Cardboard Regatta Held At Ottawa Street Pool

PLAINFIELD, IL — About a week before they had to head back to school, friends Haley and Sofia decided to create one last summer time memory. The pair signed up to build a boat to compete in the Plainfield Park District’s first-ever Cardboard Boat Regatta on Aug. 8.

With the help of Haley’s dad and Sofia’s aunt, they spent a couple of days designing and then constructing their boat — The U.S.S. Walrus — out of cardboard and about nine rolls of duct tape.

“It was really fun,” they said as they waited to test their ships sea worthiness on the relatively smooth waters of the park district’s Ottawa Street Pool.

They decided that their favorite part of the endeavor was drawing up the plans for their boat and decorating it with a pair of distinctive walrus tusks encased in grey duct tape that jutted from the bow.

Aux Sable Middle School student Rex, 11, had a good time building his boat too, spending about 3 days on its construction and about three rolls of tape.

He said he felt confident that his ship would be able to handle the crossing of the pool.

Mike Bedenian, and his son Logan, 13, an Indian Trails eighth-grader, were less confident having decorated their boat with the name “S.S. I’m Gonna Sink” and the stern with an “S.O.S.” They described their boat’s design as a mash up of a Viking ship crossed with a gondola. They decided that dad, Mike, would take the maiden voyage during the race portion of the competition and Logan would give it a spin if it made it back successfully.

Josh, 10, and his brother Justin, 13, had the fastest ship of the night, the appropriately named, Sharknado, whose design included a menacing row of teeth.

Awards for the night included prizes for fastest boat, which went to Sharknado; best design went to the USS Walrus; and the team spirit award went to Rex, who struggled valiantly to get back in the race after his boat capsized.

Beth Brannen, recreation supervisor for the Park District, said that she hopes to see even more teams register for the event next year.

“It’s a great way to cap off the end of summer before the kids head back to school,” said Brannen.

Photos/article via Plainfield Park District