Cardboard Boat Regatta Saturday Fun For All!

Be the captain of your very own boat! DeKalb Park District’s Cardboard Boat Regatta is this coming Saturday, July 29, 2017 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Construct your boat from cardboard and duct tape and compete against others. Gather your materials, assemble your team and start building your boat. Prior to the races, boats will be judged and awards will be given for Innovative Construction, Team Spirit, Original Design, and Most Humorous. There will also be a Titanic Award for the most spectacular sinking.

The Regatta is for ages 8 and up (under 13 must be accompanied by an adult). Fee is $10 residents /$15 non-residents – pool admission for the day is included. Register online here.

The Cardboard Boat Regatta will be as fun to watch as it is to participate, don’t miss it! See complete list of rules below. For more information and to see all the DeKalb Park District has to offer, visit their website. 

Cardboard Boat Regatta Rules:

1. All boat passengers must register and turn in a safety waiver on or before race day.

2. The entire hull, superstructure and seating of all boats must be made entirely of corrugated cardboard. Only corrugated cardboard is allowed. Any thickness is permitted. If it’s not corrugated, don’t use it! This includes carpet tubes, paper towel rolls, or barrels.

3. Any form of paddle is permitted: one paddle per person per boat.

4. The hull may not be wrapped in plastic, duct tape, shrink wrap or anything else.

5. Only seams and joints may be taped, not the whole boat.

6. The only adhesives that can be used are duct tape or rubber cement. Colored duct tape is allowed if the tape was originally manufactured in color.

7. Your boat must be free of sharp edges, pointy objects or anything else that could cause injuries.

8. The boat’s passenger area must not be permanently enclosed above the occupants’ shoulders. Each person must be visible while the boat is in the water.

9. Absolutely NO use of the following items: Tar-based substances, two-part varnishes, fiberglass resin, epoxy glue, any other two-part substances, or corrugated cardboard that’s bonded to any material.

10. To qualify as a finisher in any heat, the captain and co-captains must be IN the boat, not towing it in their teeth or between their legs.

11. No more than three people are allowed to pilot a boat although building the boats can be a larger team activity.

12. Children under age 8 must have an adult in the boat with them.

13. All boat occupants under age 8 must wear a properly fastened Coast Guard approved life jacket while in the boat. Lifejackets are available on site.

14. Boats may not exceed 8 feet in length or 4 feet in width.

15. Boats with the fastest times in the preliminary heats will advance to the semi-finals. The fastest semi-finalists will advance to the finals.

16. If you don’t want to take your boat home after the race, you MUST put it in one of the trash cans. DO NOT leave it on the pool deck.

17. All boats are subject to a technical inspection for compliance with these rules. A boat must pass inspection to be eligible to enter the water. You will have a chance to fix a violation and be re-inspected prior to the race.

18. For decorating your boat, you are able to have additional pieces that hang off the side of the boat, but the decorations must not affect the hull of the boat.

Award Categories:
First, Second & Third Place — Fastest boats
Pride of the Pool — Most innovative construction
Team Spirit — Best dressed boat passengers – get creative!
Jewel of the Fleet – Most eye-catching, spectacular boat
Titanic Award — Most spectacular sinking