Racing in a Cub Scout derby is great fun. You'll get to design your racing vehicle, work with a parent to build it, and see it perform on race day. Win or lose, you'll take pride in having done your best. When you race in a Cub Scout derby, you learn craft skills, the rules of fair play, and good sportsmanship—things you will remember all your life.
Types of Derbies Cub Scout Pack 606 Conducts: Pinewood derby, raingutter regatta, and space derbies.
Pinewood Derby
The pinewood derby is one of the most popular and successful family activities in Cub Scouting. Pinewood derby cars are small wooden models that Cub Scouts make with help from their families. Then they race the cars in competition. The cars are powered by gravity and run down a track. Most packs have a pinewood derby every year. It can be run indoors or outdoors. Every boy can design and build his own "grand prix" car to enter in the race. Lowes and Dremel sponsor an annual "cutout" date where Scouts and Parents can design, cutout, and paint their cars in the store and receive discounts on tools. Scouts compete for time and themed designs. Parents and siblings may submit "outlaw" cars that may or may not conform to the normal rules, but are great fun!
Raingutter Regatta
In the raingutter regatta, the wind-powered boats use sailboat designs. The boats are blown down the channel by their Scouts.
Space Derby
Another popular family-son project is the space derby. It's like the pinewood derby except the models are miniature rockets. The rockets "fly" along a heavy line that hangs in the air. They're driven by propellers powered by rubber bands.