Its launch may have come a little later than planned — but it was all par for the course at the Non-Mariners Race.Revellers for the annual non-event, which yesterday marked its 40th anniversary, flocked to Mangrove Bay in boats, rubber rings and dinghies. Onshore, entrants were still assembling their non-craft, past its official start of 11.58am and 27 seconds.“Non-mariners never do anything on time,” explained Non-Commodore Brad Woodings, enjoying his 12th year in charge of the organised mayhem from an office in Sandys Boat Club.In the end, ten racers set off a little after 3.30pm. In the run-up, they lined the beach, hammering and knotting their boats together — all in keeping with the spirit of a race that started with a boat made from buggy salvaged from Pembroke Dump.A colourful interpretation of a KFC bucket was under inspection, by a man who said he preferred not to be named.“I wouldn't want the union to come after me,” he added. The craft's theme riffed on the KFC boycott by the Bermuda Industrial Union earlier this summer.“It's all recycled, reused material anything that floats and the idea is to sink as soon as possible.”Judges must have approved: 'Non-KFC Boycutt', crewed by Teachers Rugby, took first, and the Bermuda Sailors Home received a cash prize in their name.Second went to 'Non-Sastainable Fishing' with mariners Richard and Maureen nominating the Sea Cadets as their charity.Political themes are common in the Non-Mariners Race. Just down from the KFC boat, a raft complete with boxing ring was assembled by a group called Non-Olympic Parliamentary Boxing“Some people spend ages preparing for Non-Mariners,” crew member Adrian Kawaley-Lathan told The Royal Gazette. “We are not one of those.”The original idea had been a “beer ambulance”, he added. “But apparently that's being done by some other group.”Instead, the team opted to recreate the much-reported Parliamentary scuffle between MPs Derrick Burgess and Michael Scott — and took third place, for the charity Meals on Wheels.Further up the beach, Border Patrol was being assembled from Corona barrels. Owen Chisnall said he and his friends had simply dropped off barrels and wooden pallets from a boat and dragged them ashore.Nearby, a man identifying himself as Withnail Punch prepared to set off in a 45-gallon trash container.Asked if he planned to race in it, he said: “We're going to try to. How far we'll make it is up for grabs. It keeps imploding, which I'm sure is very bad in mariner terms.”In fact, the bin later made it around the course — and even took a prize for effort: a case of beer.Organisers said the crowd appeared to beat last year's turnout of roughly 220 craft. As well as water sports, the Non-Mariners Race had the Non-Calypso Pipe Band, a noodle race for the amateurs, flyover by “Non-Penguins”, and a ceremonial non-raising of the colours.“We've done this for 20 years,” said non-racer Ted Gosling, “and each year we get closer to perfection.”Mr Gosling noted a good local turnout as well, adding with a laugh: “A lot of expatriates are gone.”At $25 a go, entries went to the Salvation Army and the Eliza DoLittle Society.Visitors from New York, the Haimo family, observed events keenly from the shoreline. Monica Haimo said it had been recommended as “a fun tradition that will make us laugh”.“I guess winning is overrated, right?” said Stephen Haimo, as craft were readied for the roughly 600-yard race around a buoy and back.As the KFC bucket motto said: “United we float — in pieces we sink.”