The raingutter regatta is a Cub Scouting annual event in the United States of America that is the sailboat equivalent of the pinewood derby. The sailboat kit consists of a seven-inch long balsa wood hull, a 6-1/2 inch mast, plastic sail, plastic rudder, and metal keel. 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.
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. — Wikipedia
Rules:
- Raingutter Regatta Rules - Pack 435 [DOC]
- Raingutter Regatta Rules - Pack 902 [PDF]
- Rules for Raingutter Regatta - Pack 135 [PDF]
- Instructions for Building a Rain Gutter Course and Mounting Stand [PDF]
# Boats must be made from the BSA Raingutter Regatta kits
# Hull: No longer than 7″ or shorter than 6 1/2″
# No wider than 3 1/2 inches
# Mast: No taller than 6 1/2″ from deck to top
# Keel: Supplied in kit
# Rudder: Supplied in kit
# Sail: Supplied in kit
# Additional decals, paint and glue are permitted
# The materials supplied in the kit can be modified within the restrictions & limitations.
Raingutter regatta kits:
- Raingutter Regatta® Kit BSA Supply [www.scoutstuff.org]
- Pinewood Racing Car and Derby Supplies
- Raingutter Regatta [Raingutter Regatta - World Class Boats]
- Construction Kits - Raingutter Regatta [Hobbylinc]
References:
[1] Raingutter regatta [Wikipedia]
[2] Rain Gutter Regatta [Buckskin Council BSA]
[3] What is a SailBoat Race? [www.pinecar.com]
[4] Raingutter Regatta - World Class Boats [Raingutter Regatta]
[5] All About Fast Breath Powered Boats [Lastufka Labs]
[6] Make the ultimate raingutter regatta racer [Boyslife.org]
