Cardboard Boats Race on the Delaware in Port Jervis

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.—West End Beach in Port Jervis was host on Aug. 22 to the Delaware River Cardboard Boat Regatta and Beach Party, where contestants brought constructed boats to compete on the river waters for the categories of “Most Creative,” “Fastest Time,” “Most Team Spirit,” and “Best Sinker.”

The premise of the event is that anyone can bring a homemade cardboard boat—made from recycled corrugated cardboard, tape, and paint—and see who can row down a 150-foot section of the Delaware River.

Contestants were restricted to using either their hands or homemade cardboard paddles for propulsion.

All participants wore life jackets, and much of the river used for the event was shallow, where adults could stand.

Participants were encouraged to make creative and themed watercraft.

Some of the cardboard barges were the SS Bloom, which was painted yellow with large flower patterns; a craft called The Boat, which sank immediately after its two occupants sat down in it; and one named Noah’s Ark, which featured cardboard animals and an exterior designed to look like a wooden boat.

Noah’s Ark was by far the slowest of the crafts, taking more than seven minutes to finish the course, but it made it to the finish line without sinking. A few of the others in the competition sank right off the bat or soon after launching.

Many residents and visitors came to watch the 17 competing boats from the sandy beach, cheering loudly for all the participants.

Team Dad and Delilah Delaware Dinghy from nearby Millrift, Pennsylvania, won the race by two-tenths of a second, with a time of 2:08.

Noah’s Ark won Most Creative, and the Visible Mobile, a play on the Invisible Boatmobile from the TV series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” won Most Team Spirit.

Best Sinker went to team Rob and Sophie.

All winners received a decorative paddle inscribed with the event’s name.

Laura Meyer, chairwoman of the Port Jervis Tourism Board, event organizer and participant, told The Epoch Times that her goal for the regatta is to have 50 contestants.

This is the event’s second year.

Meyer said: “I organized it. This was my baby. I jumped up. I wanted to do this years ago, and I was so happy when it finally happened last year. But look, it really grew this year.

“We have this beautiful Delaware River here that we don’t seem to take advantage of for any events in Port Jervis, other than the polar plunge. So we thought it’d be fun to create the cardboard boat race.”

She said the event has been a real success, as it brought the community together to cheer each other on and have a good time at the beach.

People were watching the boats, playing volleyball, getting food from vendors, and listening to live music.

All the money collected from the regatta was given to the Port Jervis Specialty Operations Squad Team, which patrols the waters of the Delaware.

The team makes sure rafters and boaters wear life jackets and are safe.

Blooming Grove resident Glenn Hoffmann said he enjoyed the event, saying it was great for the community and the fire department.

He highlighted that the event brought people from all over to Port Jervis.

He recalled a particularly memorable boat he saw: “That one looked like a surfboard. He was really trying hard. He was sinking. He had that belly, weighing him down, you know, but yeah, it was great, all of it.”

Annie Ortez and Stephanie Brynes were the pilots of the Visible Mobile, which won first place for Team Spirit.

Ortez said, “Unfortunately, we could not build an invisible boat, so we built the visible version, and it took us weeks, and we sank immediately.”

The pair said that this was their first time building a raft for the regatta and that they had fun.

Ortez said: “I was very nervous, and then I realized I was just going to be putting some cardboard in water, and it was not that serious. And then I sank super fast, so I should have been nervous.”

Brynes added: “More people should sign up. … It’s very fun. It was a beautiful day.”

They were excited that they got a trophy and said they would try next year for another.