Chicago Scenic Creates Award-Winning Parade Design
Chicago Scenic was contacted by Chris Mitchell of the Chicago Yacht Club to decorate a 68-foot sailboat titled the Viking IV, loaned to the Yacht Club by Fritz Duda, for the annual Venetian Night Boat parade held in Chicago. The theme of this year’s parade was “Tales of the Sea.” CSSI Designer Robert Kovach was charged with creating an award-winning design for the boat and Project Manager Rick Boultinghouse and Job Lead Nick Levinsky were charged with the completion.

Kovach borrowed the concept from the story Mutiny on the Bounty and transformed the Viking IV into the island of Pitcairn. With the help of nearly 40 members of the Chicago Yacht Club's youth sailing program who provided labor, the CSSI crew completely transformed the boat for the parade using custom decorations and lights.

The decorations included four steel armatures which formed giant palm trees suspended from the boat’s 100-foot mast when hoisted. The tallest of them measured 30-feet in diameter and 65-feet high. CSSI also provided plywood cutout waves that were attached to the sides of the boat creating the look of a floating island. To finish the look, all the decorations were outlined in rope lights.

The decorations were well received and won first in its class.

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