"The Challenge"

Make a cardboard boat/vehicle, using only your imagination, cardboard,
glue, tape, paint and decorations…
(The whole creation can only be made from Cardboard, no real wheels, or real
steering wheels, EVERYTHING must be cardboard)

PRIZES
· Best Decorated Boat
· Most Spirited
· Most Creative Design

1st. . . start with a design idea, a vision of what you want your cardboard
creation to look like. But consider this first -- it doesn't have to be a
boat at all! It can be any design you like or want to try out for example
jeeps, exotic cars, full-scale pickup trucks, school busses, fire trucks, and
other vehicles, space shuttles, Elvis on his guitar, beds, foldout soft drink
cans, personal computers (with a mouse that trailed in the water), a raft
with a trailing shark fin, a floating outhouse, a taco, a bratwurst, a giant
Tootsie Roll, Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, Deidra the Dragonfly, and so much
more, your imagination is the key!

Try and save time. . . build a model using a folder or other heavy paper or
lightweight cardboard. That way, you can fold, re-fold, and fold again to
your heart's content. You can cut it up, glue it together, and try out your
design idea in small scale before working on a full-sized creation. Or you
can throw out an idea that sounded great, but just won't work, then try
something else before you have wasted any cardboard.

Now, go full-scale. . . but first, think about this: make sure your creation
will be able to get out the door of wherever you choose to build it. We would
hate that any boats had to be dismantled -- or even trashed and rebuilt
-- just because no one thought about the size of the boat and the size of the
door.

FYI-- there are no plans, no pre-set designs, no step-by-step instructions
here . . . no recipe cards, no fill-in-the-blank formats. The first
ingredient in cardboard boat-building is creativity. The second important
ingredient is problem-solving. Then there is cardboard, of course….

Other materials . . . you can use glue and tape. You can use paint
and water sealant and other stuff. We're not trying to make it tough on you,
but we encourage staying away from stuff that is toxic, either for you or
for the environment.

Here's a bunch of other items to think about…
* This is the first year for this event, so we have no idea of how many
or if any people, groups or organizations will participate. If so remember it
is about FUN, creative spirit, and building something from scratch….maybe
we will even try to float one or two of them!!!
* Paint all the surfaces before gluing, caulk the edges, and then glue
(carpenter's glue works great).
* Avoid oil-based stains, caulk, and glue because the oil soaks into the
cardboard, may never dry, and this weakens the cardboard.
* Duct tape shrinks when it is painted.
* Clear tape melts when it is painted.
* Reinforced paper tape works well over caulked edges and seams.
* Forget about "glue guns" because that type of glue melts on hot days

For more information call Arlene Michelin at 709-899-0422