QUICK ’n’ DIRTY BOAT-BUILDING CONTEST
October 18 & 19, 2025
133 Mabel Drive
Madisonville, LA 70447
(985) 845-9200
www.maritimemuseumlouisiana.org
The success of the Wooden Boat Festival is dependent on the help of dedicated participants. Please take this opportunity to sign up and help make the 2025 festival the best. We are grateful for your time and support of the Maritime Museum Louisiana.
The Quick ’n’ Dirty Boat Building Contest is a two-day fun-filled festival in & of itself. Up to 20 teams compete to be the
first to float to the finish line. The teams bring a Mardi Gras feel to the festival by picking themes, naming boats, & dressing up in costumes. The colorful boat parade & exciting boat contest highlight the event. Trophies are given for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd places in the contest and for “Best in Show.” There is also a Shipshape Award for construction and a “Subsurface Cruiser” for the crew who experiences “that sinking feeling”.
Terms and Conditions
Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served & space-available basis. The entry fee is $150.00. A team is generally made up of 4–6 members. The WBF Committee reserves the right to reject any application at their discretion. Participants must be approved by the WBF Committee. All entries must include signed crew waivers & completed team roster with shirt sizes before application will be approved by the WBF Committee. If accepted, each team member will be given one (1) Quick ’n’ Dirty t-shirt & a festival pass for each day of the festival. Any additional people must purchase tickets at the gate. Adult admission is $10.00. No crew member can participate without a signed Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement on file. Participants not following rules as listed will be asked to leave.
Boat owner agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Wooden Boat Festival, Maritime Museum Louisiana, Antique & Classic Boat Society Bayou Chapter, and Lake Pontchartrain Sail & Power Squadron for any loss or damage to property or for personal injury or injury that may occur as a result of participation in the Wooden Boat Festival. Boat owner ensures adequate liability insurance policy is in force and boat has current registration.
Construction Rules
1. Each crew has 14 hours to build a boat out of the material provided to them. The 14 hours takes place over 2 festival days. The start and end times are as scheduled unless otherwise informed by the Quick’n’Dirty Coordinator. Use of any form of power tools (including battery) outside the allotted timeframe will disqualify the offending team from receipt of any awards.
2. A 10′ x 20′ space will be staked and roped off with yellow caution tape for each team. The spots are “first come first serve”. The crew is advised to bring a multitude of extension cables with them to accommodate the varying distance to the nearest outlet.
a. The stakes are marked typically the Friday prior to the Festival weekend. Crews can place equipment or tents in a marked zone as early as that Friday.
3. Signage indicating the crew’s name and/or boat name may not have racial or sexually explicit connotations.
4. On the first day of the Festival, at the starting time, the supplies will be delivered by the Quick ‘n’ Dirty Team. These are the ONLY supplies that can be used in construction of the vessel for this competition. The only exception is paint – which is supplied by the crew.
5. Each crew must provide own ground cover, tools, work bench, sawhorses, safety gear, life jackets, etc. Any gear for water-faring that is not adequate will not be allowed to be used underway. This determination may be made by the QnD Team or the Coast Guard.
6. The boats must be constructed only with the materials provided; any outside materials not provided by the Q&D coordinator will not eliminate you from participating but will disqualify you from receiving any trophies or awards. Forbidden materials include additional fasteners such as washers, bolts, staples, dowels made of wood not supplied, and other like materials.
7. Participants must provide their own portable woodworking tools and any necessary safety equipment. All participants must know how to properly and safely operate their tools and equipment.
8. Teams must furnish their own tents (maximum of 10′ x 20′ tent), signage, tables, chairs, etc. Tents must be free-standing. For the safety of participants, tie-down lines cannot extend past the assigned space.
9. Children under 18 are not allowed in work area without adult supervision and Waiver of Liability form. Children under 18 are also restricted from being a member in the vessel during the contest.
