(First and third photos) Students show off their ingenuity in 2024 as they set off on the racecourse. (Second photo) A 1989 team chooses a tropical theme. (Fourth photo) Sinking, like this 2024 entry, is part of the fun. (Fifth photo) The late Richard Archer, who conceived the cardboard boat race in 1974, works at a 1993 competition. (2024 photos by Yenitza Melgoza and SIU Carbondale file photos)
April 01, 2025
Join the fun at SIU’s 50th Great Cardboard Boat Regatta on April 26
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Which of the unique and unlikely watercraft will cross the finish line first at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Campus Lake on April 26?
Will it be a giant cardboard slice of pepperoni pizza, a floating Corvette, a shark with mouth agape, a purple monster, a colorful dragon, baby grand piano or a mystery boat? The only way to find out is to come join the fun as a contestant or an observer for SIU’s 50th Great Cardboard Boat Regatta, which begins at 1 p.m.
“Thousands of people from around the world have enjoyed the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta during the last half-century, and we’re really excited to be celebrating our 50th regatta this year,” said Mary Kinsel, director of the Mass Spectrometry Facility, associate scientist for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and regatta organizer. “Whether they are building boats and trying to navigate them around the course without sinking or watching from the shore, it’s such a fun event for people of all ages. And the excitement goes on, rain or shine!”
The Great Cardboard Boat Regatta has been replicated at thousands of universities and communities, but this worldwide phenomenon all began at SIU.
Historic year
It’s unlikely an SIU Carbondale professor and his students could have imagined that a little class project in 1974 would grow as it did and still be going strong at SIU in 2025, but that’s the case and as SIU celebrates the 50th regatta (2020 and 2021 were skipped). Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center and the SIU Alumni Association are joining forces this year with Alpha Chi Sigma and Recreational Sports and Services to assure a fantastic 50th event, Kinsel said.
To celebrate, a special edition lapel pin has been created featuring a “Viking” watercraft with a Saluki figurehead and it will be available for purchase at the regatta. There will also be commemorative T-shirts, posters and magnets, and work is underway on a magnificent coffee table book, filled with photos and memories of 50 years of regattas, including this year’s event.
Plus, organizers have added a new competition category for teens.
All are welcome
Admission is free for the family friendly event, and viewers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Race participation is open to all, either as individuals or in groups of up to 10 people.
The goal is to put your creativity, ingenuity, problem-solving skills and imagination to the test by using sheets of corrugated cardboard to create a human-powered watercraft that will successfully complete a 300-yard long, U-shaped racecourse. Contestants can use glue, caulk, tape, staples or other similar materials to hold their watercraft together and can apply a one-part waterproofing product such as latex paint (no fiberglass or flex seal).
There are several racing categories:
- Class I – Boats powered by canoe paddles, oars or kayak paddles.
- Class II – Boats powered by paddle wheels, propellers, plungers or other novel forms of muscle-powered propulsion. No gas or electrical power is allowed.
- Class III – Instant boats created on the spot with provided materials and powered by paddles. Instant boat kits are available for $20 on a first-come, first-served basis and include a 7-foot-by-8-foot sheet of cardboard, a sheet of plastic, a box knife, a nail and a roll of duct tape – everything you need to create a last-minute watercraft.
- Class IV – Kids’ boats, built to any of the standards for the other classes but by youngsters under age 13 and competing on a shorter course.
- Class V – Teen boats for ages 13-17, competing on the full course.
Scouting organizations, schools, youth groups, families, work groups and a wide variety of other teams have gathered to build boats for regattas through the decades and will again this year. Numerous SIU student groups, including Alpha Chi Sigma, are building boats as are teams from high schools across the region.
Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in each division, based on time. Special awards include “the Titanic,” recognizing the most spectacular sinking, as well honors for the best use of cardboard, the best team boats, the best team spirit and people’s choice.
Sign up now to participate
There’s a discount for pre-registering, and organizers say it helps with event planning. Register online for Classes I, II, IV or V by noon April 18 and pay just $15. You can also register in advance by calling Events and Outreach at 618-536-7751 or emailing conferenceservices@siu.edu and submitting the completed registration form.
All contestants must submit complete risk waivers as well; parents or guardians must sign for participants under age 18. Each boat registered receives a commemorative T-shirt.
Participants can use their own cardboard or purchase 7-by-8-foot sheets for $4 each (boats typically take four or five pieces) in Room 110A in the Neckers Building at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Science on campus. Contact Kinsel at 618-453-6428 or mkinsel@siu.edu to arrange pickup or to purchase additional T-shirts for $15 each. A limited number of shirts will be available at the regatta.
If you’re a spur-of-the-moment type of person, no worries. Participants can still register from 10 a.m. until noon the day of the event for $20. Kinsel said some alumni have pledged to join the instant boat brigade this year.
Kayak paddles, oars and life jackets are furnished for all race participants. Boat inspections are from 10 a.m. to noon, and the racing begins at 1 p.m. at the Becker Pavilion and beach.
One class project to millions worldwide
Perhaps surprisingly, the first cardboard boats appeared on SIU’s Camps Lake in 1962, the brainchild of then design department chair Davis Pratt. But the feat went largely unnoticed. Then, in 1974, faculty member Richard Archer, unaware, conceived a cardboard boat race as a final exam for his freshman dimensional design class, proclaiming that creating a successful design would be a good assessment of what they had learned.
Nearly half of the boats sunk, but a tradition was born. By 1976, the race was open to anyone, including other universities. W. Larry Busch, the SIU art and design program emeritus acting chair/associate professor, has been to every regatta and helped coordinate it for many years with Larry “Skip” Briggs, the emeritus professor in SIU’s School of Art and Design who contributed much to the event before he passed away in 2018. Busch has countless memories of decades of regattas, “Titanic” sinkings and more that he loves to share.
The regatta has drawn national attention over the years, including CNN, Good Morning America (multiple appearances), Armed Forces Radio Network and countless other major media outlets, and entries have come from as far away as Paris and New Zealand. In 1998, the race drew a record crowd estimated at 20,000 as well as a record 206 entries.
Organizers note that SIU also has a full weekend of exciting activities this year, including the SIU Civil Service Council Spring Flea Market, Urinetown the Musical and the third annual Saluki Ball.
For additional information
For more details, including the complete rules, entry forms, updates and more, visit the regatta website or the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta Facebook page. Contact Kinsel at mkinsel@siu.edu or 618-453-6428.