Raingutter regatta
Encyclopedia
The raingutter regatta is a racing event for Cub Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America
that is the sailboat
equivalent of the pinewood derby
. 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
. 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
.
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
that is the sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
equivalent of the pinewood derby
Pinewood derby
The pinewood derby is a racing event for Cub Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America. Cub Scouts, with the help of parents, build their own cars from wood, usually from kits containing a block of pine, plastic wheels and metal axles...
. The sailboat kit consists of a seven-inch (178 mm) long balsa wood hull, a 6-1/2 inch mast, plastic sail
Sail
A sail is any type of surface intended to move a vessel, vehicle or rotor by being placed in a wind—in essence a propulsion wing. Sails are used in sailing.-History of sails:...
, plastic rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
, and metal keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
. 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
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
is an exceptionally fast design, although this modification is not allowed in all races.
Rain gutter
A rain gutter is a narrow channel, or trough, forming the component of a roof system which collects and diverts rainwater shed by the roof....
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
Drinking straw
A drinking straw is a short tube intended for transferring a beverage from its container to the mouth of the drinker by use of suction. A thin tube of plastic or other material, straight or with an accordion-like living hinge, it is employed by being held with one end in the mouth and another end...
; 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
Double-elimination tournament
A double-elimination tournament is a type of elimination tournament competition in which a participant ceases to be eligible to win the tournament's championship upon having lost two games or matches...
.
See also
- Space derbySpace derbyThe space derby is a racing event for Cub Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America that is similar to the pinewood derby car race. Cub Scouts race miniature balsa wood rockets that are propelled by a rubber band and propeller.-Construction:The space derby kit consists of a balsa wood block, propeller...
- Kon-Tiki (Scouting Event)Kon-Tiki (Scouting Event)Kon-Tiki refers to one of two annual Scout raft-building competitions, held in Cape Town and Gauteng in South Africa.Named after Thor Heyrdahl's Kon-tiki expedition of 1947, teams compete to build and live on a raft for a weekend. Support crew or "Fringe" teams compete in other, ground-based...
- Model yachtingModel yachtingModel yachting is the pastime of building and racing model yachts. It has always been customary for ship-builders to make a miniature model of the vessel under construction, which is in every respect a copy of the original on a small scale, whether steamship or sailing ship...
- Ship modelShip modelShip models or model ships are scale representations of ships. They can range in size from 1/6000 scale wargaming miniatures to large vessels capable of holding people....
- Radio-controlled boatRadio-controlled boat- Fun Sport :Electric Sport boats are the most common type of boat amongst casual hobbyists. Hobby quality boat speed generally start at around 20MPH and go up from there, and can be just as fast or faster than their internal combustion counterparts, with the latest in Lithium Polymer and Brushless...
- Bicycle rodeoBicycle rodeoA bicycle rodeo is a clinic that helps teach children the importance of riding a bicycle safely and what skills and precautions they need to develop to have a safe time on their bicycles.- The idea and the name :...