ILWACO — Ilwaco high school students set sail on Black Lake earlier this month, testing their unique boats they designed and hand-built over the final weeks of school.

Officially recognized as Blasko’s 10th Annual Boat Launch, dozens of students from career and technical education teacher Stephen Blasko’s carpentry class “put their design and construction skills to the ultimate test” on Thursday, June 5, when they launched their hand-made boats for their maiden voyage on Black Lake, where all floated — some much longer than others.

Some of the boats, with names such as Rasta Raft, Moby Dihh, Fortnite, Black Hole, Lil Dip’s Dream Boat, The Blue Lagoon and The Baass Boat, were single occupancy, while others held as many as four, with varying degrees of stability and buoyancy.

Some of the wooden boats had functioning rudders and one was observed with hydrofoils. Another had hand-powered paddles (akin to a miniature steamer), however the paddles ended up causing more flooding than propelling, prompting one student to begin bailing water with their shoe.