing Pier*
(no spectator admission charge to Pirate's Landing Fishing Pier during the Lighted Boat Parade)
Towing courtesy of TowBoat U.S.
Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce • 421 E. Queen Isabella Blvd. • Port Isabel, Tx 78578 956/943-2262
Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce • e-Mail: director@portisabel.org