10. No cooking of ANY kind is allowed.
11. No alcohol is allowed in the boat construction area.
12. No animals or pets are allowed on festival grounds. Any team in violation of this rule will be disqualified immediately. Team Captains please ensure that all your crew are aware of this rule.
13. Crews are responsible for clean-up of their work area and the removal of their boats.
14. Violation of any rules could result in disciplinary actions and/or disqualification.
15. The Festival strongly recommends and permits the use of latex based paint or stain for finish. The use of spray paint, rubberized coatings, lacquers, and oil paint is not permitted. Use of an unauthorized finish can result in disqualification of awards OR suspension of the crew from the contest. Any finish must be dry to the touch to go into the water.
16. There will be a parade procession from the boat work area to the launch area. Unless otherwise informed, the last in the parade is first in the water. Crews are advised to dress up and bring throws for the crowd. Post-Contest, all crews are advised to return to the work area for awards and closing ceremonies.
17. Parking of crew vehicles is to be determined by the QnD Coordinator. Any instructions about vehicle or trailer placement must be followed in a reasonable timeframe. This is for the safety of other crews, festival goers, and festival crew.
Course Rules
1. Each boat may have 1 or 2 crew members.
2. A U.S. Coast Guard-approved type III life jacket must be worn by each member during the launching and the contest.
3. Each crew is permitted 4 members to launch the boat on the dock.
4. All remaining crew members must vacate the dock immediately after launching.
5. The contest committee boat will sound a long blast and raise a flag at the starting line to begin the contest.
6. The contest course is approximately 200 yards in length from starting to contest buoy. One leg of the contest is a sailing leg; the other is a rowing or paddling leg. Wind direction on day of contest will determine the starting line.
7. The contest buoy is rounded to port (your left side).
8. The maximum mast height will be manually measured by the QnD Coordinator or other Festival Official the day prior to the contest.
9. During the sailing leg the use of an oar as a rudder is permitted – however paddling with an oar during the sailing leg will disqualify you from an award.
a. If the sailing leg is first, the mast may be up before the start of the contest, and you may useyour oar to position yourself at the starting line. Once the contest begins you will deploy the sail. Any attempt as using the oar for propulsion off the start will result in award disqualification.
b. If the sailing leg is last, the mast may be installed while rowing, but the sail must not be deployed. The sail must be fully deployed at the start of the second leg and be the only form of propulsion for that leg.
c. In the event of a material or engineering failure to where you are unable to complete a leg properly (lost oar or sail) then do your best to complete the contest. Determination of award exceptions will be made based on failure and attitude.
10. There is expected to be a mutual respect among participants during the contest in terms of the “rules of engagement”. Excessive force can disqualify a crew from an award.
11. There will be a starting and turning buoy for the race. All crews in the water must remain with their bow as close as behind the starting buoy as possible until the contest begins.
Timeline
Saturday October 19th
8:00 AM - Check in and pick up material, station assigned and set-up of equipment.
9:00 AM - Power turned ON---Start your saws!
6:00 PM - Power turned OFF---Stop building!
Sunday October 20th
9:00 AM - Power turned ON---Start your saws!
1:00 PM - Power turned OFF---Stop building!
1:00 PM to 1:45 PM - Prepare for parade and contest.
1:45 PM - Line up for parade.
2:00 PM - Boat parade leaves Museum parking lot on Mabel Drive down to Water Street.
3:00 PM (approx)- Boat contest begins.
4:30 PM - Trophy presentation on band stage in front of the Community Center.
BUILDING MATERIALS (provided by WBF)
(2½) - ¼″ x 4′ x 8′ plywood
(2) - 2″ x 4″ x 16′ lumber (fir)
(1) - 1″ x 6″ x 8′ lumber (pine)
(1) - 2″ x 10″ x 32″ lumber (pine)
(1) lb - 1¼″ drywall screws
(1) lb - 2″ drywall screws
(¼) lb - 3″ drywall screws
(2) - tubes panel adhesive
(1) - 6′ x 8′ blue tarp
(50)’ - 5/16″ rope