Riverton 4th of July - Raft Race

The Raft Race is a must-see event! Come on down to the Riverton Yacht Club to watch our intrepid sailors sink, swim, and occasionally paddle their way to victory! Returning this year is a kayak race!

Registration for both races begins at 5:00 PM, and the races kick off at 5:30 PM. To pre-register, contact Tony at 609-410-5611.

For all events, no spectators are permitted on the floating docks and children under 12 are required to wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets to be on the pier.

Raft Race

Contestants steering planks of polystyrene, plywood-topped inner tubes, PVC half-pipes with garden rakes, kitchen brooms, and Lego-like plastic paddles, because anything truly from the nautical realm is not allowed in this zany race.  That’s right, if it’s from a real boat or raft, it’s not allowed!
Awards

Awards are presented for creativity, biggest spectacle, best-dressed and other honors. Be on the lookout for pirate attacks!

- First Place: First raft to cross the finish line.

- The Iron Pier Trophy: The highest honor, awarded to the craft with the best harmony of creativity & engineering. Chosen from the first fifteen rafts to finish.

- The Glamour Award: Awarded to the best-dressed crew.

Rules

- All participants must wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets during the race.

- All participants must wear shoes or sandals at all times before, during, and after the race.

- For every two crew members under 12, there must be one adult on the raft.

- Anyone acting without regard for the safety of others and themselves will be disqualified and required to leave the race. This includes all fireworks.

Construction of Rafts:

- All rafts must be homemade.

- Any type of boat or surfboard is not permitted.

- Each raft must carry a minimum of four passengers.

- Rafts must be human-powered.

- Commercially-manufactured paddles are not permitted.

- Oarlocks are not permitted.

- Parts and materials commercially manufactured specifically for nautical purposes are not permitted.

- All rafts must have a flagstaff to fly the Raft Race flag while finishing.

- Competitors are required to remove their rafts and clean up their trash immediately after the race.

Cardboard Boat Regatta

Sailors will construct and race boats made entirely of cardboard in a course set in the Delaware River. Can they complete the course without sinking? The course will be approximately 600 feet long and will have at least one turn.

Awards

- First place: the first boat to cross the finish line

- Sinky award: the first boat to sink

- The Flotsam & Jetsam Award: Awarded to the raft more likely to cause a spectacle than win the race.

Rules

- All sailors must wear Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices and closed-toe shoes

- Each crew must have a minimum of 2 sailors and a maximum of 6 sailors.  The minimum age is 12.

- All participants must wear shoes or sandals at all times before, during, and after the race.

Construction of Rafts

- Allowed materials: Corrugated cardboard, water-soluble caulk or silicone sealant, water-based wood glue, water-soluble outdoor latex paint.

- NO foam, plastic or wood.  

- NO wrapping the hull with tape, plastic, shrink wrap, etc.

- Paddles may only have one blade.

- Building Tips: check YouTube for inspiration, build a test model, review these cardboard boat building tips, and get free cardboard from appliance stores, big box stores, furniture stores, and delivery companies.

Kayak Race

This athletic competition will bring kayakers from the area together for a competition of speed and agility. The course will be approximately 1200 feet long and will include two laps with the mystical obstacles of the Delaware River.
Awards

First, second, and third place will be awarded based on the finishing order.

Rules

- All boaters must wear Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices.

- Single, non-motorized kayaks only.

- All participants must wear shoes or sandals at all times before, during, and after the race.