Any uber tips for making a cardboat boat?

[flot]

Your enemy will not be getting the cardboard wet (easy to avoid by thorough, systematic covering w/duct tape) but in building a strong enough wall to withstand the force of the water.

Can you use cardboard tubes? This would by far be the strongest thing out there. In fact, a boat MADE of heavy wrapping paper tubes would probably be pretty damn solid. But that might be bordering on cheating, because some of the "Cardboard tubes" out there are really pretty serious pressed-paper products.

Otherwise, I'd suggest looking into making some I-beam type structures to ensure rigidity on the long walls.

If anything goes, you should go to home depot and look into "sonotube" - the cardboard tubes they use to pour cement columns in parking decks etc. You could EASILY build a pontoon boat with those!

Or, you could always ask google, which immediately sent me here: http://www.gcbr.com/port.html

 

[Squisher]

I would make it two layers with small triangular tubes of cardboard separating the two layers by an 1 1/2". Space the tubes 3" apart with alternating orientations.

You'll be doing a macro version of the corrugation that is taking place inside of a normal piece of cardboard.

 

[flot]

Triangular tubes are a good idea - I have some triagle tubes that Nissan sent me (promotional campaign from a few years back) and they feel almost indestructable. They are about 6" on each side, and presumably made by *bending* not cutting the cardboard.

 

[Ness]

WINNARR!!!!!1111





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We're going to send a crew of people to yo ur house to kick your face in if you make anything like that.

 

[Joony]

ok! here are my scans!

Idea!

Concept

 

[Ness]

def. #2

Or at least do it to get nominated for "funniest ATOT pic of the year!"

 

[McCarthy]

Tip - when you arrive at your design put the duct tape on each piece. Don't construct the boat and then try to tape it up once it's assembled. Duct tape sticks to itself better than to cardboard (usually) anyway so your joints will be stronger.

Are there any style points? Speed important? Or is it a pass/fail assignment based on the boat making it there and back?

With careful folding (maybe wrap the cardboard around a PVC pipe to form it in a multiple layer roll, then tape up and slip the PVC out) you could make cardboard tubes of considerable rigidity. Making two large pontoons in that manner might be more stable and have less drag if speed is at all important. Make a floor of similar wrapped tubes running perpendicular

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My text art sucks...something like this only without the funny looking guy.

Just what came to my mind. Next week - a pedal assembly and propeller made out of cardboard and duct tape! Hmm, paddle wheel...belt driven with a loop of duct tape, no, heck with that.... direct foot to paddle drive, yeah, that could work

 

[Joony]

Speed ain't important but it would be nice to own the other boats

pretty much pass or fail! (and creativity )