Cardboard Duct Tape Boat Views

General Goods

What is the best design for a boat made of only cardboard and duct tape? The boat must hold three people, and be very inexpensive. Multiple designs would be accepted if you canu't determine which one would be best. The boat must be capable of being paddled around a pond, with several potential dunkings.

A typical competition format allows competitors a fixed build time, using only a predetermined number of corrugated fiberboard sheets, glue, adding machine tape, and paint. Duct tape is also often a key ingredient. Once completed, teams must race their boats across a shallow pond, river, or swimming pool using similarly constructed oars. The boats will almost always flood, sink, or shred under the weight, mostly due to the difficulties of waterproofing cardboard. Awards are often given out for effort and spirit, instead of victory.

Cardboard boat building and races are becoming more common place. Cardboard Boat races are now held in many areas including on the Atlantic Ocean. Each year since 2005, brave souls have gathered at Champney’s West Newfoundland to create and race their cardboard boat creations in the cold waters of Trinity Bay on the North Atlantic. Many unique vessels made from cardboard pasted together with duct tape and painted in all types of designs and colors, have been launched into the harbor. All the brave sailors made their runs attempting to paddle their creations about a quarter mile, out to a buoy marker and back to the beach, without getting wet. Some made it while other crews capsized, got dunked or flooded... much to the amusement of the crowd.

HINTS 1. While not as visually appealing, flat bottomed designs tend to be more stable than a canoe or deep V hull. 2. Practice entering and lauching (on dry land) since this is where most crews fall short. 3. The more waxy cardboard will last a lot better that pulpy dry absorbant cardboard. 4. Focus on getting plenty of duct tape on the seams and joints to keep water out. Once water gets in it's Titanic time. 5. Remember our comments about paddles. Many races have been lost by limp paddles. Some races will allow you to use your hands. I have seen some very innovative designs where arms and hands replacec paddles. 6. Have lots of fun. The reason for cardboard boat races is to have fun, so decorate your boat in humorous or thematic designs and wear wacky outfits.