Somerset —

FYI: 1,651. That’s the number to beat if you want to string a bunch of watercraft together to set a world record. Organizers of the Lake Cumberland Raft-Up 2010 were successful Saturday in their goal of making history by gathering the most boats in place tied together in one continuous structure. “I think this is fantastic for the lake,” said J.D. Hamilton, owner of Lee’s Ford Marina and current president of the Lake Cumberland Association. “It shows that we’re working together, shows that there’s fun on the lake and excitement, and it helps get our brand name out there.” The event took place near Conley Bottom Marina in Wayne County, at an area known as Tate Landing. Many folks parked their vehicles at Conley Bottom and then ripped across the waters over to the spot where the action was happening. There had to be one person on each boat, each vessel had to be connected to another by ropes, cords, or cables, and the structure had to stand like that for at least a minute. Representatives from the prestigious Guinness Book of World Records were on hand to monitor the event and determine whether or not the record had indeed been set. As the evening sun creeped around the horizon and Guinness adjudicator Mike Janela had taken to both helicopter and boat to scan the crowded surface of the lake, the word came in: 1,651 was the official number. That beats 1,454, set in 2004 on Lake Norman in North Carolina. That same lake was where the record was first documented in 1998, and five more times after that. However, the Lake Cumberland Association set out to make a name for the local body of water by claiming the record for themselves. With only about 90 days to put the event together, lake marina owners and other involved parties got the word out quickly. Oh, did the people come. Boaters boated, swimmers swam, heads bobbed out of the surface of the water everywhere one looked. One big mass of boats was parked in front of a stage, where a live band entertained those both in their watercraft and in the lake, creating a one-of-a-kind party atmosphere. “It took Lake Norman four years; we did it in 90 days,” quipped Hamilton. “Awesome.” It’s a needed jolt of positive publicity for Lake Cumberland. Tourist traffic has waned since the U.S. Corps of Engineers decided to lower the lake level to ease pressure on an ailing Wolf Creek Dam. Local marinas and tourism agencies have tried hard to let individuals in other places know that there’s still plenty of lake to enjoy, and organizers hoped this world record-setting event would go a long way toward accomplishing that purpose. “I love it to death,” said Patricia Hicks, a local lake fan, of the Raft-Up. “It’s great to see the area being shown for as awesome as it is. This lake is wonderful and a lot of people don’t realize how great it is. It being lowered is kind of a nuisance if you’re already used to it, but if you haven’t been here, you’re not going to notice the difference.” The “Ohio Navy,” that annual migration of northern lakegoers who pledge allegiance to the lake, were also out in full force and helping empower the cause of Lake Cumberland. “It’s absolutely awesome to see this kind of turn-out,” said Andrea Burns, of West Chester, Ohio, shortly before the results were announced. “This is beautiful. To be participating in it is wonderful.” “I’m having a great time,” added Monroe, Ohio resident Dave Hill. “I came down with some friends and I’m loving it. My dad used to own a house here about 20 years ago, and he sold it. This is my first time back since.” Hamilton noted that Lake Cumberland is the fourth-most visited lake in the United States and has a proud history befitting a world record such as this. Hamilton hopes this can become an annual signature event, and one of many for the lake and those that make their living off of it. “I’m just really proud of all the Lake Cumberland Association members; they all worked super hard,” he said. “All the (nine) marinas worked together; that’s the key. We just need to come up with more events and more things to do. It will be great for the economy, great for tourism, great for the whole region.”