Adventure 3: The Cardboard Regatta

Adventure Overview

Duration: 45-60 minutes Players: 2-6 scouts plus Guide Theme: Engineering, Design, Friendly Competition Best For: Intermediate players, STEM-focused groups

Download

Download the Complete Adventures PDF - Includes all three adventures with printable handouts.

The Premise

It’s the annual Camp Cardboard Regatta! Every scout group builds a boat from cardboard, tape, and paint, then races across the lake. Last year’s winning team from Pack 42 has been bragging all year. Can your group design a boat that actually floats—and maybe even wins?

The Goal

Design, build, and race a cardboard boat. Success means crossing the finish line without sinking!

What’s at Stake

Pride, bragging rights, and the legendary Golden Paddle trophy! But more importantly: a chance to learn, build together, and have fun—whether you win or sink.

Setup

Before You Begin

1. Explain what a cardboard boat regatta is
2. Discuss basic boat physics (displacement, buoyancy, weight distribution)
3. Set expectations: sinking is part of the fun!
4. Emphasize that this is about teamwork and learning

Setting the Scene

Read or paraphrase the following:

“It’s Cardboard Regatta day at Camp Lakeside! The morning sun sparkles on the water as groups set up their building stations. Mr. Hartley, the camp director, hands you a stack of cardboard sheets, three rolls of duct tape, and a marker. ‘You’ve got three hours to build something that floats and fits two people. The race starts at 2 PM. Good luck!‘”

The Rules (explain in character)

• Cardboard and tape only (no plastic, wood, or foam)
• Boat must hold at least two scouts
• Paddles are provided for racing
• You can paint/decorate your boat
• Partial sinking counts—you just need to cross the finish line!

Act 1: The Call to Adventure

Scene 1: The Design Phase

Before building, teams need a plan!

“Looking at the cardboard pile, you realize you need a design. The other teams are already sketching ideas. Some are making canoe shapes, others are building flat barges. What will your boat look like?”

Challenge: Design Planning (Smart check)

• Sketch out a boat design that might actually work
• Target: 7+
• Success: A solid design with good balance and water resistance
• Great Success: You notice a clever trick—adding waterproof tape to the bottom first!
• Partial: A decent design, but some weak points
• Setback: First design is too ambitious—have to simplify

Discussion Points (for players):

• Wide and flat? (stable but slow)
• Narrow and long? (fast but tippy)
• High sides? (keeps water out but uses more cardboard)
• Where will people sit?

Scene 2: Scoping Out the Competition

A quick look at what other teams are building…

“Pack 42’s team—the reigning champions—is building a long, low kayak shape. The Troop 88 Scouts are constructing something that looks like a Viking ship. A group of Daisies is making a round tub with flower decorations.”

Optional Challenge: Gathering Intel (Smart check)

• Notice useful techniques from other teams
• Target: 7+
• Success: Notice that Pack 42 is reinforcing their corners—good idea!
• Partial: You learn something, but get caught staring
• Setback: The Pack 42 leader notices you looking and blocks your view, chuckling

Act 2: Challenges Along the Way

Scene 3: The Build - Structural Challenges

Time to construct the boat!

Challenge: Building the Hull (Strong check)

• Cut, fold, and tape the main body of the boat
• Target: 7+
• Success: A sturdy hull with no gaps
• Partial: Solid, but a few seams need extra tape
• Setback: A panel tears—need to repair with tape patches

Challenge: Waterproofing (Smart check)

• Apply tape to seal all edges and seams
• Target: 7+
• Success: No visible gaps—water won’t get through easily
• Partial: Mostly sealed, but a few spots might leak
• Setback: Used too much tape in some places, not enough in others

Teamwork Opportunity:

• One person holds pieces while another tapes
• Split tasks: hull vs. seats vs. decoration
• Encourage everyone to contribute ideas

Scene 4: The Setback

Something goes wrong! Roll on this table (or choose):

Challenge: Problem Solving (Varies)

• Solve the unexpected problem
• Target: 7+
• The specific attribute depends on the problem (Strong for wind/moving, Smart for design issues, Kind for dealing with Pack 42)

Scene 5: Decoration and Final Prep

With 30 minutes before race time, it’s decoration time!

“Your boat is built, but it needs a name and some personality! Mr. Hartley announces that there’s a prize for ‘Best Decorated Boat’ along with the race trophy.”

Optional Challenge: Decoration (No roll—just fun!)

