More than 70 creatively crafted cardboard boats set sail in Elkhart on Friday, August 16, as part of Crossroads United Way’s annual Great Cardboard Boat Race. The event saw teams from various companies, including Surf Internet, put their ingenuity to the test in a race around LaSalle Bristol Pond.
While the event was full of fun and camaraderie, its core mission was to raise funds for United Way. Over $150,000 was raised during the event.
The Surf team was excited to participate in the event for its second year.
"Surf has always been deeply committed to community engagement and actively participating in local events,” Andrew Holt, warehouse lead at Surf said. “We love community outreach, so when United Way invited us to join this incredible charity event alongside other community organizations, it was a no brainer. This is exactly the kind of initiative we love to be a part of.”
Participants followed strict guidelines in constructing their boats, aligning with this year’s theme, "Lights, Camera, ROW! It’s Showtime!" Surf’s team drew inspiration from the animated film Surf’s Up for their boat’s design.
Holt, a second-time rower at the event, expressed awe at the collaborative effort behind designing their boat.
“It's an amazing achievement to take materials that fall apart when wet and build a boat out of them,” Holt said. “The logistics of sitting down with a team, taking 80 pounds of cardboard and duct tape, and creating something — that not only floats but lasts through multiple rounds — is incredible. It's hard work, but it's fun work.”
Before the race, Surf CEO Gene Crusie expressed confidence in his team's ability to win the race this year.
"Last year was our first time at this event, and we finished last,” Crusie said. “At Surf, we’re winners, and we’re determined not to come in last again. This time, we made sure to build a better boat. Our boat is lightning fast. In fact, it's so fast, it might just hover above the water!"
As the races commenced, participants were placed into one of eight heats, with the winners advancing to the Championship Race. A special First Responders Race also took place, featuring teams from the Elkhart, Concord, and Bristol fire departments, with their winner also earning a spot in the final race.
Heat Winners (Boat Name)
Heat 1:
Himco/Borden (Average Joes)
Heat 2:
Utilimaster (Kong)
Heat 3:
Thor Motor Coach (Jurassic Park)
Heat 4:
Welch Packaging (Cal)
Heat 5:
Godfrey Marine (Easy Rider)
Heat 6:
Utilimaster (Goonies)
Heat 7:
Utilimaster (Barbie)
Heat 8:
NIBCO (Queen Anne's Revenge)
First Responders' Race:
Bristol Fire Department (Mutt (utts)
Championship Race Winners (Boat Name)
First Place:
Welch Packaging (Cal)
Second Place:
Utilimaster (Goonies)
Third Place:
Thor Motor Coach (Jurassic Park)
Throughout the event, some boats managed to stay afloat and cross the finish line, while others sank before reaching the end. For those whose boats survived but didn’t win, there was a chance for redemption in the Cardboard Crusader Challenge Race. The redeeming winner was Himco/Borden (Globo Gym).
Though the Surf team didn’t clinch the top prize, they improved on last year’s performance, avoiding a last-place finish.
"Surf is deeply rooted in the communities where we live, work, and play,” Crusie said. “United Way is an incredible organization, and we’re committed to giving back and supporting it. It’s truly an honor to be part of this event and give back a little bit."
