Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunts are fun, social events. Teams are made up of driver and navigator, but additional passengers are often permitted.

You’ll be given a set of clues, or a list of items to collect, at the start of the event and it is your job as the navigators to plan the route you will take to reach the various plot points necessary within the time limit.

Both Treasure Hunts and Navigational Scatters are excellent entry points to learning the techniques of navigation and starting to build the teamwork that is needed between driver and navigator.

Routes are often on public roads, with speeds rarely exceeding 30mph. Events usually start in car parks and finish at a place of interest or refreshment, picking up clues and treasure along the way.

Navigational Scatter

A great entry point into rallying, a Navigational Scatter is a fantastic opportunity to build the skills necessary in more complex formats. Teams, each made up of a driver and a navigator, are given around 20 – 30 plot points scattered across a defined area, with a clue or question to solve at each point (the number on a particular telegraph pole, for example).

Your role as the navigator is to plot the points and choose the route you’ll take to ensure maximum points in the time limit. Think of a navigational scatter as one step up from a Treasure Hunt.

Navigational Scatters usually take place in the evening or at night, along public roads, with speeds rarely exceeding 30mph.

12 Car Rally

A 12 Car Rally, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a rally featuring 12 cars.  Competitors participate in teams of two, a driver and a navigator.

Multitasking is key if you wish to navigate on a 12 Car. You have to direct the driver along a route, ensuring you’re visiting check points and time controls in the right order, all while maintaining a time schedule.

The difference between this and other forms of rallying is that you are given a series of instructions defining your route, visiting the plot points in order and at particular times. At each point, there will be a marshal waiting to note your time and to provide the next set of instructions. The objective is to navigate to each time control accurately while following a time schedule.

A 12 Car Rally takes place on public roads, with speeds rarely exceeding 30mph.

It is recommended to start out with a navigational scatter or treasure hunt before attempting a 12 Car Rally.

Navigational Rally

A Navigational Rally takes place in the evening or at night and involves navigating to a number of different plot points in the designated area.

As the navigator you’ll be given a series of instructions defining the route and must direct the driver to ensure you visit the plot points in order and at the correct time. At each point, there will be a marshal waiting to note the time of arrival and to provide the next set of instructions.

You’ll need a strong stomach and to be good at multitasking to be able to plot on-the-go!

Like most road rallies, a Navigational Rally takes place on public roads, with speeds rarely exceeding 30mph. The aim is to complete the course accurately, with the lowest time penalty.

Targa Rally

A cross between a Rally and an Autotest, a Targa consists of a course marked out by cones, with a set route and a navigator to direct. The aim is to follow the correct route, in the quickest time possible.

Targa Rallies are usually held during the daytime, on private land, with plenty of tight turns to keep speeds low. Some events may use multiple venues, navigating on public roads between locations.

As the navigator you’ll be handed stage diagrams when you arrive at the event. You’re allowed to annotate these but can’t create full notes. Your role is to guide the driver around the course the right way. You will receive time penalties for going the wrong way!

It’s always sensible to agree certain commands with your driver in advance so there is no confusion during the tests.

At single venue Targa Rallies, you may share your car, taking it in turns to act as driver or navigator. Teamwork is key!

FAQS

What makes a good car?

Road rallying can be done in a standard car if it has an MOT, is registered and taxed as a private car, and is in neat and tidy order with all loose items stowed properly. It must have a maximum of four cylinders and single rotor Wankel engines are permitted, twin ones are not. Gearboxes must be manual with the traditional H-shift pattern and tyres must be road legal. At the start of each event, the car will be scrutineered to ensure safety and noise limits.

Are there any modifications required?

Cars should have original bodywork but can also be fitted with manufacturer extras, although non-standard wheel arch extensions are not permitted. The interior should contain all original trim, but front seats can be improved or replaced.

What other kit do you need?

You will be navigating through the course, so you need a working odometer, a pencil, rubber and sharpener, a stopwatch (or two if you can) and a piece of cardboard as a platform to write on. Some events will require you to have the correct local Ordnance Survey (OS) maps, and these can be highlighted but must not have information added to them other than that given to you by the organisers. Some events now run on apps, so a well-charged smart phone and dash mount and an in-car charger to make sure it doesn’t shut down during the event may also be required. It is good practice to be organised and have a container for essential loose items, so they remain in one place. Some events may require the use of an electronic trip meter, but these can cost upwards of £200 so be sure you want to commit before buying one.

What are the general costs of participating?

Assuming you own a road legal car, at a Taster event, all you will need to pay to get started is the event entrance fee, as the required RS Clubman Licence is free and can be easily obtained from Motorsport UK. For regular club events, a Club Membership is required. Events start at £30 and can be found using the club finder tool on the Motorsport UK website and contacting your nearest club to find out what’s on when and where.

How old do you have to be to take part?

A crew must consist of a driver and co-driver. Drivers must be at least 17-years-old, but navigators (non-Drivers) can be as young as 12.

What skills are required for Road Rallying?

The emphasis is as much on navigation as driving skill and in most cases good map reading skills are essential, as the navigator usually needs to use OS maps to direct the driver around the route. In time-controlled events, good time management is also key, because it’s just as bad if you check in at a time control too early as it is too late. It is also worth noting control procedures differ from event to event, so be sure to know what they are.

How can you learn the basics?

As Road Rallying is a StreetCar discipline, you can simply contact your local club and sign up to join an event. The organisers will give you all the information you need, so you can just turn up and get involved. It is best to start at the easier end of the discipline – for example joining a Touring Assembly to get to know the different procedures involved – before driving into the deep end. Some 12 Car events will prefill the route in for beginners so they can get the hang of it, and often clubs host tabletop navigations to learn how to read and use the Ordnance Survey maps from experienced club members.

What makes a good team?

The navigator’s role is to keep the car going in the right direction and on time. To do this, they need to inform the driver of upcoming features, so good navigator must be well prepared. Route instructions sometimes arrive the day before the event, so it is good to note down key marker points on the documents, either circling in pen or using a highlighter. You also need to work together and understand each other – particularly if there are test sections, as these require quicker response. To avoid penalties or missing locations, you should discuss strategy before the event and decide together what instructions will be given and what they mean. Trust each other – the navigator has the instructions and are most likely to be right; while the driver knows how to drive and does not need back-seat instruction.

How do you improve and progress?

Moving through the disciplines, from easier to harder, is the traditional way to get comfortable and – for those who want to – to become more competitive. Some people treat events as a nice day out, while others are in it to win it. Whatever end of the scale you are, the more events you do, the more familiar you will become and the more enjoyable you will find them.

Is it a stepping-stone towards other forms of motorsport?

There are no international competitions in Road Rallying, so for those who want to progress beyond, it is more used as a route into Stage Rallying, as it helps to build the navigational and driver-navigator communication skills that are required in that form of the sport.