It wasn't as if they were building a nuclear warship; still, it would have been nice if someone would have read the specifications before building the boat.

It would have saved a lot of duct tape."Hey," said Addison Miller, 7, as members of her family worked to construct two cardboard boats so they could race them in the inaugural Sweet Arrow Lake Cardboard Boat Race."It says here in the directions that the boat can be no longer than 7 feet, and no wider than 5 feet."Oops. Their painstakingly constructed boat, which took them four hours to build, was 9 feet long. No worries. In the case of cardboard boats, modifications are easy. All you need is a utility knife, more duct tape, and a boatload of patience."We just kind of went for it," Logan Beard said.Logan, his wife Chelsea, his niece Addison and his brother-in-law Sam Echevarria got together in the Beards' garage and held their first boat-building party. Addison had read about the events on the Facebook page for Sweet Arrow Lake. Each cardboard boat had to carry a two-person team. They are all from the Lykens and Halifax areas in Schuylkill County.The event was called Kayaks, Canoes, and Boats, OH MY! Participants had their choice of participating in a slalom race, endurance race (around the inside perimeter of the lake), sprint race or cardboard boat race. Paddlers could use a kayak or canoe. The Schuylkill Haven Hose Co. Dive Rescue and Recovery Team provided support. The event was free and open to the public as participants and spectators.Craig Morgan, now retired, who headed the Schuylkill County Conservation District, is now president of the board of directors for Sweet Arrow Lake Park, and also on the advisory board for the Schuylkill County Sportsman's Association."We're so glad you came today," Morgan said to Logan and Chelsea Beard, Addison Miller and Sam Echevarria. "This is definitely one of the highlights of the day."Volunteer Brad Fessler, who teaches technology at Pine Grove High School, positioned a buoy 50 yards away from shore. The cardboard boaters had to make it out and back, around the buoy. Spectators lined the shore as the Beards set off in the red, white and blue patriotic-themed boat. Finding their cardboard paddles useless, they used their hands and made surprisingly good progress.Next, Miller and Echevarria pushed off, with help from Jim Beard, her grandfather from Williamstown. Despite some gunwale-challenging tips, they managed to stay afloat and also complete the course. Their time was 1:09; while the first team completed the course in 1:06.Rematch?"We had fun making the boats and decorating them," Logan Beard said. "I can see this becoming something we do every year."