SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2025, during the Lighthouse Festival
REGISTRATION: 10:00
RACE BEGINS: 11:00
What is a cardboard boat regatta? It’s a race with boats and paddles made entirely of cardboard. Participants make their boats in advance from cardboard and duct tape, bring them to Derby Pond, board their boats and race to the finish.
There will be awards for :
First Place, Best Boat Design, Most dramatic sinking
Port Clinton Lighthouse Festival: Cardboard Boat Regatta
2025 Rules & Registration
Competitor Rules: HAVING FUN IS MANDATORY! Crew costumes are highly encouraged.
Safety: All competitors MUST wear a PFD while racing. Competitors are required to wear closed-toe and heel footwear. No flip-flops, crocs etc.
- Boat Construction –
- Boats must be constructed PRIOR TO THE RACE.
- The boat’s entire hull and seating area must be made entirely of corrugated cardboard. Corrugated bonded to other materials such as vinyl or wax, etc. may not be used. Plastic corrugated material, fiberboard tubes, angle board, etc. may not be used in the construction of the hull. However, any material may be used for the superstructure, such as masts, stacks, and other decorative accessories.
- The boat must be constructed with tape only, such as duct tape, cellophane tape, or other. Tape must remain within 4 inches of a seam or joint and may not wrap the entire boat. No adhesives or glue are permissible. If any illegal items used in construction are discovered during the pre- or post– race inspection, the boat will be disqualified.
- Any paintable “one part” substance may be used as waterproofing. No epoxy glue, fiberglass resins, or other “two-part” finishes may be used. No urethane, Flex Seal, or tar-based substances are allowed.
- The hull cannot be wrapped in plastic or any other material.
- Boats must be easy to exit and enter should they become an unexpected submarine, (Crew area cannot be enclosed, or over shoulder height). and be free of sharp edges and other dangers to crew safety.
- Boats will be inspected for rules compliance Prior to the race.
- Boat design is left to the builders. Let your imagination take over; make your boat look like a race car, flying saucer, dragon, etc. as long as the decoration does not aid in the floatation.
- The Race
- All competitors must attend the pre-race meeting held day-of the event.
- Races will begin with the boats in the water with crews in the boats. Boats must start from
a stopped position.
- Boats may be propelled using canoe, kayak paddles or oars.
- Competitors must be seated while paddling once a race has started until crossing over
the finish line.
- No more than 2 crew members per boat, 2 additional people may assist with the launch.
- The race will be a lap around Derby Pond, staying outside of the markers.
- It is the competitor’s responsibility to act in a sportsman like fashion, always avoid
collisions and obey the rules and safety guidelines.
- All entrants must remove their boat, or remnants of it, after the race.
- There will be prizes for: 1. Fastest Boat, 2. Most Dramatic Sinking, 3. Most creative
design.
Event Waiver and Release
Waiver and Release: Recognizing the risk and possibility of injury associated with participation in this event sponsored by the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy, through an agreement with the City of Port Clinton, Ohio, offering this event at nominal fee and accepting participant into the event, participant and if a minor, participant’s parent/guardian, on behalf of themselves, participant’s heirs, successors, administrators and assigns do hereby waive, release, discharge, and/or otherwise indemnify and hold harmless the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy and/or the City of Port Clinton, Ohio, and all other agents of these entities, including co-sponsors and volunteers, who make the event possible from any and all claims for bodily injury or otherwise which exists or may arise by virtue of participation in the event. This waiver release is effective and binding upon the participants, the participant’s heirs, successors, administrators, and assigns.
Participant Certification: Participant or if a minor, participant’s parent/guardian hereby certify that participant is physically fit and capable of participating in the event and the participant has the requisite physical skills and abilities to participate in this event and that allowing the participant to participate in this event will not expose the participant or others to a risk of physical and/or mental harm. If participant is a minor, the undersigned parent/guardian of participant expressly authorizes participant to participate in this event.
Medical Treatment Authorization: If participant receives an injury while participating in this event, participant, or if participant is a minor, participant’s parent/guardian authorizes the agents of the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy and/or The City of Port Clinton, Ohio, to consent to whatever treatment is medically necessary and hereby release said agents, sponsors or volunteers from any and all claims arising out of the medical care provided to treat participant’s injuries. Permission is also given to provide transportation of participant to the nearest medical/dental treatment facility for emergency care, although this form does not guarantee that any treatment will be rendered to participant as each facility sets its own protocols for treatment.
Consent to use photographs and photographic likeness: In the event participant’s photograph or other image is taken during the participant’s participation in this program, participant, or if participant is a minor, participant’s parent/guardian hereby consents to the use of this photograph or image for any purpose as established by the PC Lighthouse Conservancy.
In addition to the waiver and release set forth above, participant or if participant is a minor, participant’s parent/guardian further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy, the City of Port Clinton, Ohio, our sponsors and volunteers from any and all claims of liability and any and all associated claims or demands for attorney fees, losses, damages, or costs which the Conservancy, the City, sponsors and volunteers may incur due to claims or lawsuits filed against the Conservancy, City, sponsors or volunteers arising out of or relating to participant’s participation in this event upon whatever basis a claim or lawsuit arises.
TEAM NAME BOAT NAME SPONSOR______________
Crew #1. name__________________________ signature______________________________ Address_________________________________________________age_________
Crew # 2. name__________________________ signature______________________________ Address_________________________________________________age_________
Crew # 3. name__________________________ signature______________________________ Address_________________________________________________age_________
*****(minors will require a parent or guardians signature)
In signing this event waiver and release I certify that I have fully read this waiver and release and any attached addendum or that it has been read to me, that I fully understand the terms and conditions of this document, that I have had adequate time to review this event waiver and release; that I understand the execution of this event waiver and release means that I am giving up substantial legal rights and assuming substantial legal responsibilities and that I am fully capable of executing this event waiver and release on my own behalf or on the behalf of the minor on whose behalf I am signing this event waiver and release and that I do so voluntarily.