Lakeland Residents Challenged To Float Their Cardboard Boats

LAKELAND, FL — Using nothing but corrugated sheets of cardboard and some handy duct tape, Lakeland residents will put their boat-making skills to the test on Saturday when the city hosts its 18th annual Cardboard Boat Challenge and Lakes Festival.

The event is designed to raise awareness of the 38 lakes in the city of Lakeland and the 552 lakes in Polk County. It is hosted each year by the city and the nonprofit Lakes Education/Action Drive, a group dedicated to improving and preserving the natural beauty and quality of Polk County's lakes and waterways.

In addition to hosting the cardboard boat challenge, the Lakes Education/Action Drive organizes lake cleanups, workshops and conferences.

"They (Lakes Education/Action Drive) help to bring about awareness of our lakes and waterways which we all enjoy, and they help bring about environmental stewardship for the residents and visitors here in our community," said Sandra Pope, an environmental specialist for the Lakeland Lakes and Stormwater Division. "It's important that we learn how our activities can impact water quality in our lakes. There are simple steps that we can take in our routine, everyday lives that will help protect our natural resources."

This year's cardboard boat challenge and festival will take place at the Lake Hollingsworth Public Boat Ramp at 920 Lake Hollingsworth Drive.

The cardboard boat challenge is a team-building and family-friendly event in which residents are challenged to design, construct and race a boat made of cardboard around a marked course on Lake Hollingsworth.

"It's a way for our community to come out and celebrate our lakes and learn to become environmental stewards and protect our natural resources right here where we live and work and our kids go to school," Pope said. "We want to make sure our environment is clean so we can all enjoy doing those things."

Boat builders can participate in several categories including pre-built, on-site built, corporate, community, family and youth categories.

Registration for the on-site boat builders will take place from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and the boat builders will construct their crafts from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Registration for pre-built boats is from 9 to 9:30 a.m.

And the race will begin at 10 a.m.

Residents who participate each year say they enjoy the challenge of building the cardboard boards and the anticipation of seeing if they will actually float.

Each team must name their boat with a lakes awareness theme and provide an explanation for the team's choice of the name.

Once registered, it's simply a matter of building a boat float using only cardboard and duct tape (which are provided at the event for the on-site boat builders along with boat-building supplies including utility knives, yardsticks, pencils and markers. The on-site boat builders have only an hour and a half to build their boats using specifications provided by the organizers. Boats can be no larger than 4 meters long.

With two people required in each boat using two oars to propel it across the water, the boats take off as crowds on the shore cheer them on. The first boat to make it across the finish line without sinking is declared the winner, receiving first and second-place awards at the end of the event.

If there are multiple heats of team members racing the boat, there will be a final showdown for the Survivors Award.

There will also be a Titanic Award for the team that has the best-sinking boat and a People's Choice Award for pre-built boats based on creativity.

"It is super fun to watch these cardboard boats go around the course," said Pope, noting that the Lakeland Fire Department's marine unit will be on hand to help boaters whose creations sink rather than float. "It's just an awesome, fun time."

In addition to the race, there will be live music provided by the Sofa Kings who will perform on their party barge. There will be environmental exhibitors on hand offering children’s activities, information on ways to protect the county's lakes and other information on hand as well as food vendors.