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This Is The Crazy Mad Max-esque Monstrosity That Won The People’s Choice Award At The Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

Meet The Widowmaker, the massive kinetic sculpture beast that took top bragging rights at Saturday’s Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby. Made by Frank’s Kitchens on behalf of Yards Brewing, this high-wheeling, water-squirting, post-apocalyptic pirate ship thingamazoid won the People’s Choice Award. (Our editor was also on the judge’s panel, and a good time was had by all, even Byko, who immediately started interviewing pretty women, like, as soon as he got there. It was for, er, a piece.) For their part, the Frank’s guys say they’re trying to make The Widowmaker’s next stop be at this year’s Burning Man, because of course they are. Congrats to all of this year’s winners, all of whom should be listed online soon.

[Photo courtesy: Frank's Kitchens]

This entry was posted on Monday, May 21st, 2012 at 7:10 am.

  • Guest

    That one was pretty impressive.  Especially to see it driving down Front St. after the derby taking up a lane and a half of space.

    Personally, I liked the truck which I thought was a gas powered truck the first time it came around since it had a truck’s drive train until I realized there were people pedaling.

  • Claude M. Schrader

    This was big, but technically, the PBC entry was way more impressive. They built their entry on a Chevy S10 frame, and had the pedals feeding a 5 speed manual transmssion. It was a whole new class of sculpture

  • David Parrott

    Pssh, the PBC entry is the exact same thing every year, same chevy s10 frame, they just slap a new top on it. Whereas this one was engineered and fabricated from scratch this year. Even the wheels were wound and built by hand. So no, the PBC entry was nowhere near as technically impressive. 

  • Ty

     Being the captain of the PBC crew, I will be the first to admit the Frank’s Kitchen entries are always a technical marvel.   If I am not mistaken this is their fifth new entry, one a year for the past five.  They build some truly awesome stuff.  It is also true that we use the same truck chassis every year, but this is only the second time we used the same propulsion system.

  • Tom Carr

    And from the helm of The Widow Maker, we enjoy
    and truly appreciate PBC’s entries every year.  As well as anyone else who picks up a wrench,
    a torch or a bouffant headpiece. I believe Ty and everyone who contributes to
    The Kensinger build time and time again would share in our belief that we do
    not create for competition – but to satisfy some sort of internal passion to
    make something and hopefully contribute to and inspire the neighborhood we
    love. Or maybe we just wanted to build something to easily take down tennis
    shoes from power lines. Congrats to everyone who got in the mud. And thanks for
    the nice words, Mr. Sweeney. 

  • Guest

    Windowmaker?!

  • Ty

     I could not agree more, another year, another great KKSD.  Thanks again to the people at the NKCDC and EKNA for making it all possible.