A Brief History of the World Championship Cardboard Boat Races…
In 1987 Peggy Reeder, then vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Pat Zellmer, owner of the local newspaper began to look for ideas to create an event for the Greers Ferry Lake area. The idea grew out of the need to bring more tourism to the area. Pat Zellmer had come upon the idea of a Cardboard Boat Regatta. A boat, literally, made out of cardboard and not much more. The challenge was to design and build a person powered boat made of corrugated cardboard which was capable of completing four heats around a 200-yard semicircle course. The idea went over well in Heber Springs, Arkansas that spring and the two ladies put together a Special Events Team. An event on the lake was the “Natural Choice” since Greers Ferry Lake is over 40,000 acres and nestled in the beautiful Ozark Foothills. Harold Reeder, the husband of Peggy Reeder conducted seminars on how to build a cardboard boat. The event became very competitive as local industry and the businesses of Heber Springs began to build their boats.
For more information go to World Championship Cardboard Boat Races
