Tips and Techniques

Construction Materials Corrugated CardboardDuct Tape up to ½ in. thick any color combined ≤ 1 in. thick on seams only

How much will you sink?

Design Suggestions Sketch out your design Build a scale model from manila paper estimate materials or plan how to use what you have plan out what construction techniques will be used 1’ x 1’ x 3’ box will float 187 lbs. It it’ll hold you, it’s big enough to float. Flat bottom and sit-to-paddle boats are the easiest. If cardboard layers are combined they must be touching with NO AIR separating them Combine them so that one is at a 90° angle to the other.

Common Boat Shapes

TIPS Cover all edges of cardboard (it acts like a siphon!) Reinforce the areas where you sit or kneel Wider is better (3 ft max width) Shorter boats are difficult to keep straight (7 ft max length) Best height – 18 in Allows room to sit/kneel & still paddle over the edge Kneeling is a “power” position and allows you to paddle faster, but sitting is more comfortable. Duct tape shrinks when painted (but it comes in many, many colors!) Make cuts with a box cutter (razor blade) or Exacto knife

Construction Tips Make shallow cutsMake a crease with a for angled folds round edge for straight folds