Running the Raingutter Recommendation

[83Eagle 11]

I'm looking for a recommendation on running the raingutter.

 

After running a "just for fun" regatta the past few years with dwindling participation, everyone wanted to try a competitive regatta this year to shake things up. So that decision is already made.

 

The parameters we have to run under is that we are awarding 1st-3rd place ribbons for each den and then trophies for Pack winners. Those are already purchased.

 

I'm looking for something that's not as formal as the PWD. Ideally we'd like to find a way for the kids to just race and race until they fell over and then find a way to declare a winner.

 

I've read about the "ticket" system in some of the PWD threads, so that might work, but I'm not sure how to apply it to the den/pack structure we've already decided on.

[SeattlePioneer 144]

I've had success with certificates:

 

http://www.dyetub.com/certificates/scouting/cub/

 

 

You can use one of these templates and customize it for the Raingutter Regatta. If you don't have a color printer, black and white on colored paper is good.

 

I put the certificate in a plastic sheet protector and encourage boys to save it in their Cub Scout Scrapbook.

 

The certificate uses the top half of a page.

 

I encourage boys to set up who they want to race against and the winner of each race gets a star to add to their certificate for each win.

 

You can recognize additional winners if you want based on the number of stars earned.

[SeattlePioneer 144]

I've had success with certificates:

 

http://www.dyetub.com/certificates/scouting/cub/

 

 

You can use one of these templates and customize it for the Raingutter Regatta. If you don't have a color printer, black and white on colored paper is good.

 

I put the certificate in a plastic sheet protector and encourage boys to save it in their Cub Scout Scrapbook.

 

The certificate uses the top half of a page.

 

I encourage boys to set up who they want to race against and the winner of each race gets a star to add to their certificate for each win.

 

You can recognize additional winners if you want based on the number of stars earned.

[Pack212Scouter 10]

We've run a competative raingutter for several years, and have learned a few things.

 

First off, we don't get trophies, we buy the 1st-3rd medals and award them that night.

 

Next, we run only same ranked boys against each other (most Tigers don't have the wind of a Webelos!).

 

Next, we provide the straws (they are all the same this way. Get the wide gauge straws like McDonalds has, they let more "wind" through.

 

Have definite rules.... I recommend requiring just the basic design. You get some cleaver catamaran and wave piercing designes that blow away the others if you don't.

 

We have had pretty good success running a loose race based on double or triple elimination. (You could even do quadruple). Basically, we let them get in line and race against any same ranked buddy that they want to. After losing X number of races, they are out. You need to make sure that boys don't hang back and not race, letting others lose first though. Usually three races will get you down close to the winners.

 

I hope you all have fun with this!

[83Eagle 11]

Here's the plan I'm going to propose.

 

Have all the boys start on one side and pick who they want to race against. Doesnt have to be someone from their den. They race to the other side and get a ticket if they win. They then choose someone different to race against and go back the other direction. After a certain number of races (when everyone gets bored, or about 30 minutes), we split up into dens and figure out who has the most wins and they get a blue ribbon, second gets red, third gets white. Everyone then gets a patch.

 

If we have a tie we have a race-off. Hopefully we dont have a case where everyone has the same # of winsbut it could happen. Could happen in any format for that matter.

 

Regarding the Pack, it doesnt seem right to have 4th graders racing against 1st graders. So I'm going to recommend we use the pack-level trophies for a best of show voting.

 

Any comments?