How to Make a Cardboard Boat ☆

In this instructable, you will learn how to make a cardboard boat for fun, and for emergencies such as flash floods. In this How to Make a Cardboard Boat, you will only need to use things you probably already have at home. This instructable is not for the people who want to make a high-quality boat.

Since I have not tried making it, I cannot guarantee you that this boat works. If you do want a boat that actually is made before and works, please find another tutorial.

To make a boat, design and science are related. For design, you will have to design a boat that will work. A better design of a boat will be a better plan and that will lead to the final product. For science, you might need to know about mass, weight, the center of gravity, buoyancy, Archimedes principle, density, etc. By learning these, you might have more strength in making your own boat. But while you have strengths, you might have limitations too. If you want to make a cardboard boat with only the supplies you have at home, you won't always have all the things that are needed. But even with limitations, having knowledge for designing and science will help a lot. In my opinion, I think that these two subjects go really well together, not only for building a boat, for other things too.

To make this plan, first I drew a design for the boat. Next, I made a really rough draft for the tutorial. After that, I made a more detailed version of the draft. Finally, I started making this instructable.

Supplies you will need to make your boat. These supplies are found in most homes so I think you will have them at home.

• Cardboard (big and strong + broken down)
• Pet bottles (The biggest ones you have)
• Plastic wrap and garbage bags (If you use garbage bags cut them open so that they can be like plastic wrap)
• Tape (As long as it sticks well and it's better if it's waterproof)
• Marker/pen
• Cutter knife (Please be careful using knives!)

First, prepare your cardboard and lay it flat. The recommended measurements are 90cm in length, 60cm in width, and 50cm in height. For a cardboard boat for one person, the recommended measurements are 75cm in length, 55cm in width, and 40cm in height.

If you do not have a big enough cardboard, please tape two pieces of cardboard together and cut it out with your cutter knife. If you are taping to broken down cardboard boxes together, tape them together really well with no holes. (Reference can be the photo above and please make sure to measure.)

If it is an emergency, it is recommended that you don't use my measurements and use the biggest and strongest cardboard box you can fit in. It can be a cardboard box that is already built or broken down.

Next, after you prepare your cardboard, do not tape immediately. Cut another piece of rectangle cardboard that has the same measurements as the bottom of your cardboard. If you are using the measurements I recommend, it should be 90cm by 60cm. If you are using the measurements I recommend for one person, it should be 75cm by 55cm.

For emergency, you should cut or find a piece of cardboard that is similar to the bottom of your boat. The measurements do not have to be exact but do not have your cardboard piece bigger than the bottom. If it is, make sure to cut it smaller so that it fits.

After you have your piece of cardboard, tape your piece of cardboard onto the bottom of your boat. By layering the bottom of your boat, it can help your boat by preventing water from going into your boat really fast. You can layer more cardboard if you want to.

If you are confused about where the bottom of your boat is, it is shown in the picture above.

After you layered the bottom of your boat, you can start taping up the cardboard and make your boat now. You should tape the cardboard like you are rebuilding a cardboard box. If you don't understand, you can look at the picture above. It is highlighted where you should tape.

If you are using a cardboard box that is already built, make sure you tape and cover all the holes on it. Make sure you double-check because if there was a hole in your boat, it would be terrible.

(You can skip this step if you are making an emergency boat)

After you taped your boat, cut two pieces of cardboard that are 50cm by 30cm. For a one-person boat, the two pieces should be 40cm by 25cm. If you are using a measurement that is not recommended by me, the length of the cardboard should be the same height as your boat. The width of the cardboard pieces should be enough to make an undone triangular shape with two of your cardboard piece. (If you don't understand please look at the picture above.)

After you have your two pieces of cardboard, tape them together into an undone triangle. The side that is empty of the undone triangle should have the same measurement as your boat's width. So if are using the measurement I recommend, it should be 60cm. For a one-person boat, it should be 55cm. (If you still don't understand please look at the picture above.)

After that is done, cut a triangle piece of cardboard that can fit under the thing you made. I think that it should be easy to do if you put the thing you made on top of a cardboard piece and trace it with your marker/pen so you can cut a triangle easily without measuring.

After you have your triangle piece of cardboard, tape it under the thing you just made. Tape it well so that they won't fall apart and it should look like the thing in the picture.

After you're done taping, tape that thing on the front of your boat. If your measurements are correct, they should fit just fine. Like earlier, make sure you tape very well. Double-check and see if there are any holes or not.

Then, you will tape your pet bottles on your boat. I recommend that you use the biggest pet bottles you have. Small ones also work too but make sure you use plenty of them. If you don't have pet bottles, you can use something you have that has air in it. For example, if you have balloons, that will work too. But be careful that you shouldn't use things that are too heavy.

You can tape as many pet bottles as you want. The more pet bottles you tape, the more your boat floats. But be aware to tape your pet bottles evenly. It is best if you tape the same amount of pet bottles on each side of your boat. If your pet bottles are uneven, your boat will be unbalanced and there will be a chance that your boat will flip over.

My recommendation of where to tape pet bottles is in the picture. Some pet bottles on the bottom of the boat, and some on the side of the boat. Also, make sure you prioritize the lower half of your boat to tape your pet bottles.

Be sure that your pet bottles still have caps on!! If not, use tape to cover it.

For the last part of finishing your boat, you will have to cover your boat with plastic wrap or garbage bags. Covering up your boat with plastic wrap can help a lot. It can make your boat waterproof.

Start wrapping plastic wrap from the bottom of your boat. If you start wrapping from the top, you might run out of plastic wrap and the bottom will be defenseless. Having the bottom of your boat defenseless is not what we want. If there wasn't plastic on the bottom, your boat will start sucking water really fast so make sure you start wrapping from the bottom of your boat. In the picture above, the inside part of the boat is not covered by plastic wrap but if you have enough, covering the inside part of your boat will help a lot too. Make sure you tape from the bottom even on the inside of your boat.

Don't forget to use tape for the plastic to stay still on your boat!

Now you will start making your oars. Making only one oar would work too but making two helps you move forward more.

First, you will have to cut two pieces of long cardboard. How long you cut is your choice. Have a length that you think is easy to hold and paddle.

After you have your pole, now you cut out the blade of your oar. (The part where it's not a pole.) Cut it into a size you think would fit with the length of your oar. In the picture, I added a note where the blade is so please look at it if you don't know.

After you have both parts, tape them together. Make sure you tape the blades in the right position or your oar will turn into something else. If you need to, look at the picture above for reference. Make sure your oar is strong and stiff. Having a weak oar will break really fast and will become useless in the end.

For the final step to make your oar, you will have to protect it more. If you have enough plastic wrap, cover your oars with plastic wrap and use tape. If you are using waterproof tape, you can use that too.

After you are done protecting your oars, you are finished making your oars!!

Congratulation!! You have now finished making your boat with your oar(s)!!

Be careful when you go in your boat. If there are other people, make them hold onto the boat so your boat won't wiggle so much. When you are going in the boat, it is best to sit where the center of gravity is. If you don't know where the center of gravity is, the estimation is in the picture above.

I hope this instructable was fun reading for you and have some knowledge for you in the future if there will be a time where you need an emergency boat. But, I hope that anything like that will happen in the future. If there is, please try remembering this instructable!!

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Stay safe!!!!