Dylan McDonald creates the winds in the sail of his boat in the Cub Scout Troop 140 Raingutter Regatta Wednesday, June 8.

The perfect summer day created picturesque conditions for the Second Annual Raingutter Regatta Wednesday, June 8, in Hessel. Cub Scouts from Troop 140 participated in the race at Lindberg Cabins, where breezes off Lake Huron helped competitors with their efforts to race miniature sailboats down actual raingutter. Scouts celebrated the races with hot dogs and a picnic provided by families of the scouts and Troop Leader Ray Schebel and his wife, Pam.

Travis Schebel (left) and Derek Burger compare their miniature sailboats to the line-up of other boats before the Second Annual Raingutter Regatta at Lindberg Cabins in Hessel Wednesday, June 8. Boats were made from a kit, and Cub Scouts exercised their creativity in the decorations they used on the vessels. Daniel Landreville was the overall winner of the race, which featured two divisions for different age groups. In the Captain Hook Division for first through fourth grade students, Colton Bucht took first place, Derrick Burger took second, and Avery Freel won third. In the Jolly Roger Division for third through fifth grades, Daniel Landreville won first place, Travis Schebel won second, and Matthew Landreville took third place.

In the special awards division, Avery Freel won for “Most Stickers on a Boat.” Derek Burger won the award for “Fastest Looking Boat.” Cody Barowski won the award for the “Boat Most Likely To Be Attacked by Pirates.”

Scouts who participated in the race receive boat kits, and they build and decorate their own boats from the kits. Two competitors race against each other, and their finished boats are placed in raingutters filled with water. Competitors race by blowing on the sails of their boats, but are not allowed to touch the boats while they are moving. Occasionally, scouts would use their hands to right boats that had fallen over in the water.

Before the races started, Daniel Landreville and Matt Hill advanced from “Webelo” scout to Boy Scout in a ceremony led by Boy Scout Leader Dale Streichert. The boys received badges, instructional books, and traded their plaid neckerchiefs for bright blue ones as they officially joined Mr. Streichert and a group of scouts assembled at the event.

Mr. Streichert described some of the activities his scouts participate in as part of the troop, and announced upcoming events like the International Scout Rally at Bay City Lake in September, when more than 1,000 scouts from the United States and Canada assemble for camping, activities, and fellowship. Mr. Streichert also reaffirmed his goal “to make every scout an Eagle Scout.”

Scouts will attend camp in late July, and they also plan to be in the Les Cheneaux Independence Day parade in Cedarville. Several other scouts advanced by switching neckerchiefs to the one in the next level. Mr. Schebel led the general advancement ceremony by asking the scouts’ parents to remove the old neckerchief and replace it with the colors of the next level up. In the Cub Scouts, there are four different levels for different grade levels, including Tiger for first grade, Wolf for second, Bear for third, and Webelo for fourth and fifth. Webelo is the highest level boys can achieve in Cub Scouting before they advance to Boy Scouts.

“Now you are ready to take on new challenges,” Mr. Schebel concluded, once the scouts wore the colors of their new ranks.

Mr. Schebel said the Raingutter Regatta is one of the newer activities introduced to Les Cheneaux scouting, and he hopes scouts find it an enjoyable annual event. Troop 140 is always seeking new scouts, and those interested in joining Cub Scouts should contact Mr. Schebel at (906) 484-2440. The Cubs will host a scouting round-up in September.