Official Race Rules
This page outlines the official rules and regulations for participants of The Great American River Race, providing detailed guidelines for team eligibility, boat requirements, and competition protocols.
Team Eligibility
Teams must consist of a minimum of two and a maximum of six members, all of whom must register and adhere to safety protocols throughout the race.
Boat Requirements
All boats must meet price and safety standards, including proper flotation devices.
Competition Rules
Participants are required to follow the official race course, maintain sportsmanship, and comply with all local boating rules and laws.
Budget
Boats must be acquired and prepared for no more than $5,000 total, exclusive of safety gear.
No Rationalizations: “It should be worth $5,000” → Nope. “It was worth $5,000 before I dropped another $4,000 fixing it” → Nope. “I’ve owned it 20 years, so it doesn’t count” → Nice try, still nope.
Five thousand dollars means five thousand dollars. Period.
Parts & Equipment
Parts Cost: “Free” parts, buddy donations, leftovers from your garage, or items “lying around” still count toward $5,000 budget. The price is what the last real buyer actually paid. Don’t get clever.
Safety Equipment does not count toward the $5,000 cap. This includes items like fire extinguishers, life preservers, navigation lights, anchors, VHF radios, flares, bilge pumps, etc. However, Safety means items that directly save the crew’s lives – don’t get cute.
Registration & Insurance do not count toward the $5,000 cap.
Labor & Sponsorship
Labor: If you didn’t pay for labor, it doesn’t count. If you did pay for it, it does count. (No exceptions.)
Sponsorships: Got a sponsor to give you parts or cash? Good hustle, but it still counts toward your $5,000. Spend that sponsorship money on hotels, gas, entry fees, pedicures, or matching swimsuits instead.
Buy, Sell, Swap
Net Pricing (a.k.a. Scavenger Sales): If you sell parts of your boat, the cash you earn can offset your purchase price.
Note: Be ready to prove every transaction to judges who will assume you’re lying until proven otherwise.
Inspection
Pre-Race Inspection: All boats will be inspected by a Panel of Judges before the race. Teams must present receipts, photos, or other evidence of purchase and preparation costs. Creative storytelling is acceptable, but beware: the judges have heard it all.
Appeals: Don’t even think about it. There is no appeal of rulings. The panel is the law.
General Conduct
Spirit of the Race: This is a budget race, not a rich-man’s regatta. Play fair. Anyone caught flagrantly cheating risks disqualification and eternal mockery.
Safety First: The race is for fun, not funerals. Failure to carry proper safety gear = automatic DQ.
Respect the River: Follow navigation laws, be courteous to commercial traffic, and don’t destroy the waterways.
Final Word
At the end of the day, this race is about creativity, adventure, and pushing questionable vessels down a very long river. We’re here to celebrate ingenuity and have fun—not argue over accounting tricks.
Summary: Build cheap, be safe, accept judgment, and enjoy the ride.