The Tampa Power Squadron Annual Picnic & Cardboard Boat Challenge

 (You can download this information as a pdf file by clicking this link)

Please join the members of Tampa Power Squadron, members from other squadrons and all their families and friends on Sep 13, 2008 at Picnic Island Park, Tampa.

There are trophies galore with a special free for all classification. We have a ‘Photo" session for those that would like one ‘last’ photo of their boat with crew before the race.

What: Tampa’s Cardboard Boat Race

Where: Picnic Island Park in Tampa

When: Sep 13, 2008

Cost: Picnic $5.00 /person plus a covered dish

Race- $6.00/boat/race

Agenda:

0800- Park at Picnic Island opens

0900-1100 Set up picnic, boat course, and registration

1100-1200 Photos of your favorite entries and just visiting

1200-1330 Picnic with all the goodies

1330-1400 Instructions for all racers and rules of the road

1400-???? RACING

????- ???? Awards and presentations -police area, load boats, depart for home with good will and trophies

Notice to all guests and participants We will need to estimate our food, drink and supplies requirement, so we would appreciate if you would contact Charlie Laye with the approximate number of attendees from your squadron, and/or yourself and guests. Please contact him by mail, E-mail or telephone as follows:

Each person may command only one vessel not including Free-For-All. They may ‘Crew’ on as many as they like if that captain will have them.

All participants will have with them a serviceable, Coast Guard approved PFD of the correct size.

All participants will wear protection on their feet to eliminate injury from stepping on shells or debris (Flip Flops are not acceptable).

Cardboard Boat Requirements

CARDBOARD _ All boats must be made of normal, regular, ordinary, everyday corrugated cardboard. Cardboard manufactured for shipping (waxed, weather sealed, rolled, pressed, reinforced, etc) is not allowed.

GLUE – any one-part glue is allowed. Two part or epoxies are not permitted.

PAINT - any one-part paint is allowed. Two part or epoxies are not permitted.

TAPE – Duct tape may be used over the seams ONLY. Please do not cover your boat with tape. It adds to much weight and slows you down, beside it is not allowed.

MECHANICAL:

OARLOCKS – for boats that will be using oars, paddle wheels, etc a small piece of plywood may be used to anchor the oarlocks to the boat. The wood cannot enhance the structural stability of the boat or exceed 6 inches x 6 inches.

OTHER MECHANICAL PROPULSION units such as bicycles may rest on top of the boat or may even be attached to the boat but cannot be constructed so as to hold the boat together or to enhance the structure of the boat.

All boats must have a float attached with a minimum of 4 feet of line. This will allow us to identify where the wreckage may be found.

Dogs are allowed only to warn the skipper of a sinking condition.

THE RACE:

All boats must be registered prior to racing.

All boats with crew must pass through the staging area prior to racing This will allow us to verify items such as PFDs, foot protection, floats on the boats, etc.

After a boat has been ‘STAGED’, a ‘TIMER’ will be assigned to the boat. The ‘TIMER’ will control when the boat will be placed in the water and when to start the race.

When the boats are placed in the water, please walk them out to the STARTER. The STARTER will have a ladder available to help you board the boat. The STARTER will ask you to climb the ladder and when he pulls the boat next to the ladder, he will ask you to step in the boat. This will allow you to enter the boat without putting unnecessary strain on the sides of the boat prior to racing.

The STARTER will verify the boat has proper heading and will release the boat for racing after verifying the ‘TIMER’ is ready.

The boats will make one complete lap around the course and will have completed the race when all the crew and at least 80% of the boat cross the finish line. NOTE: The Captain and crew must still be in the boat when it crosses the finish line.

The course will consist of:

A.. Two buoys, 75 yards apart, green and yellow. These will identify the length of the course for all races. One lap around will give the participants a total race of 150 yards.

Stay within 10 yards of the imaginary line between the two buoys as this designates the race area. Do not leave the race area while racing. If you are unable to control the heading of your boat and appear to be heading out of the race area, stop paddling or rowing and grab the line attached to the buoys. A safety boat will help you to get in the race area with the proper heading.

(Weather or other unforeseen event may alter the racecourse or length.) At no time are the paddles, oars, paddle wheels or any other methods of propulsion to touch the bottom( no poling or walking). Propulsion will be strictly limited to contact with the water Sailboats are not encouraged as the masts must be cardboard.

Vessel construction and the members of the crew will determine racing category of a boat.

Please use caution as you leave the racecourse, others may still be racing and they may not have as much control over their vessel as you did.

The Captain is responsible for removing the vessel from the water and the park at the end of the day!

All decisions and interpretation of the rules by the judges are final.

Racing Categories

BOATS

Manual propulsion - paddles or oars without oarlocks

Mechanical propulsion – Oars with oarlocks, paddle wheels, Bicycle type Propulsion

CAPTAIN AND CREW Seniors – over 50 years young

Adults – 13 to 50

Young People – under 13

Free for all – any age Multi person crews

Young Peoples Crew – All crew members and Captain must be under 13.

Seniors – all crewmembers over 50

All other combinations will race in Adult category .

TROPHIES

The Most Spectacular Sinking

The Best Theme (includes boat and crew)

The Commander’s Choice Award

First place trophies will be awarded in the following categories.

Seniors – Single (manual or mechanical)

Multi-person (manual or mechanical)

Adults - Single – Manual Mechanical

Multi-person – Manual Mechanical

Young People – Single – (manual or mechanical)

Multi-person – (manual or mechanical)