Creative construction and several layers of paint helped dozens of soggy cardboard boats stay afloat on Tempe Town Lake Saturday.
The Rotary River Rally's Great Cardboard Boat Regatta, now in its fifth year, is the longest-running annual event at Tempe Town Lake, said Jim Lemmon, a member of the Rio Salado Rotary Club, which planned the event.
The nearly 80 boats had to be made completely out of corrugated cardboard, Lemmon said. The groups could add glue, caulk and paint to the design, but could not use fiberglass or plastic to waterproof the boats.
If groups wanted an extra challenge, they could create propulsion systems out of non-cardboard materials, Lemmon said. But, the additional materials could not add to the boat's structure or rigidity.
Constructing ships out of cardboard gives boat-makers the chance to practice creative problem solving, Lemmon said.
"It teaches kids to do things with simple materials," he said.
This year's rally will benefit Tempe's Thomas J. Pappas School for the Homeless. The Rotary Club hoped to raise $20,000 to help fund construction of a new campus for the school, Lemmon said.
"They need the help," he said. "It's a Tempe-based group. I can't think of a better group."
The proceeds from the event always are donated to children's charities, he added.
Boats competed in preliminary, semi-final and final rounds to determine the fastest cardboard vessel.
Judges also presented awards to the boats featuring the most creative design, prettiest or most spectacular decorations, the best-dressed team, the most spirited team and the most spectacular sinking, Lemmon said.
"Our Titanic Award is always popular," he added.
Although most boats were rather soggy when they came out of the water, several boat designers were pleasantly surprised their structures stayed afloat.
The ASU Rotaract Club, a college-level rotary group, spent more than a month working on its pirate-inspired boat, said Clare Richard, an elementary education freshman and Rotaract Club member.
"It was a lot harder than we thought it would be," Richard said.
Despite some worries the boat would sink, cardboard and six layers of paint made a remarkably solid pirate ship, she said.
The group had so much fun, they are planning to participate next year, Richard said.
"We're hoping to keep the same boat, just put a few more layers [of paint] on it," she said.
But the threat of sinking cardboard wasn't the only problem teams faced Saturday -- constant winds were also an ever-present concern.
Halfway through one heat, a strong breeze nearly tipped over a paddleboat entry from Mountain View High School in Mesa, sending one team member into the depths of Tempe Town Lake.
Despite the tipping mishap, the group had fun figuring out how to make the boat, said Mountain View senior Mike Costa.
"We weren't out there to win," Costa said. "We were just hoping it didn't sink."
Reach the reporter at amanda.keim@asu.edu.
