RI Yacht Club 2026 Cardboard Boat Regatta

Proud Sponsor of the 1st Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta 2026

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 

RULES & REGULATIONS

Participants must be at least 9 years old to set sail alone.

Launching the boat must be done only by the participants. Participants may have help carrying the boat to the launch area 

When the boat is being launched, only participants and event staff are allowed in the launch area. 

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
Open end hollow cardboard tubes equal or smaller than 3” outside diameter for structural integrity.  
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, plastic, or wood allowed in building your boat! 
No cardboard tubes for ballast or flotation. .
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.  Will we have a dumpster?

RACE EVENTS (Examples, based on entrance applications)

YOUTH REGATTA - ALL crew members must be at or under 18 years old in this calendar year.
ADULT  REGATTA - ALL crew members must be over 18 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! 
Different regattas for organizations, sponsored boast, etc. 
Winners will be announced in each of the divisions

Examples of Special Awards: Best Spirit; Titanic Sinking; People's Choice; Most Creative; Commander's Choice and Best Costumed Individual

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!

TIPS WHEN BUILDING

Many YouTube videos on How to Build a Cardboard 

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.

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!

More info and Tips

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.

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? 

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.

Most of all, Have Fun!