The fourth annual Rain Gutter Regatta was held at East Park, and members of Cub Scout Pack 101, of Connellsville, turned out in abundance for the event.
Members of the pack gathered for the competition near park pavilions as family and friends cheered them on.
"We held the first regatta at Yough Park," pack leader and event coordinator Mike Renninger said, "but since the boys clean East Park a couple times every year, we decided to have it here."
The event consists of elimination heats with each boy racing a boat that he created himself.
"We give them all kits, and they built them at home with their parents' help," Renninger said. "Then at the last meeting, we made the stands for the boats."
The identical kits consist of pre-shaped balsa wood hulls, metal keels and plastic sails. The boats are all the same length, width and height, but that is where the similarities end.
"They all decorate the boats themselves, any way that they want," Renninger said. "They can't change the weight, but they can paint them or add stickers."
Races are held in a set of 10-foot rain gutters enclosed to hold water. The boats are placed in the gutters and powered by the boys.
"They blow on them to move them," Renninger explained. "Then whoever reaches the end first wins."
This year, 32 boys participated in the regatta, with prizes going to the first three winners in the four age and group distinctions.
The top winners this year were as follows:
= Tigers (first grade): First Place, Dean Peterson; Second Place, Alex Rupert; Third Place, Tyler Miller.
= Wolves (second grade): First Place, Devon Bartley; Second Place, Ethan McIntosh; Third Place, Joseph Tesauro.
= Bears (third grade): First Place, Austin Phelan; Second Place, Grayson Higbee; Third Place, Jordan Hosflet.
= Webelos (fourth grade): First Place, Perry Wettgen; Second Place, Matt Dombrowsky; Third Place, Quinten Kopf.
Boys received ribbons for participating. A barbecue and picnic followed with pizza and hot dogs.
"This is really a lot of fun for the kids," Scoutmaster Todd Brothers said. "This is our last big event for the year."
