Events
Cardboard Boat Regatta - 1st Annual RI Yacht Club 150th Celebration
Place
Rhode Island Yacht Club
Cranston, RI US 02905
Description
1st annual Rhode Island Yacht Club Cardboard Boat Regatta will be open to the public and held at the RIYC facilities on Ocean Avenue, Edgewood, RI on August 16, 2025.
Join us as we celebrate a day of creativity, competition, and free family fun. Starting at 1pm, we will kick off a series of heats testing the engineering, ingenuity, determination, and artistry of our participants.
Launching from Stillhouse Cove, each hand made cardboard boat must hold at least two crew members, who will hopefully paddle their ship out and around a buoy and back to the beach. Boats will compete in a series of heats in competitive categories.
We expect to see the spirited competitors from Local Universities, Private and Public High Schools, Civic Organizations, and the local Restaurant and Hospitality merchants.
This will obviously be a spectacle long remembered and not to be missed.
Food, Beverages and RIYC Cardboard Boat Regatta Merchandise will be available for purchase during the event.
RIYC, is also looking for corporate sponsors to promote and to help with the cost of hosting this exciting community event.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Proud Sponsor of the 1st Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta
3 Levels of Corporate Participation
1. Gold Title Sponsor - $1000
Exclusive Category Sponsor
Company Logo on all Marketing Material
Company Logo on Participant T-shirts
Company Logo on CBR / RIYC Website
Company Logo on Signage at RIYC during the event
Corporate Table on day of event
Winning Boat Presenter
2. Silver Sponsor - $500
Company Logo on all Marketing Material including
Company Logo on Participant T-shirts
Company Logo on CBR / RIYC Website
Company Logo on Signage at RIYC during the event
Corporate Table on day of event
3. Bronze Sponsor - $250
Company Logo on all Marketing Material including
Company Logo on CBR / RIYC Website
Signage at RIYC during the event
RIYC 2025 CARDBOARD BOAT RULES AND REGULATIONS
CARDBOARD BOAT RULES AND REGULATIONS
RACE DIVISIONS (TBD based on entrance applications)
● YOUTH REGATTA - ALL crew members must be 16 years old or younger in this
calendar year.
● ADULT REGATTA - ALL crew members must be over 17 years old in this
calendar year.
● COMBO REGATTA - Any combination of ages on board
● OUTLAW RACE - If you are still afloat here's a second chance to race again and
go for the gold! (no need to register online)
● Different regattas for organizations, sponsored boats, others.
1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners will be announced in each of the divisions
Special Awards will be given out to: Best Spirit; Titanic Sinking; People's Choice; Most
Creative; Commodore's Choice and Best Costumed Individual
TIPS WHEN BUILDING
Building a person-powered cardboard boat, capable of completing a trip around a
300-meter course, is a lot of fun. First, start with some objective in mind. Do you want to
build the fastest boat at the regatta, or are you more interested in one of the awards for
best theme or best team spirit?
Try building a model first. Scale down your design and cut its “flat-pattern” shape out of
a manila folder. Use stones or small weights to test the buoyancy. Tape together and
seal it from the water using scotch tape. This could give you an idea if the boat will float
the way you want.
Layer cardboard. This will give you additional strength. Layer the cardboard with the
corrugations going in different directions. This will make for a stronger laminate. You can
have strength and still keep your boat light if you place the second layer so that the
corrugations run at a 90-degree angle to the first layer.
ITEMS NEEDED AND RECOMMENDED FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUILD
● Undamaged cardboard. If you break it, crush it or cut through it, the cardboard
may fail while in use. No-brainer: Don’t step on it.
● A paint roller. This will help to spread the glue over large surfaces and remove
excess glue. Too much glue is not good for you!
● Clamps and weights. These will help press the glue joints and layers together. Be
sure to use a large flat surface in between the clamp or weight and cardboard.
This will protect the cardboard corrugations from damage.
● Remember to seal the ends of the cardboard with caulk or silicone, or you’ll have
great fun watching the water draw up into the corrugations just like in a drinking
straw.
● Paper tape/Reinforced paper tape. Paper tape helps join the pieces of cardboard
and also works well over caulked edges and seams. This won’t shrink like duct
tape when you paint it!
Fold your cardboard. To fold cardboard across the corrugations, consider scoring the
line of the fold with the butt end of your utility knife or other rounded edge of a tool.
Building location is important. Try to build the raft in a warm, dry, low humidity location.
This will speed up the glue drying process. Be sure your boat will be able to get out the
door of wherever you build it!
Channel your inner Van Gogh. Remember to decorate your boat (highly rewarded by the
judges on race day) and bring your own wooden paddles or oars.
More info and Tips
Here’s the basic number: a cubic foot of water weighs about 62 pounds. That means
that a 180-pound person will float in a boat that is 1 foot by 1 foot by 3 feet. Sounds
uncomfortable, but at least you would know how much boat you and your crew will need
at a bare minimum to displace enough water to stay afloat, without taking into account
things like splashing or wobbling. Last minute modifications and frantic problem solving,
however, are often required. Creative problem-solving adds to the fun. Whether you get
your insights from methodical effort or from wide-ranging trial-and-error, building a
cardboard boat can be very rewarding.
You might obtain corrugated cardboard from appliance stores. The shipping boxes for
refrigerators and big freezers can be good possibilities. Maybe you can get boxes for
TVs, bedding, bookcases, or other furniture.
Participants must be at least 7 years old to set sail alone.
Boat propulsion must be human powered by paddle or oar, not kayak dual paddles. Boat
propellers are not allowed. The number of paddles or oars on the boat are unrestricted.
All sailors MUST wear Coast-Guard approved personal floatation devices. PLEASE
PROVIDE YOUR OWN!
The crew must remain in the boat to propel the boat. Must finish with the same crew in
the boat that started the race.
The “cabin” of the boat (where the crew sits) may not be enclosed above shoulder
height.
Any boat deemed unsafe to others or to the waterway will be disqualified.
All materials to assemble the boat must be water based and dry before launching.
Acceptable:
● water-soluble caulk or silicone sealant
● water-based wood glue
● water-soluble outdoor latex-based primer/paint
● Corrugated cardboard
● Duct Tape for seams only. Cannot cover the water surface with duct tape..
Not acceptable:
● No Sharp objects in or on the boat.
● No foam, no plastic, and no wood allowed in building your boat!
● No reinforced cardboard tubes.
● You may not wrap the hull in tape, plastic, shrink wrap or any other
material.
● Anything toxic to the participants or the waterway.
Exception: you may use wooden paddles or you may use wood to make paddles
or oars.
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.
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.
Registration release forms must be signed by participant, parent, or legal guardian over
the age of 18.
***Boats, boat parts, and debris must be completely removed from the waterway and
event area.
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
