Are you Woman enough, or even Man enough to enter the Tilford Village Fete Raft Race,?   Not for the faint hearted, you will get wet. 

Paddle and battle your way down the river Wey, run the gauntlet of a 100 water pistol toting villagers. You are in fancy dress on your home made raft. It is the most fun on a hot summers day.

And the kindly lord of the manor cools down the raftees with his powerful hose pipe, whether they want to be or not!

Get a team together, build a raft, the theme is Kings and Queens. Imagine a raft full of King Charles and Queen Camilias (prehaps not). Or what about Queen, Brian May, Roger Taylor, Freedie Mercury and the forth member of Queen, who? The quiet guy on Bass John Deacon, Pearly kings and queens, Simba, I'm a cleb get me out of here king or queen, the possibilities are endless. Prizes for the best theme and the fastest raft. 

Get your family and friends together for a raft building BBQ day. A word of warning build the raft before the drinking but think of the theme after a few, that normally works best.

Important Raft Race Information

Rafters old and new there will be a few changes this year that will affect you so please read on.

Changes to raft drop off and registration

In an effort to integrate the Raft Race and the Tilford Fete we are going to move the registration and the judging of the Fancy Dress and the Construction categories to the village green. The raft race has become such an important part of the fete that we wanted everyone to see all the hard work and creativity you have invested in your rafts.

This year you will have to bring your rafts directly to the green for 1pm. We are negotiating the closure of the road in front of the Barley Mow public house so you will be able to have access to unload your raft. Your transport vehicles will then be able to park up in the raft race finishing area.

As soon you have delivered your raft you need to check in at the fete information stand.

Judging will take place from 2.15, obviously if you want to contend for the fancy dress category it would be wise to be dressed up in full race costume. Judges often ask questions to rafters about the rafts concept and construction so for both the categories it would be prudent to be present at your raft during the judging.

Once the judging has finished it is our intention to move the rafts en masse to the race starting area. We are looking in to options to move the rafts together on a large trailer so you will not need transport but help loading and unloading the rafts would be very welcome. If this changes we will inform you before the fete day.

As in previous years you will be assigned a space in the start area that will be marked with your raft number.

Please can all teams assemble at their rafts by 4:45pm, for a pre-race briefing. Anyone not present for the pre-race briefing will not be permitted to race.

The raft race will start at 5pm sharp.

The award ceremony will take place as usual at the finishing line. Awards for Fastest Raft, Best Fancy Dress and the Best Construction will be announced and awarded then.

Raft Race Rules and Regulations

Introduction

These rules are for the guidance of raft designers, builders and competitors and to ensure fair play for all. They will be strictly enforced to ensure your team's personal safety and the safety of others. Please remember that any water activity can be dangerous and that whilst every effort will be made to supervise the race safely and minimize risks the eventual responsibility for your own safety will rest with each Rafter. The organizers, individually or collectively as the village fete committee and the landowners cannot, and will not, accept any responsibility for any loss or damage to persons or property howsoever caused. Any entry is accepted on the clear understanding that each person is wholly responsible for his/her own actions and takes part in the event entirely at their own risk

Construction

1. The following items are not allowed in the construction of the rafts in any classes.

   • Foamed polystyrene or any other foamed plastic material, which is likely to break up and pollute the river, unless encased in plastic.

   • Any material of a toxic nature liable to pollute the river.

   • Rowlocks and any form of fixed rowing station. (Rafts must be poled or paddled without any attachment to the hull-except paddlewheels)

   • Any form of mechanical propulsion or towing from the bank.

   • No nails are to be used in the general construction.

   • Sharp edged, burrs, spikes or any protrusion likely to cause injury to another competitor or property.

   • Rafts must have a rigid superstructure i.e, no raft to be solely constructed using a single large inflatable (e.g. a tractor-tyre inner tube) or multiple large inflatable. (e.g. large inflatable furniture taped together.)

   • Each raft shall be manufactured from sound materials that will not become waterlogged on immersion.

2. Each raft must be designed to carry a specific number of persons, minimum 2, and maximum 4.

3. Containers such as oil drums and plastic containers shall be thoroughly cleaned, inside and out: before being used in the construction with all caps, bungs, etc. so designed that no leakage can occur when the raft is afloat on the river.

4. Any mast and/or sail should not exceed 1 metre above the water line.

5. The raft may be propelled by paddle (not double ended), rudder, pole or drive paddle wheel with no mechanical advantage.

6. All rafts must be capable of being carried, launched, paddled and recovered from the water (even if sunk) by the crew itself. There will be no additional support available from the organizers or its agents.

7. The length should not exceed twice the breadth. (4ft max. width)

8. Each raft must carry in clearly distinguishable numerals its designated entry number so that it can be viewed from right bank of the river. The entry number will be provided by the organizers, which will signify your right to use the river for the purpose of the event. This number will be allocated upon receipt of the entry fee of £12 per raft together with the duly completed and signed entry form confirming the acceptance of these rules and regulations. This form is to be signed by all competitors 16 yrs and over. Any adult accepting responsibility for a youth competitor must include the youth competitors name with his/her name when signing acceptance of the rules and regulations.  Any craft that the organizers consider not to comply with the spirit of the regulations (e.g. boat rather than raft like and/or is made with something commonly used in water sport activities!) will have a 3-MINUTE penalty added to their time.

Safety

1. All competitors must be able to swim fully clothed a distance of at least 50 metres

2. All youth competitors (under 16yrs), must wear approved buoyancy aids or life jackets at all times. Minimum age of any competitor will be 10 yrs old.

3. No youth competitor will be allowed to participate without a nominated adult (over 18 yrs), who must be present on the bank or raft during the race, and who will accept full responsibility for the safety and actions of the youth competitor. No adult will be allowed to have responsibility for more than one raft.

4. It is recommended that all competitors wear life jackets in the interest of their own safety and those of any assisting people or craft. It is also advisable to wear suitable protective footwear.

5. The instructions of any official from or appointed by the Fete Committee, St John's Ambulance Brigade, the police or any other authorised body however given must be obeyed in order to ensure maximum safety to all crew and spectators.

6. It is the duty of any rafter who is aware of another rafter, or member of the public, to be in difficulty to offer assistance unless that assistance would endanger the life of the provider.

7. The organizers will disqualify any crew who in its opinion behaves in such a manner as to constitute a threat to the safety of others or is disruptive prior to the start.

8. The construction of the raft must be such that in the event of the raft sinking, capsizing or breaking up there is no restriction to the ready escape of all occupants.

9. The raft must be designed to remain afloat in a stable condition with at least a fifty percent overload factor.

In the event of any query on compliance with these rules and regulations, or on the race or the race results,

the decision of the organisers will be final.

The organisers reserve the right to refuse any entry on the day for whatever reason.