Local officials joined their borough's team for support during the race. Staten Island's team was the last to finish its kayak, but the first team to finish the race.

Up a Creek with Cardboard and a Paddle

Constanza Gallardo

WNYC News | Jul 16, 2015

Boathouses from all New York City boroughs and Hoboken built cardboard kayaks to race across a cove in Battery Park City Thursday — a soggy stunt to publicize a day of activities this weekend celebrating the city's waterfront heritage.

Team members built the kayaks at the marine from cardboard and tape.

(Constanza Gallardo/WNYC)

All teams had about two hours to draw the outlines of their kayak on the cardboard, cut them out and build. The last step was to cover all of the kayak's surface with tape to waterproof it.

The team from Brooklyn, the Sabago Canoe Club, modeled its kayak after the Titanic.

"But it's going to be stronger than the Titanic," one of the team's members, Laurie Blischsays, explained before the race.

She said the race means people can use New York waterways because they are cleaner than what they used to be years ago.

Friends of Brook Park team represented South Bronx. Ray Figueroa, the team leader, said it's important New Yorkers experience what it means to engage with water through these activities.

The Friends of Brook Park team represented the Bronx.

(Constanza Gallardo/WNYC)

The City of Water Day is an annual event put on by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, a group of waterfront-related businesses, nonprofits and other organizations.

Roland Lewis, the alliance's president, said day is a time to celebrate and remember the potential of the city's waterfront.

"There's still places where you still can't use the waterfront," says Lewis.

Harbor Lab from Long Island City covered their kayak with tape. Raymond Tan, one of the team members, said it doesn't matter if their kayak sinks, as long as they have fun.

HarborLab from Long Island City, Queens, covered their kayak with tape. Raymond Tan, one of the team members, said it didn't matter if their kayak sinks, as long as they have fun.

(Constanza Gallardo/WNYC)

Ray Figueroa, the leader of the Bronx team, said it is important New Yorkers experience what it means to engage with water through these activities. "We really don't have a waterfront like this in our community," Figueroa said. "So these activities are really important."

Today's cardboard kayak race was a small preview to Sunday's main event in Governor's Island, where 27 team will race with their own cardboard kayaks.

Thursday's kayak race was a small preview to a Saturday's main event on Governor's Island, where 27 teams will race with their own cardboard kayaks.

(Constanza Gallardo/WNYC)

Junior Leyva, the captain for the Bronx team, said the water was not as cold as he thought, and his team will definitely win next time.

On the return trip, the kayak from the Bronx team sunk.

(Constanza Gallardo/WNYC)

Out of six teams, only four made it across the marine and back safely. The Staten Island team won first place.

The Staten Island team, SI Kayak Adventurers, won first place. The "Titanic" came in third.

(Constanza Gallardo/WNYC)

Out of six teams, only four made it across the marine and back safely. "There was a hole in my boat. My team forgot to put duct tape and water got in the boat," said Junior Leyva, a member of one of the teams whose kayak sank. But he was smiling. "It's not cold. It's just perfect. Next time we're going to win."

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