Other Event Types?

[Darin McGrew]

Besides the car/truck derbies, sailboat races, and space derbies, what other types of events are you familiar with?

Some CSB units have held Shape N Sled Derbies, which are something of a "winter" twist on the sailboat races. Raingutters are packed with snow, and miniature sleds race down them.

And Awana groups have an Airplane Toss ("Flying Higher Night"), where model airplanes compete for distance, aerobatics, and design.

Are there any others?

[There isn't a general-discussion category that isn't associated with car/truck derbies, sailboat races, or space derbies, so if any moderators think there's a better place for this post, please feel free to move it.]

[Stan Pope]

Are there any others?

Good question!

This is not a "national Cub Scout program" but some packs (and some troope and school classes) do it.

Usually best to use one of the controlled pressure 2-liter bottle launcher designs.

Competitors build a "rocket" around a plastic 2-liter bottle. Competition can be for:
Height
Distance
Accuracy hitting a ground target down range
Design

Construction should be limitied to specific adhesives, since many will weaken the plastic bottles, and launch pressures typically approach the bottle test pressure.

We use a variation at our Cub day camp ... launching a 4: cubical capsule containing a fresh egg that the boys have designed and packed. Boys whose Eggstronauts survive get a silver bead ... others get a pewter bead!

Program suggetion and launcher (not pressure controlled) are on my personal website.

[Darin McGrew]

A couple other ideas that I just remembered...

Egg Drops

Build a capsule (either using any materials desired, or using only specified materials) to protect an egg from breaking when it is dropped. Size is usually limited (e.g., must fit in a 6" cube).

One egg drop I saw used the end of a set of bleachers to provide drop platforms of various heights; the egg that survived the highest fall won. That added a strategic element, since you could only build one capsule, and you only got three drops. If your capsule sustained a little damage during a "safe" drop from a low platform, then it might not survive a second "aggressive" drop from a higher platform that it could have survived before the damage. But if you start with your "aggressive" drop, then the damaged capsule might not survive a "safe" drop. Decisions, decisions...

Mouse Trap Cars

Build a car (either using any materials desired, or using only specified materials) that is propelled by a standard spring-loaded mouse trap. The mouse traps are bought in bulk and are issued to the participants. Cars can compete for speed, distance, or distance & accuracy. The distance & accuracy competition has the cars run along a marked line. When the car comes to a rest, the distance from the line is subtracted from the distance from the start.

[RMoose]

Our association director is interested in doing a lineglider race next year. He heard about it from another association director who said the boys in his chapter had a blast when they did it this year.

I have searched on-line but have not found much information on this type of racing, but here is what I was told:

Linegliders are similar to the old balsa wood, rubber-band powered airplanes I used to play with as a boy. With linegliders, the wings are removed and two metal hoops are attached to the top. The hoops fit over a line. My director said the line is 50 ft. long and runs between two poles, one higher than the other so the line is at an angle. Once the gliders are attached to the line, you wind up the rubber-band and let them go. I was told they really zip down the line! Sounds like fun to me, but I would like to know more details before we set up poles, lines, and order kits to pass out.

If anyone knows any more about racing linegliders, I would like to hear! We are thinking about this as a fall event, but it never hurts to plan ahead!

[MaxV]

This sounds like the BSA "Space Derby". There is a topic in this forum called "Space Derby Corner" where you can find out more.

[RMoose]

MaxV,

Thanks! I hate to say it, but I never thought that "Space Derby" = "Lineglider" until reading your post. After looking at the Space Derby postings I can see the two are nearly identical - lots of good info that will come in handy if we decide to go ahead with this event. Thanks again!

[TurtlePowered]

MaxV,

Thanks! I hate to say it, but I never thought that "Space Derby" = "Lineglider" until reading your post. After looking at the Space Derby postings I can see the two are nearly identical - lots of good info that will come in handy if we decide to go ahead with this event. Thanks again!

Space Derby is real cool! Just make sure the kids get to fly multiple times.