Rain Gutter Regatta Rules

Pack 129

Recycled Rain Gutter Regatta 

“A Scout is Thrifty” 

Preliminary Races:   Sunday, November 2, 2025, During Den Meetings

Pack Championship Races and Best in Show:   Sunday, November 16, 2025, During the Pack Meeting

Event Scope & Guidance

Scouts will build their boats at home using recycled materials rather than a prefabricated kit. There are a lot of ideas for boat builds on the internet if you need some inspiration. 

The scouts should design and build their boats as much on their own as is age and individual ability appropriate.

Event Format

• Races will be conducted in two gutters of equal length filled with water. 

• Scouts will use fire bellows to “blow” the sails for the boats to move.

• Scouts will race against other Scouts in their Den for the preliminary races.

• The competitions will be run as a double-elimination bracket tournament. 

• 1st place winners from each den will compete in Pack Championships.

• Best in Show awards will be chosen by adults and awarded at Pack Championships.

Boat Specifications

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS: Boats must be made from trash, recycled, and/or scrap items. Materials such as scrap plastic, foam, wood, and 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. 

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, but 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! 

Preliminary Race During Den Meetings. 

*Please plan to arrive a few minutes early. We will need a few minutes to get all the boats onto the bracket before the races can begin. It is also extremely important that you do not arrive late since once we get started with a den’s races, it is difficult to make changes to the brackets.*