RAINGUTTER REGATTA

I just love this idea and am pulling it together for the school holidays.

Although I am cheating and buying wooden boat kits, but the children (and grown ups)

can still sand, glue and decorate them.

Free printable raingutter regatta invitation

(right click, save and print)

The raingutter regatta is a racing event for Cub Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America.

The sailboat kit consists of :

a seven-inch (178 mm) long balsa wood hull,

a 6-1/2 inch mast,
plastic sail,

plastic rudder,

and metal keel.

(our boats are a different kit so the design is different

but I figured as long as they are all the same shape it's ok.)

and the sail will be a different shape as so to blow behind them

Within the basic design rules, Scouts are free to paint and decorate their sailboats as they choose. Modifications for speed include the placement of the keel and rudder and the size, shape and location of the sail.

A catamaran is an exceptionally fast design, although this modification is not allowed in all races.

photo and rules source from here

The boats are raced in a standard rain gutter that is ten feet long, placed on a table or saw horses, and filled to the top with water.

The boats are propelled by blowing on the sail, either directly or through a drinking straw;

the boat cannot be touched with hands or the straw.

The first boat to reach the end of the gutter is the winner.

The overall winner is determined by an elimination system.

 

Oh what ship am I to sail:

The Black Pearl
The Flying Dutchman
HMS Endevour