Official Rules:
- Hull may be no longer than 7 inches and not shorter than 6 1/2 inches.
- Mast should measure 6 1/2 inches from desk to mast.
- The sail should be no longer than the material supplied in the kit.
- There is no restriction on color or design.
- Boats must be made from the BSA Rain gutter Regatta kits. However the materials supplied in the kit can be modified and added to somewhat.
- The hull, mast, and sail provided in the kit must be used, however, they can be modified.
- The keel and rudder must be used without modification.
- The sail may be glued to the mast or held in place in some other fashion.
- Boys, when called to race, place boat in gutter and place one hand in front of their sail holding the boat back against the end of the gutter, they hold the straw in their mouths with the other hand and get ready to blow on the word “GO” from the judges.
- Racing will be double elimination. You must lose twice to be eliminated from further competition.
- When racing boys are allowed to “upright” their boats with their hands, but, can not push the boats forward when doing so. We will give one warning and run the particular race over if one boy pushes his boat ahead AND that boat wins. We will have to eliminate a boy from racing if he pushes his boat on the restart of a race. We don’t want to eliminate a boy from racing.
Tips:
- The lighter the boat, the faster it will go. However it can be less stable.
- Blowing is typically not a matter of how hard, but how straight.
- Consistent blowing is better than large puffs.
- Ensure your sail is at least 1/2 “ off the deck of the boat and clip or round the bottom corners of the sail. These measures ensure that the sail does not rub against the side of the gutter which can cause the boat to drag or get hung.
- The flatter the hull the more stable the boat will be. Stability is a key to winning the race.
- Some have had success in placing a groove in the bottom of the boat to help keep the boat going straight.