Boat Types, Classes and Special Recognition

The Texas Water Safari is an Unlimited Race. All teams are racing for overall position. All Classes, except Unlimited, are awarded trophies for only the first boat to Seadrift in that Class. Trophies are awarded to positions One (1) through 15 and all other finishers receive a finishers plaque. All finishers receive a patch.

Boat Requirements

Boat numbers

Solo

Men's USCA C-1

This is without a doubt the toughest class in the Safari. Everything is identical in every way to USCA C-2 with the exception of slightly different boat specifications and entries are limited to one person.

Note: This class has been split into separate classes for men and women.

Boat Specifications

Maximum length 18’6″, minimum width 14 3/8% of length at the 4″ waterline. Minimum bow height 15.5″, minimum stern height 11.5″, depth at center 11.5″. Limited to one entrant with single blade paddles (no rudders).

Women's USCA C-1

This class provides women a chance to compete against one-another in what is without a doubt, the hardest type of craft in which to finish a Safari.

Boat Specifications

Maximum length 18’6″, minimum width 14 3/8% of length at the 4″ waterline. Minimum bow height 15.5″, minimum stern height 11.5″, depth at center 11.5″. Limited to one female entrant with single blade paddles (no rudders).

Men's Solo Unlimited

Everything is identical in every way to Unlimited and Tandem Unlimited – all the rules are exactly the same, with one very important exception: You are all by yourself.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and limited to one male entrant.

Women's Solo Unlimited

Everything is identical in every way to Unlimited and Tandem Unlimited – all the rules are exactly the same, with one very important exception: You are all by yourself.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and limited to one female entrant.

Tandem

This class goes back about 20 years. It provides a class for racers who have never completed a Safari. It is highly recommended as a starting place for new Safari racers. But don’t kid yourself–most years, if you want to win this class, you better know how to paddle and prepare your boat and your body for a real race. Some really serious horses enter this race almost every year. Best craft if you can still find one is the Alumacraft Voyageur rigged and outfitted exactly as a seasoned aluminum entry would be. Think about it–if you finish in another class, you will never, ever, be able to say you won the Novice Class. Sure Brian Mynar has won 14 times overall–but without a Novice win, he will never really have anything to be proud of!!!!!

Boat Specifications

Canoes are limited to stock or non-racing canoes with a maximum length of 17’4″. Most aluminum, ABS Royalex, polyethylene, and fiberglass, as well as many older factory made wood canoes will fit this category. Canoes made of Kevlar, and/or having sharp, non-rounded bows and sterns (e.g. Beaver aluminum canoes) are not allowed. Rudders are not allowed. Any questions about a specific boat should be addressed with the TWS via email, tws@texaswatersafari.org. Furthermore, this class is limited to contestants who have never before completed the Safari. Limited to two entrants, single blade paddles (no rudders). Note: Novice Class does not imply novice paddling skills. Solid paddling skills are mandatory for entry in the TWS.

This class for female racers who have never completed a Safari. Women’s Novice Class was added in 2023 to support all female novice paddlers. It is highly recommended as a starting place for new Safari racers. Best craft if you can still find one is the Alumacraft Voyageur rigged and outfitted exactly as a seasoned aluminum entry would be. Think about it–if you finish in another class, you will never, ever, be able to say you won the Women’s Novice Class. Note: Novice Class does not imply novice paddling skills. Solid paddling skills are mandatory for entry in the TWS.

Boat Specifications

Canoes are limited to stock or non-racing canoes with a maximum length of 17’4″. Most aluminum, ABS Royalex, polyethylene, and fiberglass, as well as many older factory made wood canoes will fit this category. Canoes made of Kevlar, and/or having sharp, non-rounded bows and sterns (e.g. Beaver aluminum canoes) are not allowed. Rudders are not allowed. Any questions about a specific boat should be addressed with the TWS via email, tws@texaswatersafari.org. Best craft, if you can still find one, is the Alumacraft Voyageur rigged and outfitted exactly as a seasoned aluminum entry would be. This class is limited to: two female entrants, single blade paddles (no rudders), and to paddlers who have never before completed the Safari.

Aluminum

Although many novices use an aluminum class canoe, it is far from a novice only racing craft. Solid construction makes this boat a favorite of racers who like to barrel through.

Boat Specifications

Limited to aluminum canoes with a maximum length of 17’4″ which are produced by a regular manufacturer of aluminum canoes and having rounded, or “traditional” bows and sterns. (In other words, Beaver canoes are not allowed). The only acceptable modifications are seat placement and removal of bulkheads (adequate floatation must be replaced if bulkheads are removed). No external hull modifications. Limited to two entrants, single blade paddles only (no rudders).

