Columbia Engineering student smiles as they paddle a cardboard boat during a race at Uris Pool.
Student teams compete in the annual cardboard boat competition held Sept. 26 in Uris Pool.

Image credit: Diane Bondareff/Columbia Engineering
 
Student teams compete in the annual cardboard boat competition held Sept. 26 in Uris Pool.

Image credit: Diane Bondareff/Columbia Engineering

Students

Smooth Sailing at the Third Annual Cardboard Boat Contest

Armed with only cardboard, duct tape, and waterproofing spray, Engineering students built buoyant creations and put their designs to the test.

October 01, 2026
Beatrice Mhando

Columbia Engineering students took the plunge Sept. 26 at the Engineering Student Council’s (ESC) annual cardboard boat contest. Twenty-six teams took on the challenge of building a boat that can carry a teammate across Uris Pool using only cardboard, duct tape, and waterproofing spray. Teams raced their creations against classmates for the coveted boat contest trophy. 

The event is now an annual tradition that was inspired by a campus legend that Engineering students are excused from the swim test that Columbia College students must pass to graduate, because they could simply “engineer” their way across the pool.

The two-hour competition on Saturday had seven heats, with the team with the fastest time across all rounds taking the title. New this year, ESC recognized two additional teams for having the most creative boat and the best overall team spirit.

In the end, "SEAS Nuts" took home prizes for Most Creative, and "Ship Happens" earned Best Team Spirit. "The Promised Pirates" claimed the coveted boat contest trophy with a winning time of 21.42 seconds. 

The winning team will have its name etched onto the trophy, and each member will receive a Columbia Engineering backpack. 

For everyone else, there's always next year – and plenty more cardboard!

Cardboard, Duct Tape, Go!

Photos by Diane Bondareff

Student wearing a pink balloon hat paddles a cardboard boat as another student pushes it into Uris Pool.
Student paddles a decorated cardboard boat across Uris Pool as another student cheers from the pool deck.
Columbia students cheer from the stands during the cardboard boat race at Uris Pool.
Columbia Engineering student smiles while paddling a cardboard boat across Uris Pool.
Columbia Engineering student paddles a cardboard boat across Uris Pool as spectators watch from the stands.
Dean Shih-Fu Chang and students cheer from the pool deck during the cardboard boat race at Uris Pool.
Columbia students hold handmade signs and cheer from the stands during the cardboard boat race.
Student smiles in Uris Pool beside a partially submerged cardboard boat as another student laughs nearby from the pool deck.
Columbia Engineering student paddles a cardboard boat across Uris Pool as spectators watch from the stands and pool deck.
Students cheer from the stands while holding handmade signs during the cardboard boat race at Uris Pool.
Cardboard boat trophy with a sailboat on top and a plaque reading “ESC Boat Contest Champions.”
The coveted cardboard boat contest trophy.
Dean Shih-Fu Chang and Vice Dean Barclay Morrison III pose with Team SEAS Nuts, winners of the Most Creative award, after the cardboard boat race.
Winner of Most Creative goes to Team SEAS Nuts, posing here with Dean Shih-Fu Chang (left) and Vice Dean Barclay Morrison III (second from right).
Team Ship Happens, winners of the Best Team Spirit award, pose with Dean Shih-Fu Chang and Vice Dean Barclay Morrison III after the cardboard boat race.
Team Ship Happens earns Best Team Spirit and poses with Dean Shih-Fu Chang (far right) and Vice Dean Barclay Morrison III (far left).
Members of The Promised Pirates celebrate while holding the ESC Boat Contest Champions trophy beside Uris Pool.
The Happy Winners! The Promised Pirates team hold up their boat trophy.
Dean Shih-Fu Chang poses with students and event organizers for a group photo after the cardboard boat race at Uris Pool.
Members of The Promised Pirates pose with the ESC Boat Contest Champions trophy beside Uris Pool.
A hearty congratulations goes out to The Promised Pirates!
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