Water Battleship Rules

Governing Rules

Oregon State University Intramurals Water Battleship rules.

Eligibility

All participants must be either students registered at Oregon State University or Faculty/Staff/Affiliate with a Recreational Sports Membership. For more information on eligibility, consult the Intramurals Handbook.

Equipment

  • No jewelry (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc.) or metal hair clips will be allowed in the pool at any time. Players will need to remove items immediately or leave the game.
  • Teams will be provided with three buckets and one kickboard. Teams can distribute their equipment throughout the boat in any order.
  • The equipment must be returned at the completion of the game.
  • Appropriate pool attire must be worn at all times.
  • Fingernails and toenails must be short and not constitute a hazard.
  • Braces, casts, guards, or supports are not permitted in the water.

Pre-Game

  • All participants will need to bring their OSU ID card to enter the facility.
  • Team managers need to check in with the Sport Program Associate on duty before each game to verify their team’s roster.
  • Team managers need to verify that all team members are properly registered on IMLeagues.
  • Team managers will take part in a pre-game meeting with the officials.

Game Time

  • Game time listed on the schedule is the official game time.
  • The Sport Program Associate will keep the official game time.
  • A team shall have four (4) players, but may begin a game with a minimum of three (3); otherwise a forfeit win will be awarded to the opposing team.
  • Each match will consist of one 8-minute period with running time.
  • The game clock only stops for injuries.

Starting the Game

  1. Participants will climb into their respective canoes from the edge of the pool while the canoes are on sides of the pool. No participant will attempt to enter the canoe while in the water.
  2. Intramural Staff will survey all canoes for proper equipment and make sure all safety requirements are met.
  3. Once canoes are inspected, they will spread out evenly throughout the water.
  4. The Intramural Sport Coordinator will blow their whistle to signal the beginning of the round.

Object of the Game

  1. Each team will take their buckets and try to fill their opponent’s canoes with water until their canoe is sunk. The primary objective of the game is to be the last canoe standing.
  2. In order to move around in the pool, teams must use their hands, buckets, or kickboards.
  3. There will be no more than four (4) canoes in the water at one time.
  4. If the game comes to a stale mate with no team advancing on the others, the Intramural Staff in the pool will move canoes closer to each other.

Restrictions

  1. Players may not take water out of their own canoes.

    Penalty: Replacement of water at official’s discretion plus one large penalty bucket.

  2. Players may not touch an opponent, opponent’s equipment (in the possession of an opponent or in the pool), or an opponent’s boat.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket. Any intentional act of tipping an opponent’s canoe may result in team disqualification.

  3. Players may not touch the side of the pool or any lane lines within the pool in an effort to push off or otherwise direct or propel their boat within the water.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket.

  4. A team may never possess more than three (3) buckets and one (1) shield.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket.

  5. Players must immediately freeze when a Sport Program Associate’s whistle is blown.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket.

  6. During the stoppage of play, all players are prohibited from throwing water at opponents or removing water from their canoes.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket.

  7. If a player falls out of or intentionally leaves their team’s boat:
    • Penalty: One large penalty bucket and that player will not be replaced.
    • If a player falls out of the boat, play will stop, the player will get out of the pool, the team will play shorthanded, and play will resume on the official’s whistle.
  8. A player may never stand up in their canoe at any time.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket.

  9. If a team is intentionally stalling to avoid other boats.

    Penalty: One large penalty bucket.

  10. Sport Program Associates will blow their whistles to stop play when a penalty bucket is issued. They will announce which boat receives the penalty. The penalized boat will be required to bring the canoe to the side of the pool, where a Sport Program Associate will administer the penalty bucket.

Sunken Ship

  1. Once your canoe has been sunk or your team has been disqualified, all members must abandon the canoe and immediately exit the water. Intramural Staff in and around the pool will guide the canoe to the side of the pool.
  2. Once eliminated, the game officials will stop play until the eliminated team and its boat clears the playing area.
  3. Any attempt to hinder another team after your canoe has been sunk will result in an ejection for all players involved.

Substitutions

  1. Substitutions may only occur in between matches.
  2. If an official timeout is called for an injured player, that player must leave the game but may return on the next available match.

Overtime

Sink-or-be sunk rule: In an effort to keep rounds completing in a timely manner, all teams will periodically have buckets of water dumped into their boats.

  • One large penalty bucket will be added to each remaining team’s canoe for every minute over regulation time.

Conduct

The Intramurals program promotes positive sportsmanship at all contests and activities. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes actions which are unbecoming to an ethical, fair, and honorable individual. It consists of acts of deceit, disrespect, or vulgarity and includes taunting.

Ejections

Any player ejected from a game will be immediately suspended from participating in all Intramurals activities. The ejected player must then make an appointment with the Coordinator of Intramurals and Sport Coordinator to determine the length of suspension and any other sanctions. The following actions can result in ejections from Intramurals:

  1. Improper language
  2. Unsporting conduct

Contact: Sport Programs Office, (541) 737-4083, 111 Dixon Recreation Center

Revised: 5/3/2023