Great Cardboard Boat Race

Guest Blog by Christine Sapio
On November 17, 2015, 70 students from Coconino High School competed in the Annual Great Cardboard Boat Race. The students were members of the Coconino Institute of Technology program and the Advanced Placement Physics class. The annual race between AP Physics and the CIT II Engineering students has been a tradition since the beginning of the CIT program with the first race taking place in 2003.
 
Students build boats large enough to hold two people out of nothing but cardboard and duct tape. The boats are limited to a weight of 40 lbs, and the tape could only be used on the seams. Students then calculate the waterline on the boat when fully loaded with two people and placed in the water by using principles of buoyancy. Students then paddle their boats across a full-sized pool using whitewater paddles.
 
The best overall boat at the Great Cardboard Boat Race is judged based on a number of criteria, including the time it takes to paddle the boat one full lap (50 meters), if the boat could survive three full laps (150 m), how much weight the boat held if it survived 150 meters, and the weight of the boat.
 
A number of awards were also judged based on performance, including team spirit, most innovative design, and best “Titanic” moment or best sinking.

Taylor Dominguez and Hallie Chiaverini paddle their cardboard boat across the pool

The winners of the 2015 Great Cardboard Boat Race are:

Most Spirit
Hallie Chiaverini & Tayler Dominguez (Santa’s Sleigh) - CIT
Jack Lutch & Tyler Darnell (Ark II) - AP Physics

Most Creative Design
Aster Rich & Jessica Han - AP Physics
Shandiin Miller & Meredith Norine - CIT

Best Titanic (Most Dramatic Sinking)
Richard McCormick & Coby Guerrero - CIT
Drew Stringer & Kelsey Chiaverini - AP Physics

Golden Oars (Fastest 50 m)
Tristen Eddie & Matt Norris - 66 seconds/50 m - AP Physics

Ferry Award (Most Weight Supported)
Aaron Helwig, Ian Russell & Justin Heath – 1370 lbs - AP Physics

Black Pearl Award (Best Boat Overall)
Luke Peterson & Spencer Larson - 54 secs/50 m,  1619 lbs - CIT

Congratulations to all!

Drew Stringer goes down with the ship as his cardboard boat begins to sink