.
The key to paddling a boat made of cardboard across 200 yards of water?
“Simple works better,” said Tyler James.
That was the strategy followed by James and her crew mates Patrick Kelly and Caleb Clark. They finessed their cardboard craft, “The Shark,” acr
oss the bay at Tomah’s Winnebago Park Monday as part the annual cardboard boat competition conducted by Tomah Middle School 8th-grade science teacher Larry Fritz.
It will be the middle school’s last flotilla across Lake Tomah; Fritz will retire at the end
of the school year.
“It’s hard to say good-bye,” Fritz said. “This project has become so much more than a science project. You saw how many people were involved out there.”
Fritz began the project 10 years ago after getting the idea from the Internet. Besi
des teaching scientific principles such as buoyancy and water displacement, Fritz said the project teaches teamwork and creativity. For the team of James, Kelly and Clark, teamwork started in the driveway at the home of James’ mother, Linda James. They spe
nt two hours the day before the competition with cardboard, duct tape, paint and sealant — the only materials allowed.
“We want a pentagon shape,” said James as she wielded scissors and duct tape. “You can’t make the sides too big. If you do, you can’t pad
dle.”
Their creation resembled a conventional small fishing boat with a V-shaped front and flat rear. They rejected a cloth mast or hood ornament.
Clark said they had plenty of incentive to build a good boat that floats.
“If it sinks, we’ll be made fun of
until the school year ends,” Clark said.
Five days later, the trio made it across the bay when many of their peers did not. Their longer, sleeker design turned out to be more effective than the square boats with higher sides.
Still, “The Shark” proved to
be cramped quarters. James sat in the middle and had difficulty finding room to put her paddle in the water.
To complicate matters, their boat was splashed by a crew member of a boat that sank two entries earlier.
“I didn’t think we would make it,” James s
aid. “I was screaming.”
Fortunately, James’ crew mates were more confident.
“I had confidence we could make it,” Kelly said. “I knew we had a good boat.”
Added Clark: “Tyler was freaking out, especially after we got attacked, but I told her we would make i
t.”
The only thing Clark would have done differently is not wear some of his favorite clothes.
“Don’t wear jeans and a t-shirt when going across a dead-fish filled lake,” he said.
In retrospect, James also agreed there was no reason their boat shouldn’t h
ave completed its journey.
“It’s the shark — it’s supposed to swim like that,” she said.
Safety was a big part of the project. There was a motor boat monitoring all 31 teams, and students were required to wear lifejackets.
Fritz was grateful for the commun
ity help, including the cardboard donated by Toro and permission from Don & Pat Tralmer to use their boat dock.
“As science teachers, we try so many different things — some work, some don’t” he said. “This one has has evolved into a neat community activity
.”
.
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
