INLAND BRANCH CONCRETE BOAT RACE

OBJECTIVES

• To give students, concrete and allied industries the opportunity of using their knowledge in a fun project.
• To use the competition as a real-life disciplinary project management exercise for tertiary education students
• To design and build a concrete boat and race it over a specified course.
• To have a day together with the Society, family, friends and colleagues.
• Offer industry and the various institutions the opportunity to network.

CONSTRUCTION REGULATIONS

(Rules and Regulations for the Construction of Concrete Boats)

Type of Boat

The boat must be constructed in such a way that one person can propel it with a paddle.

The boat must be capable of being lifted by only two team members.
No buckles or attachments of any nature are allowed which attach individuals to the boat.

The deck must NOT enclose the occupant's legs to the extent that it may trap him/her in the case of capsize or sinking.

Flotation must be built into the boat in order to keep the separate segments afloat in the case of the boat capsizing or breaking its back during the event. Synthetic materials may be used to provide flotation.

Flotation may not add to the structural integrity of the boat.

The judges may at their discretion request the boat be submerged to test buoyancy. If the boat fails the test it will be disqualified from the racing immediately.

Construction Materials

Composition of Concrete

The boats must be made from a freely available, commonly-used cement mortar or concrete. Lightweight aggregate may be used. The binding agent must be predominantly cementitious in composition. Limited quantities of other materials are allowed, provided that they do not replace the binding action of the cement.

The strength and stiffness of the boat must be entirely due to the cementing action between hardened concrete or mortar and its reinforcement. Non-concrete parts are not allowed to contribute to the strength or structural integrity of the boat and may be removed at the judges' discretion.

Reinforcement

Reinforcing materials and fibre are allowed.

Waterproof Systems

Synthetic materials and proprietary waterproofing systems are allowed if used to make the surface of the boat water-resistant. These materials are not allowed to significantly contribute to the strength of the boat.

Floating Properties

Flotation must be built into the boat in order to keep the separate segments afloat in the case of the boat capsizing or breaking its back during the event. Synthetic materials may be used to provide flotation.

Repairs
If the boat is damaged during transport or during the racing, repairs are allowed if materials are used that comply with the specifications. The construction judges may be asked for advice on this matter.

Rudder
A rudder is allowed, and it may be operated from the inside or outside of the boat.

Advertising

Advertising may only be by means of labels and labels or painted logos on the boat. Materials used must comply with general specifications, and should not have the purpose of providing additional strengthening and reinforcement to the boat.
   

Launching

You are welcome to drive your vehicle down the slipway for launching, BUT PLEASE DO NOT PARK ON OR NEAR THE SLIPWAY ANY LONGER THAN NECESSARY. It must be possible to get the boat in and out of the water by hand. The buoyancy of each boat may, at the discretion of the judges, be tested before it is allowed to race. If the boat sinks it will not be allowed race for safety reasons. If a boat becomes totally waterlogged during the event but does not sink, it must be dragged immediately to the side of the lake and emptied.

Removal of Boats after the Event

All boats must be removed from the premises after the event. This is a very strict requirement, as complaints have been made by the hosts at previous events, of boats being broken and abandoned at the venue.
 

Agreement to the Rules and Regulations

People taking part in the racing, are assumed to have agreed to these rules and regulations. If the boat does not comply with the requirements for construction, this will lead to disqualification. In all cases of a dispute that cannot be settled by these rules and regulations, the final decision will be made by the construction judges.

Race Regulations

The race shall be conducted at all times in a spirit of good sportsmanship. Any team found guilty of cheating, misconduct or unladylike or ungentlemenly behaviour will be disqualified. In all matters of dispute, the judges' decision will be final.
All competitors must observe the instructions of the officials. Due attention must be paid to the need for safety.

No person will be allowed onto the water without wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid. If any person enters the water without a life jacket the responsible team will be immediately disqualified from the race as well as the construction competition.

The organisers will not be held responsible for loss or damage to any property or death or injury to any person, however caused.

The race format will be raced in a one-person craft, on a 4-person relay basis. Please ensure there are four persons available to take part in each race. Each will complete one circuit of the four-circuit race.

Races will be run in heats, the number depending on the number of entries.

No boat shall intentionally impede the progress of any other boat. Where two boats collide and neither is clearly seen to have deviated from a straight course, the leading boat will be deemed to be innocent and the trailing boat must give way. Any boat, which in the opinion of the judges impedes the progress of another boat by deviating from its course, will be considered to be the guilty boat. Any boat deviating from the course and travelling inside the buoys will be disqualified.

Boats and teams found not conforming to the rules contained herein may be permitted to race (at judges discretion) but will not be eligible for prizes.

Racing Categories

A. STUDENTS

The boats shall be constructed and raced by bona fide students, studying in the relevant faculty and they must have been involved in the construction of their boat.

B. INDUSTRY

The boats shall be constructed and raced by full time employees of any group, or organization within the construction and allied industries.

C. LADIES OPEN

Ladies must be bona fide students of the relevant faculty of the representative education institution or a full time employee of the company entering the boat.

D. SOCIAL CATEGORY

In the spirit of "Anything that Floats", teasm can build a fun craft, not necessarily made out of concrete. All previous contestants can also enter this race, with the boats being started at different times, having being divided into various categories based on performance. The slower craft will be started first.

Construction Category

Construction awards will be presented to the best boat in the student category. A construction prize will be awarded to the best student boat. The judges will base their decision on the following factors:

• Ingenuity in design and construction
• Application of concrete technology
• Structural soundness
• General lines and appearance
• Surface Finish
• The presentation of a poster report

Boats are only eligible for the construction category if they have been pre-registered and they have their boat number on the boat.

Boats and the respective team captain entering the construction category must be present on race day by 07h00, confirm at the registration table that they are present, and put the boat in the judging ‘parking lot’ ready for judging. Boats must be ‘parked’ in numerical order with the lowest number closest to the registration area. Late arrivals will be not be judged.

Construction Report

A single page report no larger than an A2 on the construction and building of the boat must be submitted to the judges on the Race Day, as well as an electronic copy of the report .pdf or word format.  The report will feature, with the inclusion of pictures, a sequence of the construction process and a short summary detailing the following: 

• • Design and planning of the boat
  • A detailed description of the construction methods and formwork used
  • A detailed summary of all materials used in construction, specifying the type and amount of materials.

Awards

Prizes will be awarded in the various categories primarily for the originality in the design and construction of boats. Awards will also be made for race winners.

The order and times of finishing of competing boats in each boat race will be recorded. The final of each category will comprise of the first three finishers in each heat of that category.