Registration opens for 18th Lakeland Cardboard Boat Challenge & Lakeshore Festival

Sara-Megan Walsh, Lakeland Ledger
·2 min read
The 18th annual Lakeland Cardboard Boat Challenge sponsored by the Lakes Education/Action Drive will be held Oct. 14 at Lake Hollingsworth Board Ramp. This photo shows a team rounding a buoy on the course in October 2018 as another boat sinks.
The 18th annual Lakeland Cardboard Boat Challenge sponsored by the Lakes Education/Action Drive will be held Oct. 14 at Lake Hollingsworth Board Ramp. This photo shows a team rounding a buoy on the course in October 2018 as another boat sinks.

LAKELAND ― Building a basic boat might sound easy, but the task becomes difficult when it has to made out of corrugated cardboard.

Registration is open for Lakeland's 18th annual Cardboard Boat Challenge and Lakes Festival hosted by the city's Lakes Education Action Drive on Oct. 14 at the Lake Hollingsworth Boat Ramp.

The annual race aims to raise awareness of the city's water resources and how they need to be protected. It's done through friendly competition that encourages Lakeland residents to get out there and have some fun on the water, even if it might involve a few sinking boats.

When is it?

Date: Saturday, Oct. 14Time: 8 a.m. to noonWhere: Lake Hollingsworth Boat Ramp, 920 Lake Hollingsworth DriveCost: $35 to register a team, sponsorships start at $250 Day's Timeline:

  • On-site registration: 8 - 8:30 a.m.

  • Cardboard boat building: 8:30 - 10 a.m.

  • Pre-Built Registration: 9 - 9:30 a.m.

  • Races start: 10 a.m.

The challenge

The challenge is to build a boat out of cardboard and duct tape that two people will use to race around a course. The first to make it to the finish line, without sinking, are the winners.

Race categories

  • On-site build groups: Cardboard boats are put together the morning of the race within about 90 minutes. All supplies are provided.

  • Pre-Built Boats: Cardboard boats built out of corrugated cardboard prior to arriving at the event. Teams must provide their own environmentally friendly supplies including glue, caulk and paints must be dry before the start of the race. Anything not made of cardboard must be decorative only.

Team divisions

All teams can consist of a minimum of four, maximum of 10 people. The two who pilot the boat will determine the division:

  • Community/Corporate: Two adults age 18 or older pilot the boat

  • Youth: Elementary, Middle or High School age-children build and pilot the boat. An adult supervisor is needed to ensure safe handling of knives.

  • Family team: Must have at least one child between the ages of 5 and 18 paddling the boat, with an adult supervisor on the team to ensure safe handling of knives.

Thinking ahead

  • All boats must be named with a "Lakes" awareness theme and a short description to explain the name chosen to be announced prior to launch.

  • It's highly recommended teams take some time to plan out their build in advance of race day.

To register or learn more about the18th Lakeland Cardboard Boat Challenge and Lakes Festival visit lakeseducation.org.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Registration opens for Cardboard Boat Challenge & Lakeshore Festival