The life of a pumpkin boat begins with a special seed. You can’t grow a giant pumpkin with a regular pumpkin seed. You need one that came from another giant pumpkin. Giant pumpkin seeds are larger than other pumpkin seeds, but they are still just a few centimeters long.

These seeds are planted in the spring. As their pumpkins grow, farmers give them a lot of care—and water. A giant pumpkin might soak up as much as 150 gallons of water per day! The pumpkins need shade during the day and warmth at night. That’s why many farmers even cover their pumpkins with blankets. (Sweet dreams, pumpkin!)

Giant pumpkins don’t typically end up perfectly round. As they grow, they get squashed under their own weight, making them flat on one side. The pumpkins grow for about seven months. By October, they can weigh almost 2,000 pounds. Then they’re ready to become boats.

A pumpkin boat starts with a seed. It’s not a normal pumpkin seed. It’s a special one. It’s a seed from another giant pumpkin. These seeds are bigger than other pumpkin seeds. But they’re still small. They’re just a few centimeters long.

Farmers plant the seeds in spring. The seeds grow into pumpkin plants. Farmers give them a lot of care. They also give them a lot of water. A giant pumpkin plant might need 150 gallons a day! The pumpkins need shade during the day. And they need to be warm at night. That’s why many farmers cover their pumpkins. They tuck them in with blankets. Sweet dreams, pumpkins!

Big pumpkins aren’t as round as small ones. They get squashed as they grow. It’s because they’re so heavy. That makes them flat on one side. They take about seven months to reach full size. They can be almost 2,000 pounds. They’re ready in October. Then they can become boats.

Two days before race day, the racers begin building their boats. It’s sort of like carving a giant jack-o’-lantern. I spent the day with a racer named Jaja Martin as she worked on her pumpkin. She has participated in the Pumpkin Regatta every year for more than 10 years.

It’s easier to stay afloat in a pumpkin boat that’s balanced. But Martin’s boat was smaller and more lopsided than she wanted. She would have to make it work!

It’s two days before the race. It’s time to build the boats. It’s like carving a big jack-o’-lantern. Jaja Martin was making her pumpkin boat. I spent the day with her. She enters the race every year. She’s raced more than 10 times.

Martin’s boat was heavier on one side. That would make it less balanced. And it was smaller than she liked. But she would have to make it work!

Martin first cut a hole in the flat side of her pumpkin. The hole had to be big enough for her to climb inside. But it couldn’t be too big. Then water would splash inside and fill up the boat. When the boat fills with water, it becomes too unbalanced and tips over. That would make the paddler fall out!

Pumpkin boats can float because they are less dense than the water around them. That water pushes up on the boats with a buoyant force that’s stronger than the downward pull of the boats’ weight (see Staying Afloat).

Martin painted her pumpkin bright pink. Then she scooped out the pulp and seeds. She also scraped out the insides to make the pumpkin lighter. Finally, Martin painted details and added googly eyes. She let me climb into it, and it felt sturdy and strong. I almost forgot I was in a pumpkin!

Martin first cut a hole in her pumpkin. She needed to fit in the hole. That way she could climb in her boat. But the hole couldn’t be too big. Then water would get in. It could fill up the boat. That could make it unbalanced. It would tip over. And Martin would fall out!

Here’s why a pumpkin boat floats. Its weight is spread out. That means it is less dense than the water. The water around it creates a buoyant force. It pushes up on the boat. It’s stronger than the boat’s weight. The weight pulls the boat down (see Staying Afloat).

Martin painted her pumpkin. She chose bright pink. She took out the seeds. She also took out the flesh. That made the pumpkin lighter. Then she added details. They included googly eyes. She let me climb in. It felt sturdy. I almost forgot I was in a pumpkin!

On race day, I got up early and went to the Damariscotta River. People lined up along the shore to watch.

Large cranes lowered the pumpkin boats into the water. The water was cold that day, but the racers were used to it. They climbed in and grabbed their paddles. HONK! A horn went off, and the race began! The racers had to paddle out to a buoy and back.

At first, Martin was doing great. But then . . . SPLASH! Her boat tipped over, and she fell into the river. She wasn’t surprised. “It started to tip before I got into the boat,” she says. “I had to use a lot of my strength to keep it up.”

It’s race day. I got up early. I went to the river. People lined up along the shore. They were there to watch the race.

Cranes picked up the boats. They put them in the water. The water was cold. But the racers didn’t mind. They got their paddles. They climbed in their boats. HONK! A horn went off. The race began! The racers had to paddle out to a buoy. Then they had to paddle back.

Martin did great at first. But then, SPLASH! Her boat tipped over. She fell into the river. She wasn’t surprised. “It started to tip before I got into the boat,” she says. “I had to use a lot of my strength to keep it up.”

Martin swam to shore, laughing and waving to the crowd. There were a few more races after Martin’s. In one, the boat builders even attached motors to their pumpkins!

Some boats tipped over, and some stayed afloat. But we all had fun. Now that I know the secrets—and science—behind making the perfect pumpkin boat, I want to try it. See you next year, racers!

Martin swam to shore. She was laughing. She waved to the crowd. There were a few more races after that. One race even had pumpkins with motors!

Some boats tipped over. Some stayed afloat. But we all had fun. Now I know how to make the perfect pumpkin boat. And I learned the science behind the race. I want to try it. See you next year, racers!