(Please ensure all team members read this page!)

The race is organised by Shepperton Fair Committee, and supported by Desborough Sailing Club and Nauticalia. It takes place on the same day as Shepperton Village Fair, starting at 1:00pm a little downstream from Shepperton Lock, and finishing near the Fair on Lady Lyndsay Lawn.

The race is a fun event, but in the interests of fairness, safety and enjoyment, the following rules apply:

* Rafts must be home-made and constructed mainly from second-hand materials (i.e. no ready-made floats, boats, canoes etc).
* Crews should consist of four persons only.
* Propulsion is by paddles, which must not exceed 5ft (1.5m) in length.
* Rafts must have sufficient buoyancy to ensure that all crew members are clear of the water.
* Rudders and mechanical propulsion are NOT allowed *Materials used must be clean, to prevent water pollution. Polystyrene must be completely sealed for the same reason.
* Your ENTRY NUMBERS (available from Nauticalia) must be displayed so that they can be seen from the front and both sides by the commentator and judges. Numbers will not be issued until the entry form has been completed and signed by at least one member of the crew, or if it is for an U/16 raft, then it must be signed by a parent.
* Competitors must all be able to swim at least 100 metres and must wear buoyancy aids or life jackets.
* Please do not splash other rafts as this spoils their decoration before spectators have a chance to see them.
* Pay attention to the instructions of the marshals – they are there to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
* As part of the Shepperton Village Fair, the Nauticalia Raft Race is family-orientated alcohol-free event. Alcohol may not be carried or consumed aboard rafts or on the riverbank at the finish line.