Guidelines
a)	The Cub Scout must make all boats, however parental help is welcome.
b)	All boats must have original kit parts, no substitutions or additions other than decorations.
c)	All boys will use a straw provided by the pack at the race to blow his sailboat down the track. No hands may touch the boat during the race, except to right a sunken or tipped boat.
d)	If the sailboat tips over, the boy may right the boat and place it in the exact same spot it tipped over, not ahead. If this is not followed, out of fairness to the rest of the boats, the boat will be disqualified. Judges have the right to rerun questionable races.
e)	Judges will have the final say, remember this is not life or death, and they are just volunteers, have fun and do it with grace!
	Ground Rules
a)	The race is open to all Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts registered to Pack 34.
b)	Each scout may enter only one boat in the competition. Several boats may be constructed but only one may be registered and raced.
c)	The boat must have been built during the current year (the school year in which the Regatta is held). Boats that have competed in a previous regatta are not permitted.
d)	If a boat becomes damaged and can be repaired in a reasonable amount of time (a few minutes), the race will be run again. Added non-functional decorations that fall off during competition will NOT be reattached during racing.
	Competition
a)	Scouts will race with other scouts from their same rank. Tigers will only race Tigers, etc. There will also be a Pack champion determined by a run off of the winners of each den.
b)	The race will involve two 10-foot lengths of rain gutter filled with water
c)	The race begins once the official starter has placed the competing boats against the back wall of the gutter and commands the scouts to "GO!"
d)	On the starter's command, the scouts will blow into the sail of their boat in order to advance them through the water. The boat can only be propelled by blowing into the sail. Once the race has started, the scout CANNOT touch his boat with his hands.
e)	If a capsized or stuck boat is righted, or a scout's face, lips, hat, nose or other body part touches the boat, the boat must be returned, by the scout, to the starting position to continue racing.
f)	The first boat to cross the finish line is the winner of that heat. The finish line official will have the final and only say in determining the winner of that heat.
	Boat Specifications
	Boats must be made from the BSA Rain gutter Regatta kits. However, the materials supplied in the kit can be modified or added to somewhat. The hull, mast, keel, rudder and sail provided in the kit must be used in the boat construction. Sails cannot be enlarged, but can be decorated. No other form of propulsion besides the sail is allowed.
a)	Hull: No longer than 7" or shorter than 6-1/2". The boat body CANNOT be wider than 2-1/2". The boat must remain a single hull boat using the supplied hull wood. Multi-hull catamarans and boats with stabilizing out-riggers are not allowed.
b)	Mast: 6-1/2" from deck to top
c)	Sail: Supplied in kit, may be trimmed but not enlarged or added to.
d)	The mast hole, keel and rudder layout specifications given in the BSA kit are for informational purposes only and alternative placements are allowed.
e)	Decorations such as sailors, cannons, etc. may be added. All such decorations must be firmly fastened to the boat, and may not be placed in such a manner as to change the boat dimensions as listed above.
	Inspection and Registration
a)	Each boat must pass a technical inspection and be registered before it may compete. Technical inspection and registration of boats begins 30 minutes before race time for each session.
b)	Registration cutoff will be at the designated race time. Boats that have not registered by the cutoff deadline will not race.
c)	Ungentlemanly or unsportsmanlike conduct by any participant or spectator will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/or the race area.
	Rewards and Recognition
a)	The most important values in Rain gutter Regatta competition are parent/son participation, good sportsmanship and learning how to follow rules. The Awards Committee is responsible for recognizing and encouraging these qualities in addition to traditional racing awards.
b)	Every participating Scout will receive a Rain gutter Regatta participation ribbon.
c)	Boats from each rank may be awarded appearance awards. Judges will award creativity and workmanship. Awards include Most Colorful, Most Original, and Captain's Choice.
d)	Medals will be awarded to the first, second and third-place finishers in each Den. There will also be a first, second and third-place for the Pack.
	Boat Assembly
a)	Shaping the boat: DO NOT round the sides of the hull. The bottom of the hull MUST be as flat a possible to maximize stability. A streamlined looking boat is almost always top heavy and capsizes. Any gouges can be repaired with spackle or latex caulk (sandable).
b)	Keel & Rudder: Sand the edges and the bottom front corner with the sandpaper used above. Use epoxy or hot glue to install into the slot at the bottom of the hull.
c)	Mast: Point one end of each using the sand paper, Install mast by twisting into boat body approx. 2 to 2-1/2" from bow (front of boat) in the center side to side. Remove and then glue back into place.
d)	Sail: Cut a slanted slot into mast with a pocket knife about 3/4" from the top. Either glue the sail into it, or attach with masking tape. Attach bottom of sail in a similar manner. The bottom edge of the sail needs to be about 1/2 inch above the deck of the boat. If the sail was too low, the corners of the sail rub against the gutter or dips in the water. If the sail was too high the boat is top heavy and tends to tip over.
e)	Painting: Sailboat body MUST BE PAINTED 24HRS BEFORE RACING. Use "Krylon" spray paint -- it dries to sandable in about one minute on the balsa wood hulls.
	Sportsmanship
	Two things the Rain gutter Regatta requires each participant to learn are 1) the craft skills necessary to build a boat and 2) the rules that must be followed. Even more important, though, is how we act and behave while participating in the Rain gutter Regatta or any other group activity. This is called sportsmanship.
	The first thing to remember about sportsmanship is that everyone's skills is a little different. You may be good at something like singing or drawing, but not as good at something else like basketball or computers. Parents have different skill levels, too. This doesn't mean that you are a good person one time and not good another time. You can always be a good person, whether or not you have good boat-building skills. Remember, you and your friends are individuals first and racers second. This idea is often called having respect for others. The second thing to remember is to follow the rules. Without rules, there would be no Rain gutter Regatta. You will never know if you are really good at doing something unless you follow the rules. This is often called being honest. The third thing to remember about good sportsmanship is that there are winners and losers in every competition. You accept this when you choose to compete. There may be times when you win and feel happy, and times when you lose and feel unhappy. Being a winner is easy, and losing is sometimes hard. If you win, you must not brag or gloat. If you lose, you must not feel jealous or bitter. To be a good sportsman, you must be able to say, "I did my best" and be satisfied with the results. You must also be able to appreciate and feel happy for someone else when he runs a good race or build a neat boat.