Standard

The Standard Class was created a long time ago to fill a certain niche. There were a lot of boats kicking around that were neither fish nor fowl. They were too skinny and fast to compete in the Novice (and certainly in the Aluminum class because they were not made of aluminum) and not fast enough to compete against USCA C2 boats.

Tom Goynes created this class to cover such boats as the Jensen 18. Under no circumstances should this class be confused with the USCA Standard Cruising Class. Those boats are too fast and too long to be allowed in Safari Standard Class. However, you could race one in the USCA-C2 class.

Boat Specifications

Canoes are limited to a maximum of 18′ and the width at the waterline shall be 15% of the length. Minimum depth of bow and stern is 16″. Minimum depth at center is 12″. Canoes such as the 17′ Beaver, the 18′ Sundowner and Jensen 18′ by Wenonah, etc will fit in this class. Any questions about a specific boat should be addressed via email, tws@texaswatersafari.org. Limited to two entrants, single blade paddles (no rudders).

USCA C-2

This is the classic boat of the United States Canoe Association (USCA). The width-length formula has been worked out to keep the class competitive. Also, no double blades or rudders. Generally speaking, the skinnier the boat, the faster it is. If you don’t like being limited by the specifications of this class, then you might prefer Tandem Unlimited.

Boat Specifications

Teams may use either one of two canoes.

Competition Cruiser: (4/32) Maximum length 18’6″, minimum width 14 3/8% of length at the 4 inch waterline, Minimum bow height 15.5″, minimum stern height 11.5″, depth at center 11.5″. Limited to two entrants with single blade paddles (no rudders).

Pro Boat: (3/27) Maximum length 18’6″, minimum width 27″ at the 3″ waterline. Minimum bow height 15″, minimum stern height 10″, minimum depth at center 10″, minimum gunwale width 33″. Limited to two entrants with single blade paddles (no rudders).

Tandem Unlimited

Tandem Unlimited is a class that is just like Unlimited, but for two paddlers. In the not-so-distant past, the Argosy Cup was won by unlimited boats with only two paddlers – for example, in 1986 and 1987 when two-person boats won the race in under 36 hours. Then 3-person craft began to appear and it escalated from there. This class was added to provide a niche for some of the great boats that simply could not hope to compete with 4-plus person teams.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and limited to two entrants.

Mixed Tandem Unlimited

Back in 1959, there was a movie entitled “Battle of the Sexes”. No, that is not where this class came from, but, depending on how you and your partner get along, you might want to see the film before entering. It started out as an unlimited class, but was reduced to two persons in 2002.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type of craft used except that such craft may be propelled only by human muscle power and limited to two entrants, one male and one female. (To win the class, both participants must finish.)

Women's Tandem Unlimited

It started out as an unlimited class, but was reduced to two persons in 2002. The Women’s Tandem Unlimited Class was added in 2023 to support the growing number of female paddlers.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type of craft used except that such craft may be propelled only by human muscle power and limited to two female entrants. (To win the class, both participants must finish.)

up to 6 person teams/Special Recognition

Unlimited

Unlimited is not really a “class” like all the others. Rather, it consists of all those boats which, for one reason or another, (number of paddlers, double blades, or rudders) do not fit into any of the actual classes. All entrants compete for overall position, but when you enter Unlimited, that is ALL you compete for.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type or size of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and there can be no more than six persons present in the craft.

Women's Unlimited

Similar to the Unlimited class, the Women’s Unlimited class consists of all those boats which, for one reason or another, (number of paddlers, double blades, or rudders) do not fit into any of the actual classes. This class is for female paddler’s only.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type or size of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and there can be no more than six female paddlers present in the craft.

Adult-Youth – Special Recognition

(formally Parent-Child Tandem Unlimited)

This is the ideal class in which to get a young person involved in canoe racing. This class is the same as Tandem Unlimited with the exceptions noted below.

Note: You don’t even have to enter this class specifically to compete in it. So long as you meet the requirements, you can enter another class and compete in this one as well.

Boat Specifications

There shall be no specification as to the type of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and limited to two entrants, one of whom must be between 13 and 17 years of age. The child must race with an adult in the boat and the adult must remain in the boat for the duration of the race. A parent or legal guardian must be present to sign a waiver of liability for all minors.

Masters Unlimited – Special Recognition

Remember when 40 seemed old to you? Well, it is old. And so there is a special class for those of you who are only 26 years away from drawing Social Security.

Note: You don’t even have to enter this class specifically to compete in it. So long as you meet the requirements, you can enter another class and compete in this one as well.

Boat Specifications

(Solo to 6 Person) There shall be no specification as to the type or size of craft used except that such craft must be propelled only by human muscle power and is limited to a maximum of six persons, all of whom are 40 years old or older at the start time of the race.