• Name the boat
• Add paint, flags, or designs
• Give it personality

Suggested names:

• S.S. Cardboard
• The Floating Pizza Box
• Titanic 2.0 (tempting fate!)
• The [Pack/Troop Number] Express

Scene 6: The Water Test

Before the race, a quick float test in the shallows…

“The moment of truth! You carry the boat to the water’s edge and gently set it in the shallows. It wobbles… tips… and…”

Challenge: Float Test (Special roll!)

• Combined result of previous building challenges determines baseline
• If most challenges succeeded: Boat floats well!
• If mixed: Boat floats but sits low, takes on a little water
• If mostly setbacks: Boat lists badly—quick repairs needed!

Emergency Repairs: If the boat isn’t floating well, allow one final team effort:

• Group Challenge (everyone rolls)
• Need half to succeed at Target 7+
• Patch leaks, adjust weight, redistribute tape

Act 3: The Resolution

Scene 7: The Race!

“Boats line up at the starting buoys. Mr. Hartley raises the air horn. ‘Paddlers ready? Three… two… one…’ HONK!”

The Course:

• Start at the dock
• Paddle to the first buoy (50 feet)
• Around the buoy and back
• First boat to touch the finish dock wins!

Challenge: The Sprint (Strong check)

• Paddle hard off the start
• Target: 7+
• Success: Good start, in the middle of the pack
• Great Success: Strong start, leading pack!
• Partial: Slow to coordinate paddles
• Setback: Spin in circles at first (lose ground)

Challenge: The Turn (Smart check)

• Navigate around the buoy without tipping
• Target: 7+
• Success: Clean turn
• Partial: Wide turn, lose a little time
• Setback: Scrape the buoy, need to reposition

Challenge: The Final Push (Strong check)

• Sprint to the finish
• Target: 7+
• Success: Strong finish!
• Great Success: Photo finish, excellent time!
• Partial: Cross the finish, but exhausted
• Setback: Boat starts taking on water—paddle faster!

Scene 8: The Results

Determine finish position based on race challenges:

• Mostly Great Successes: 1st or 2nd place!
• Mostly Successes: 3rd-5th place, solid showing
• Mixed: Finished! Middle of the pack
• Mostly Setbacks: Finished last… but FINISHED!
• Sank: Didn’t finish, but what a story!

“Dripping wet and grinning, everyone gathers for the awards ceremony. Mr. Hartley reads off the results…”

Possible Outcomes:

• Win the race: “The Golden Paddle goes to…”
• Win Best Decorated: “For creativity and spirit…”
• The “Titanic Award” for most dramatic sinking
• Participation recognition for everyone

The Real Victory

“As Pack 42 celebrates (or accepts their defeat gracefully), you look at your soggy cardboard boat. Win or lose, you built this together from nothing but cardboard and tape. And you didn’t just float—you RACED.”

Wrap-Up

Discussion Questions

After the adventure, ask the scouts:

• What part of your design worked best?
• What would you do differently next time?
• How did teamwork help during building?
• What did you learn about how boats float?

Real-World Connection

This adventure connects to real STEM concepts:

• Buoyancy: Why things float or sink
• Engineering Design: Planning before building
• Iteration: Learning from failure
• Teamwork: Complex projects need many hands

Achievement Tie-Ins

This adventure could count toward:

• STEM/Nova awards
• Teamwork requirements
• Building/construction projects
• Sportsmanship lessons

Scaling Notes

For Younger Players (Ages 5-7)

• Simplify to: Design, Build, Race (fewer scenes)
• Skip the competition angle; focus on “did it float?”
• Provide more Guide help during building challenges
• Make float test less scary (boats always float… mostly)

For Older Players (Ages 9-11)

• Add weight limits and material constraints
• Include physics discussion (displacement, center of gravity)
• More detailed race with strategic decisions
• Pack 42 rivalry can be more intense

For Mixed Groups

• Older scouts lead design discussion
• Everyone participates in building
• Pair younger/older for the race
• Celebrate ALL contributions

Possible Setbacks Summary

Guide Tips for This Adventure

1. Embrace the sinking: Some of the best memories come from dramatic failures
2. Make competition friendly: Pack 42 is a rival, not an enemy
3. Teach through play: This is real engineering thinking!
4. Celebrate participation: Everyone who builds and tries is a winner
5. Consider doing it for real: Cardboard boat races are actual events!

Going Further

If your scouts loved this adventure, consider:

• Building actual cardboard boats!
• Visiting a real cardboard regatta event
• Engineering challenges with other materials
• Designing boats for different purposes (speed vs. cargo)

Return to Game Mechanics or explore All Adventures.