Cardboard Boat Race Is A Rush In Clarkston

CLARKSTON (WWJ) - A group of Clarkston kids will match wits August 13th on Deer Lake by racing cardboard and duct tape boats that they have designed, engineered and built.

WWJ Newsradio 950's Marie Osborne traveled to Clarkston to see how the preparations were coming along for the big race.

Team Rush 27 is an off-shoot of first robotics, students are required to build a cardboard and duct tape boat and no less than four students can be in the boat as the boat crosses the finish line in the race.

Clarkston senior Nick Lee says you have to use your smarts to build the boat ... there are no dress rehearsals.

"You can test it ahead of time, but exposing it to the water ahead of time is probably not the best idea," said Lee.

Less than 10 percent of the boat is covered in duct tape, engineering is keys. "You have to engineer it correctly ahead of time ... hopefully it doesn't sink," laughed Lee.

Sophomore Matt Pasco says this is a mental challenge like no other: "We are always questioning design, what will other people think of and how can we do it better."

Team Rush sponsor and Clarkston Science, Math and Technology Academy math teacher Kyle Hughes says the purpose is to get the kids to problem solve ... think big, and get along with others.

"Conflict resolution ... we got to figure this out, we're a team, and it's like Apollo 13 when they dump all the stuff on the table and say okay, we've got to make something round fit in a square ..." said Hughes.

Seven teams compete in the race. The Regatta is used to raise funds for the activities of First Robotics.

More about Team Rush 27 here.

GALLERY OF IMAGES HERE: