The United Way of Southwest Michigan’s annual Rock the Boat Cardboard Boat Races are set for this Thursday at The Inn at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor.
United Way Senior Director Zack East tells us they’ve got 24 teams signed up to take their cardboard vessels into the St. Joseph River channel to see whose engineering skills will pass the test.
“These are folks who have made cardboard boats out of just the cardboard and some like carpet rolls and duct tape and just a few other materials that they’re only allowed to use, and the idea is to see what boats are going to make it from one side of the St. Joe River Channel to the other,” East said.
East says the Cardboard Boat Races started in 2016 and have since become a major fundraiser for the United Way. It’s a true family event.
“Kids just get a kick out of this show of people showing up and basically trying to create something that looks like it’s not going to go anywhere, but suddenly ends up surviving the water just fine. And some creations that are beautifully built, but do terribly in the water.”
This year’s event theme is “Summer Camp” with boats designed to invoke summer memories. Everyone from businesses to non-profits to educational institutions are taking part, and spectators can decide two of the night’s biggest awards by donating to their favorite team at RockTheBoatVote.com.
East also notes that Visit Southwest Michigan is providing a shuttle from the Michigan Works parking lot in Benton Harbor to The Inn at Harbor Shores for people to watch. He says parking will be tighter at the Inn this year due to construction nearby.
The Rock the Boat Cardboard Boat Races start at 5 p.m. Thursday and are free for anyone to attend.
This year’s teams and their boats are:
Andrews University – Andy Afloat
Curi Capital – Curi Capsizing
Dewey, Sinkum & Howe – Ordinance Violation
Fifth Third Bank – S’more Than A Boat
Freedom Boat Club of Michiana – Freedom Bros
Freedom Boat Club of Michiana – FREEDOMination
Gast Manufacturing – Camp Big Foot
Herald Palladium – The Nauti Dogs
Holtec Palisades – Team Holtec
Honor Credit Union – Bun Voyage
Indiana Michigan Power’s DC Cook Nuclear Plant – SMR (Small Modular Rowers)
Lake Michigan College Camp Red Hawk – Oar We There Yet
Lakeshore Robotics – Team Lance-A-Boat, sponsored by Honor Credit Union
LOGAN Community Resources Inc. – S’more Than a Feeling
99.9 Y Country – SS Mid-West
Racin’ Mason Dixon’s Front Porch Stomp
Robo Tech Zone – ROW-BOTZ, sponsored by Honor Credit Union
St. Joseph High School Average Joes Robotics – Oar-dinary, sponsored by Honor Credit Union
St. Joseph-Lincoln Township Senior Center & St. Joseph Junior Foundation – Stars & Stripes
Southwestern Michigan College – Ronnie’s Riptide Racer
Walsworth – S.S. Uh-oh!
Whirlpool – WERLD Class Drifters
Whirlpool Cooking – Zip It!
Whirlpool / International Supply Chain, sponsored by Maersk – Sticky Situation
