Last week in North Carolina, participants in a "build-your-own-boat" competition went viral for their uniquely designed vessel.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center hosts the competition annually. Participants in the competition build their boats, and then have them tested in one of the center's rapid simulators. Whitewater enthusiasts travel from far and wide to come to the competition, to test their homemade boats and compete for prizes.
According to Whiskey Riff, the boats themselves vary widely in shape and style. Some boats are inflatables, while others are highly-engineered crafts. This year's show has gained plenty of popularity in online discourse after one of the competing boats went viral for its creative makeup.
An extra-large Bojangles box-shaped boat was shockingly sturdy, and performed well in the rapid simulator. Moreover, the boat's presentation as a real Bojangles box brought with it plenty of eyeballs. Bojangles is of course a popular fast-food chicken chain restaurant, and moreover, it originated in North Carolina.
The North Carolina home crowd quickly took to the Bojangles boat. Notably, the boat itself performed very well in the rapid simulator. The performance was all the more impressive, as the vessel really did resemble the Bojangles box in an uncanny manner.
@katie_did_it30 US National White Water Center - Build your own boat event! #bojangles #wwc #charlottenc #charlotte #wwcbyob
Bojangles-Themed Boat Goes Viral After Competing in North Carolina
With the sudden viral success from the box-themed boat, it is fair to wonder if the U.S. Whitewater Center and its "build-your-own-boat" competition is prime for an influx of themed boats in the coming years. While Bojangles is certainly successful regardless of this viral moment, the organic marketing provided is undoubtedly welcome.
In a world where attention is currency, opportunities to grab eyeballs are extremely valuable to companies. Seeing the overnight success of the Bojangles box boat, maybe other fast-food chains are searching for their own teams to sponsor for next year's competition. One would think a "Cookout"-themed boat would enjoy its moment in the sun, if such a oat was built for next year.
Regardless, the Bojangles box boat of 2024 will go down as a trailblazer. Fearlessly, its captains took it to water, and together, they all performed respectfully.
