Saturday, September 19, 2015

Floating Cardboard

I was scrolling through the Pinterest feed last week when Sophie came along and had a look at what I was doing. She happened to notice a cardboard boat picture that had popped up, and promptly asked if she could have one. Of course I said yes, but of course, it was a little harder than that to actually make.



After a week of asking me, we finally found the time on Monday, when all the little ones were asleep. So I pulled out this awesome heavy duty cardboard from under the house (thanks Dad for getting a new BBQ) and set to work. I figured because kids would be climbing in and out over the sides that it would be worth using some of this precious cardboard if I wanted it to last.


The boat itself came together quite smoothly, thought I wish I had put a little more thought into getting the side angle joins to work properly. At the front point, I scored the top of the cardboard, scooped out the honeycombed support stuff and then just folded the other side of the cardboard over and taped it down. It made everything join very nicely without me having to do any tricky maths or angles or whatever.


At the sides though, for some reason, it didn't occur to me to do this, and so I have a very ugly mess and a lot of tape. But it holds and so whatever. I've learnt for next time.


The mast is completely removable. I put a cardboard glad wrap roll in that the mast actually slips over. I did reinforce the middle board with some extra cardboard and paper towel rolls (what a great variety of cardboard stuff there is just from saving household recycling! Yay cardboard!). Now, the kids can climb over it with out it buckling.


The sail is a scrap bit of fabric from who knows where. I drilled all of the holes to put the PVC piping into the mast, because that cardboard roll was pretty durable. It was good to have power tool usage to make this boat I think. Anyway, beacuse it's all PVC and loops, the sail can collapse completely down and store inside the mast. The mast comes off too, so I can put the whole thing in storage under the house when the kids get board of it. Hooray!


I looked at it this morning and wondered if I should give it a coat of that red/maroon coloured paint that I did the sandpit lid with. Maybe. Sophie looked at it when it was done and asked me: "Will it float?" Priceless.

By Friday, I'm a little sad to say, the sticky tape was not doing an amazing job of holding everything together, so I got the drill out again and put holes in the sides and then sewed everything together with some twine stuff. Brown, so it matches the boat. That's my eye for colour showing there.


I think it worked really well. I used the really random needle that I've used to sew cardboard before. I even took a picture of it this time, so that you could all see what I'm talking about. I really have no idea what it's real purpose in life might be, but I think it works excellently as my cardboard needle.


This boat holds me and four children with room for pillows and toys. It takes up a good third of the lounge room. Sophie and Rachel like to sit in it and read books and watch Play School. Maybe one day, we will see if it floats. First thought, I feel it needs an anchor. And a crows nest. With a Jolly Rodger flag. Yes.

3 comments:

hey dad said...

Well done

hey dad said...

Well done Paula. The children enjoy your creations

MKT said...

Very cool!