Some kids enjoy floating paper boats in the puddles when it rains, but some grownups in the small town of New Richmond, Ohio, took that simple fun idea to the next level.
In 1993, Shanna and Jim Morarity started the town’s annual tradition of building boats out of cardboards and then floating them on the Ohio river. The rules are simple: make a boat out of cardboard, tape and paint, with no floatation device allowed.
They wanted to see how far the boats would travel before sinking. The first few years, there were only about five local people who participated but the popularity of the fun contest grew. Before long, the regatta became a big hit.
Now, friends and family gather and compete against each other in the International Cardboard Boat Regatta that is held every August. This year’s event is expected to have 70 boats racing against each other.
Fourteen years ago, brothers Ed and Tom Lemon and their friends noticed that the boats were headed for the trash after the race. They decided to save some of them for display in an old flooded-out gas station, which later became the Cardboard Boat Museum. The museum started with 10 boats, and its collection grew to more than 30 boats.
Read the full story over at the Smithsonian Magazine.
Images: Jennifer Billock/Smithsonian Magazine