Cub Scout parents and the Raingutter Regatta

[Happy Chooks]

How does your Raingutter Regatta work?

Our "leadership" has made the rules so restrictive this year that it's not even a competition anymore. It will just come down to luck at who wins. You can no longer customize your boat other than paint/stickers. It has to look like the boat on the picture of the box.

This change comes because a bunch of complainers last year. We've used our design for 4 years without any trouble until last year. So instead of having a true competition, we have to make everyone's boats the same.

I think it's ridiculous and tells the children, sorry but your boat is too good, so we have to build a lesser boat so it's "fair".

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If there having a issue with the parents making the boats then I understand the rule but not to restrict the kids themselves.


We never did the boats. Just cars.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sorry, double post.

 

[Happy Chooks]

It's a joint effort with my husband and my kids. The kids do quite a bit of work on them, but my husband came up with the design.

On the cars, we see several every year that you can tell the kids never laid a finger on. But it's okay, as long as they don't win too much.

It started several years ago, that someone won with a catamaran style. So it was determined that was unfair and we were told no catamarans. Now my kids boats have been outlawed - they were hydrofoil's with a low sail on the deck of the boat. Both the kids have won, but not every year. My oldest blew wrong on it last year and tipped it over.

Now they are saying the sail has to be 1/2 inch above the deck of the boat, and you cannot shape the hull at all.

 

[Carols Clucks]

My guess is the issue is that too many dad's are too competitive building their sons boat.

It is too bad they do not allow color changes, stickers etc, that is silly


Back in the day..... one of the dads in my group would totally engineer a pinewood derby car. He studied various designs, aerodynamics, the weights and placements. He about had a FIT when my sons self designed car won. He grabbed it out of his hands to inspect sure something "illegal" must have been done to it and "accidentally" dropped it handing it back (knocking a wheel off)

Parents like that one forget it is about the boys feeling good in building something and racing it and only see winning as a personal accomplishment. Chances are at some level in your scouting group you have a similar parent and they felt the need to level the playing field

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I still have all my cars. Built an designed by me an my brother. I didn't much care for the dads I was competing with.

 

[calicokat]

It's been several years since DS did the cars, but I remember that we had some heats after the official races that were for family. That way dads, moms or whoever wanted to build their own awesome car could, and then could compete with the other non-scouts. It did seem to help some

 

[PineappleMama]

Back when DS did his it was anything goes basically... he chose a Cowboys theme...

We did our regatta as part of a weekend campout... We had two 'raingutters' two kids at a time, blow blow blow... interesting when the wind kicked up... even MORE interesting when the wind reversed... those poor kids nearly hyperventilated... everyone had a blast, and there were so many different designs... instructions and suggestions were given... and those that didn't follow them ended up with boats that wouldn't stay up, etc... lesson learned... overall just a FUN experience to be had by all.

Now Pinewood, 'nother story, they do weigh ins and such on that one to make sure all's fair... but again, colors, etc all your choice.

Odds are it was parents whining/kids whining because they didn't win that made your race what it is today... so if enough parents/kids complain the other way then maybe it can be reversed.

Ohhh point in favor... how can you prevent mixing up the boats if they're all identical? And if you can't be 100% sure which is which how can you declare a winner... so what's the point in racing? May as well stay home... eh... might work?

It it was me, I'd prolly just let my kid do what he wants to his boat... and I'd encourage all other parents to do the same... if Everyone is disqualified then you may as well race right?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Sure with I knew what a raingutter regatta was...

 

[PineappleMama]

Regatta = Boat Race + Raingutters instead of lake/ocean

Boat kit with a hunk of (balsa?) wood, a stick and a plastic sail, rudder... etc... you sand and such to make a little simple sailboat.... in ours you paint as you like...

Then you get your raingutters... ours were... what 10 feet? Metal troughs... maybe 6" wide and deep? Kids start at one end and blow into the sail to move the boat to the other end... elimination to get a champion.