Sail Away in a Cardboard Boat

By: Matthew Sprouse, Senior Aquatics Specialist at Campus Hills Pool

Once a year at Campus Hills Pool, Durham Parks and Recreation puts on a unique and challenging event for those willing to take on a challenge of craftsmanship and creativity. The Cardboard Boat Race has participants construct a boat of only two supplies: cardboard and duct tape and then see how far across the twenty-five yard pool a boat can last. Two participants between the ages of 6 and 15 are given canoe paddles to power their boat across the pool. Awards are given out for the event for the boat that makes it across the quickest with the participants still above the water. Prizes are also given out for the most creatively-designed boat, the pair that shows the best teamwork, and even an award for the boat that sinks the quickest after being pushed off (the Titanic award).

This year, the event will be held at Campus Hills Pool from 3pm-5pm on Saturday, November 17. Only one participant needs to register for the two-person boat team. Any questions can be sent to matthew.sprouse@durhamnc.gov. Check out a complete list of rules for the competition below.

This event encourages youth and young adults to think outside the box and combine knowledge of flotation and hydrodynamic principles with a creative flair to make their boat stand out. All participants are given a set of rules to follow when building and decorating their boat. All construction happens at home in living rooms, garages, driveways, and backyards. All supplies must be procured by the builders. On the day of the event, the boats are all brought to Campus Hills Pool, where they are inspected and judged by members of the local US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla. While boats are being assessed, participants have the opportunity to play games, create decorations for themselves and their boats, and pose for pictures.

Before the event, all participants attend a safety demonstration on how to stay safe around water when boating as well as how to choose a proper Personal Flotation Device (PFD). The boats are brought into the pool area and assigned a team to compete with. With judges, timers, and lifeguards in position, the boats go head-to-head to see which one can paddle the hardest across Campus Hills Pool with the goal of reaching the other side. Some boats make it…but others do not. Some people have taken part in this event for several years and have learned from past designs to build a boat that can stay on top of the water and make it across the pool (and some have even made it back across again!) After the races, participants can stay and play pool games as well as test out some kayaks in the controlled pool environment while the judges tally the results. At the end, participants receive awards for their accomplishments!

If you think you’re up to the challenge of building a boat that can stand the test of Campus Hills Pool, grab a friend, find some cardboard and duct tape, and get to building! To officially register, visit our website.

CARDBOARD BOAT CONSTRUCTION RULES

• Design and construct a boat that is capable of carrying two team members (Captain and First Mate) in a race across the length of the swimming pool (25 yards) starting in 7ft of water and ending in 3½ feet. 
• Each participant will be provided with a life jacket. It must be properly fastened and worn at all times while in the pool. 
• Each participant will be provided with a standard canoe or kayak paddle. Using arms or legs to move the boat forward is not allowed. Only paddles may be used to power the boat. 
• All boats must be made entirely of cardboard and duct tape. The entire hull, super structure and seating must be made of cardboard. 
• Maximum length of each boat is 9 feet. Maximum width of each boat is 6 feet. Maximum height of each boat is 5 feet. 
• The hull cannot be wrapped in plastic, duct tape, shrink wrap, or other water resistant materials or painted. None of these materials may be put between layers of cardboard. 
• The top of the boat may be decorated with water-proof paint. Please do not use crepe paper to decorate your boat – the dye will run when it gets wet. 
• Only seams, beams and joints may be taped. You CANNOT wrap the entire boat in duct tape. 
• The maximum width of the duct tape in any one spot cannot exceed 4 inches. Tape may be layered. 
• The boat enclosure must not extend above the shoulders of the occupants. For safety reasons, each person must be visible while the boat is in the water. 
• Swimming or paddling on a surfboard made of cardboard is not an option. 
• Boats must be free of sharp edges, pointy objects or anything else that could be a hazard to other contestants. 
• Bumping, jostling or otherwise attacking other boats is prohibited. You are to avoid other boats whenever possible. 
• While competing in the race, both the Captain and the First Mate must have their legs in the boat from start to finish. 
• All boats will be inspected for compliance with these rules. If you are found to be in violation of these rules, your team will be disqualified and ineligible for prizes. 

Have any questions, comments or concerns? Please contact Matthew Sprouse, Senior Aquatics Specialist at Campus Hills Pool, by email at Matthew.Sprouse@DurhamNC.gov or phone at (919) 560-4444 ext. 27253.