Building a race boat 
Supplies to build the cardboard boat:
- A sharp cutting tool
- Measuring tape
- A long straight edge
- Building / drywall square
- A marking pen or pencil
- Roll's of duct tape
- An old table or saw horses to place card board on while working.
- You may use any latex paint
Items you can use:
• Corrugated cardboard
- Standard cardboard boxes can be found
at grocery or appliance stores
• Cardboard “blocks”
- Can be found at furniture stores
• Cardboard tubes
- Can be found at flooring stores
• Fastening materials
- Duct or masking tape
Items you can not use:
Treated or coated, pasteboard, or chipboard
cardboard
• Wood, staples, clamps, or screws
• Styrofoam or foam core boards
• Plastic, plastic wrap, or tarps
• Metal, metal foil, or metal paint
• Fiberglass or any resins of any sort
• Silicon, epoxies, or caulking compounds
• Wax or tar
• 2-Part treatments, 2-Part paints, 2-part
adhesives
Cardboard Boat Design Suggestions
• Set the Design Goal: Fun, Speed and Appearance
• Sketch out your design
• estimate materials or plan how to use what you have
• plan out what construction techniques will be used
• 1’x1’x3’ box: will float 187 lbs.
– if it’ll hold you, it’s big enough to float
• Flat bottom, sit-to-paddle & canoe styles - are the best/easiest
• Rudders help keep you straight but make turning difficult and
adds complexity to your design.
• Long boats go fast - but are harder to turn
• Short boats (<8’) - are difficult to keep straight
• Best Length: 8-12 feet
• Best Height: 18 inches
– allows room to sit/kneel & still paddle over the edge
• Best Width:
– 18”- 30”(max) for 1 person
– 48” wide for 2 people side by side
• Kneeling is a “power” position but sitting is more comfortable
• Cover all edges of cardboard - acts like siphon
• Cardboard Tubes make great frames
– Cut for joining & bending
– Fasten tubes together
• Cardboard Hull
– 1-2 layers, fasten & cover the seams
• Reinforce the area where you sit, kneel or stand
John Dorn's Dragon
How to make a Jack Daniels boat.
