Recycled Regatta

Event Scope & Guidance

The RECYCLE RAINGUTTER REGATTA is a parent-scout project. Please feel free to give guidance and minimal assistance, appropriate to the age of your Scout, as they build their Recycled Regatta boat. The younger scouts may need more assistance, whereas, the older Webelos may not need any. This is a chance for you & your scout to be part of a team (during boat construction) and then to enjoy the spirit of friendly competition with their peers. Scouts are encouraged to build their boats at home and bring them to the event. There are a ton of ideas for boat builds on the internet if you need some design inspiration! 

Participation Rules The competition is open to all registered Scouts in Pack 995. The Scouts will race within their Dens. Each participant may enter one boat in the competition. The boat must have been built during the current scouting year. 

Event Format Races will be conducted in two rain gutters of equal length filled with water. Scouts will race against other Scouts in their Den. The competition will be run as a single elimination tournament.

Boat Specifications 

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS: Boats must be made from trash, recycled, and/or scrap items. Materials such as scrap plastic, foam, wood, cardboard, are all applicable. Get creative! No Motors or any other propulsion method is allowed other than the air that the scout blows into the sail. 

A few ideas...

Hulls: juice boxes, slabs of foam insulation, 8-ounce water bottles, 20-ounce soda bottles, Capri Sun pouches, Popsicle sticks (to create a raft design)

Masts: straws, skewers, small dowels, pencils

Sails: construction paper, index cards, cut-up cereal boxes, small chip bags, Capri Sun pouches

But not so much with these: newsprint and other materials that can get waterlogged, and thick pieces of foam, which stick to the gutters and make a mess when broken.

SHIP SIZE SPECS: The following specs must be adhered to – all finished boats must fit within these parameters, mainly so that they will fit in the rain gutters and won’t tip.

 Length – The finished boat must be no longer than 8″ max. 

Width – The finished boat must be less than 3-1/2″ wide. Any outriggers must fit within the overall width of 3-1/2”

 Depth – The gutters are 3” deep, so your boat must float and fit accordingly. Keels and dagger-boards are acceptable just make sure they won’t drag the bottom. 

Mast Height – the mast may not be higher than 7” from the deck. The “deck” is the flat part of the boat, where the mast is attached. Multiple masts on a single boat are allowed. 

Sails – The sail should also not extend beyond the overall width of 3-1/2” for it may hang up on the rain gutter. 

SHIP NAME: BE SURE TO PUT A NAME ON THE BOAT (and the Scouts’ name). A boat without a name is bad luck – plus, we need some means of identification for the race. “S.S.” denotes “sailing ship” – other historical or military designations (“U.S.S” or “H.M.S”) are allowed so have fun with it! 

Competition Upon the scout’s arrival, they’ll need to register their boat with their den race officials. It will be quickly measured and compared against the Construction & Size Specs. The boat will also be submitted to a buoyancy test to see if it floats. (We HIGHLY recommend that you test your craft at home before bringing it to the regatta.) Once registered, the boat will be impounded into the Race Marina. After that, only the race officials and the scout may touch their boats. Any person touching another scout’s boat may be subject to disciplinary action including possible expulsion from the event. The race begins once the scout has placed the competing boats against the back wall of the gutter and race official commands the Scouts to “GO!” On the starter’s command, the Scouts will blow into the sail of their boat using a pack provided straw in order to advance them through the water. The boat can only be propelled by blowing into the sail. If a boat capsizes or becomes stuck, the participant may only correct the issue by blowing (they cannot touch the boat unless instructed by the race official). Once the race is started; the boat may not be touched, unless instructed by the race official. A time penalty may be incurred if the boat is touched. This predetermined time delay will be at the discretion of the race official. The scout must wait this time before starting to blow into the sail again. The first boat to impact the end of the Raingutter with its nose will be considered the winner of that heat. The finish line official will have the final and ONLY say in determining the winner of that heat. If the finish line official determines the race to have finished in a tie, that heat will be immediately re-run. If a boat becomes damaged – and upon the race officials’ permission – the Scout may be allotted a short span of time to make (reasonable) repair to the boat before the next race. Time will be determined by the race official ONLY. Ungentlemanly or Un-Sportsman like conduct WILL NOT be tolerated from any participant or SPECTATOR and will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/or race area. All decisions by race officials are FINAL. Remember this is a friendly sporting competition. 

Rewards and Recognition The Cub Scout Motto is not “Win, Win, Win”. It’s “DO YOUR BEST.” If you “Do your best” designing, building, painting, and racing your boat, you are already a winner! SPORTSMANSHIP and FUN are the main objectives for the Scouts and all to enjoy. The most important values in Recycle Rain Gutter Regatta competition are parent/scout participation, good sportsmanship and learning how to follow rules. Award ribbons will be presented for the First, Second and Third place finishers in each Den. 

Good Luck & Have Fun!