Cardboard Boat Races and Video Challenges

NOTICE: The Skills Ontario Cardboard Boat Races have been postponed for the 2020-2021 School Year due to COVID-19

Since 1992, Skills Ontario has proudly hosted the Cardboard Boat Race program, a program where students combined teamwork with design and construction skills to challenge their peers in a competition to determine the fastest and strongest boat. The team at Skills Ontario truly enjoyed hosting these races over the years.

Due to COVID-19 and the various restrictions that are in place to keep us safe, the Skills Ontario Cardboard Boat Race program will be postponed until further notice. We do not know at this time when the Cardboard Boat Race program will return, but we will adhere to the guidance and knowledge of public health professionals, the various school boards across Ontario, as well as work with the pools across Ontario to determine a path to a safe return of the Cardboard Boat Race program.

Cardboard Boat Race Program Overview

The whistle blows, and they’re off: cardboard boats of varying descriptions and sizes gliding to the other side of the pool, their builders madly paddling for all they’re worth. For those with good designs and a bit of luck, the cardboard vessels not only make it across the length of the pool, but they also hold the weight of team members as they pile in, one by one.

For over 20 years, Skills Ontario has been hosting Cardboard Boat Races across Ontario, testing the student’s ability to build a floating structure that will outperform all others in speed and weight challenges.

Both elementary and secondary schools participate - on separate days. Teams of four are provided all the necessary materials to build a boat in just two hours. Students must bring their problem-solving, teamwork and design skills as they create a seaworthy structure out of two sheets of 4' by 8' corrugated cardboard and some duct tape.

Video Challenges

Meanwhile, teams of two record their boat building peer’s progress from the construction stage to the races in the pool, as they work to capture the best video of the action. The student videographers then edit and produce a promotional video at their schools. Once submitted, each production is judged, the winners are selected, and teams are provided with a scoring breakdown.

Volunteers

We are looking for volunteer judges at many of our Cardboard Boat Races. If you are interested in volunteering in this position, please contact us today at boatraces@skillsontario.com!

Volunteer flyer

Tentative Dates & Location

Elementary Races

 *Denotes bilingual races