Rain Gutter Regatta

The Rain Gutter Regatta is a racing event for Cub Scouts that is the sailboat equivalent of our Pinewood Derby. In Pack 825, we hold our rain gutter regatta every March. It gives Cub Scouts a chance to make a model sailboat and race it with others at their grade level.

Every participating Scout must design and build a sailboat from recyclable materials. Within the basic design rules, Scouts are free to paint and decorate their sailboats.

The boats are raced in a standard 10-foot-long rain gutter on a table 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 by the Scout's hands or the straw. Each Scout is timed by an adult, and the sailboat that reaches the end of the gutter the fastest is the winner.

Modifications for speed include the placement of the keel and rudder and the size, shape, and location of the sail.

Rain Gutter Regatta design rules:

• Boats must be made from recycled materials found in your home.
• In order to fit the boat in the gutter, boats may not have a width greater than 3.5 inches.
• Good materials for your boat include water bottles, milk cartons, styrofoam, juice boxes, pool noodles, wooden skewers, aluminum foil, etc.
• The boats will be "Scout Powered," meaning that the Scouts will propel their boats solely by using the air they blow out of their mouths. Many use straws to focus the air in one place to help their boat race faster.