10th Annual Cardboard Boat Race

Join a group of intrepid mariners on the Chester River for the 10th annual Cardboard Boat Regatta on September 24, 2016. Compete for over $650 in prizes!

Participants (at least 2 people on a team, with a max of 6 people on a team) design and build a human-powered boat made of corrugated cardboard which is capable of completing a trip around a 300-meter course. All participants must be a resident of Kent or Queen Anne’s counties (at least 12 years of age) or a student, faculty, staff, or alumni member of the Washington College community. Friends and family are invited to cheer on their favorite teams. The race starts along the Chester River at the Lelia Hynson Pavilion on September 24, 2016 at 3:00 PM.

Registration Fee $15 – All pre-registered Captains and their boats must check-in at the Center for Environment & Society Table at 12:30 PM. Late registrants will not be eligible for the People’s Choice Award and may not be allowed to race. Entry fee is $15 and must be submitted in advance. There will be no walk ins on the day of the event.

Boat Building Rules

The first ingredient in cardboard boat-building is creativity. The second important ingredient is problem-solving. Then there is cardboard, which must be corrugated. There is no one way to build a cardboard boat. There are some requirements about the use of certain substances and materials for boat construction. But other than those, people are encouraged to have fun.

Approved Construction Materials

• Corrugated cardboard
• tape
• water-soluble caulk or silicon sealant
• water-based wood glue
• water-soluble outdoor latex-based primer/paint

No foam, no plastic, and no wood allowed in building your boat! You may not wrap the hull in tape, plastic, shrink wrap or any other material. There are no restrictions placed on decorative materials as long as they do not aid in the flotation or propulsion of the boat and do not create a safety hazard. Stay away from stuff that is toxic, either for you or for the environment. Boats will be subject to a technical inspection before the race and must adhere to these guidelines. Any boat not following these guidelines will be disqualified. Exception: you may use wooden paddles or you may use wood to make paddles or oars.

Race Day Rules

Each boat must have a Captain and at least one crew member. That means a minimum of 2 people per boat, but the Captain may have up to 5 crew members (for a total of 6 people per boat). Captains must have their boats on the premises and check-in at the Pavilion at 11 AM. The official race start is 3:00 PM. There will be a captains meeting at 2:45 and a parade of boats to the starting line. All regatta participants agree to abide by Washington College waterfront policies, safety precautions, and other rules that govern this event. No pushing, no punting, no poling. Judges make the final decisions on all awards.