Great Cardboard Boat Regatta (SIU Carbondale)
BUILD a muscle-powered boat from corrugated cardboard and race it.
01 · How to take part
Your way in
Build a cardboard boat at home and register on race morning, or build an instant boat on site from a kit (first come, first served); paddles and life jackets are provided.
Build a cardboard boat and race it
Build a muscle-powered boat from corrugated cardboard (the hull must be cardboard; one-part waterproofing only), then register and pass inspection on race morning. Races run on a U-shaped course of about 300 yards; up to 10 people per boat.
Or build an instant boat on the day
Instant-boat kits (cardboard, a box knife and tape) are handed out at Campus Lake on a first-come, first-served basis; you get about two hours to build. Paddles and life jackets are provided.
- You build or use
- BUILD a muscle-powered boat from corrugated cardboard and race it
- Participation
- Build-compete (open)
- Entry and deadlines
- Register and pass the boat inspection on race morning (10am to noon in 2026); races start at 1pm; all crew wear life jackets
- Where
- Campus Lake, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, USA
02 · Dates
Dates and deadlines, Jan 2026 to Dec 2027
Usual timing: April (a Saturday). Dates are only shown where a source publishes them; everything else is marked TBC.
- 24 Apr 2027Great Cardboard Boat Regatta 2027, SIU CarbondaleSIU Touch of Nature official page: 24 Apr 2027; races begin at 1pm. · source
Already passed this season: 18 Apr 2026: Great Cardboard Boat Regatta 2026 (51st), SIU Carbondale.
03 · Skills you'll need
Skills you'll need
What to learn and practise before you go. Each resource is marked Official or Community-accepted and names its publisher. Difficulty and prep time are our estimate.
Cardboard boat building: hull shape, layered corrugated sheets, glued and taped seams
Also useful:
- Waterproofing with a one-part coating (no epoxy or fibreglass)
- Paddling as a crew and getting out safely if the boat sinks
Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures.
Refresher
- Everything structural must be corrugated cardboard, including the hull, superstructure and seats.
- Glue, caulk, tape and staples are allowed as secondary supplies; waterproof the hull with a one-part product only.
- Design for a quick exit: every crew member must be able to get out easily if the boat sinks.
- Boats are muscle-powered from inside the boat; no swimming or pushing from outside.
- The course is a U shape of about 300 yards: round each buoy on the outside.
- Life jackets and paddles are provided and must be worn and used; wear water shoes.
Practise before you go
- Build a small test hull from 2–3 sheets and float it in a pool or bath before the full build.
- Practise paddling in rhythm with your crew.
- If you can't build at home, plan on the instant-boat kit: about two hours to build on the day.
Safety notes
- Wear the life jacket provided at all times on the water.
- Design for an easy exit if the boat sinks.
- Knives and box cutters: cut away from yourself.
Resources
Great Cardboard Boat Regatta
Date, time and location of the next regatta.
Publisher: Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center)
The Great Cardboard Boat Regatta: information form and rules (2026)
Race rules, boat classes, instant-boat kits and building tips.
Publisher: Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center)
SIU's Great Cardboard Boat Regatta begins a new half-century of fun April 18
Who takes part and what to expect on the day.
Publisher: Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU News)
See also the skills guide: Human-powered craft → · All skills guides
04 · Check before you go
What we could and couldn't confirm
Before you book
- Rules and classes come from the 2026 information form; check the 2027 form before you build.
- Spectators are free.
- Costs are not listed on Nomad. Check them, and the latest dates, on the official site.
05 · Links
Official and source links
All links open in a new tab. Every fact on this page is logged in sources.md.
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