Float The Boat 2026
Float the Boat 2026
February 21, 2026 | Boat Rock, GA
Registration opens soon. Logo and T-Shirt designs coming soon!
Climbers have been falling in love with these granite boulders for decades—and for good reason. Boat Rock has long been a proving ground for technical slab, splitter cracks, and the kind of friction that humbles even the most seasoned rock wrestlers.
In the 1980s, Boat Rock hosted one of the largest climbing competitions in the world—in June, no less. Proof that there is no such thing as climbing season… just wear shorter shorts. Legends like Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, Sasha DiGiulian, Ron Kauk, and Zach Galla have all tested themselves here, alongside generations of local climbers who call this place home.
Boat Rock is special—but access like this is never free, and it’s never guaranteed.
In 2001, a portion of the boulder field was purchased for development. Several classic climbs were lost under the merciless weight of excavator buckets. It became clear that if the remaining boulders were going to survive, the climbing community had to act.
Enter the Southeastern Climbers Coalition. Climbers rallied, organized, and turned competition into conservation. With the help of local activists, the Access Fund, and thousands of individual supporters, money was raised through donations, pledges, grants, and loans.
In 2002, Boat Rock was purchased by climbers, for climbers, to protect access in perpetuity.
Today, these granite eggs continue to give their gift of fickle friction to everyone—first-timers and lifers, amateurs and pros alike. Float the Boat isn’t just a competition. It’s a celebration of what happens when a community shows up for the places it loves.
And in 2026, we’re doing it again—bigger, louder, and just a little unhinged.
What to Expect
All the shenanigans you know and love.
A few new ones you might not be ready for (but we’re doing them anyway).
Same Boat Rock chaos. Same purpose. Same cause.
Competition Categories
Speed Events
Rowboat
Race the clock to complete 20 specified Boat Rock classics (V0–V3)
Tugboat
Race the clock to complete 20 specified Boat Rock classics (V3–V6)
Kraken
First climber to complete all 20 specified crack climbs takes the win
Point-Based Events
Top 10 sends by points, Tiebreaker: 11th & 12th best sends:
Youth – Ages 12 & under
Non-Binary
Men’s Beginner – V0–V2
Women’s Beginner – V0–V2
Men’s Intermediate – V3–V5
Women’s Intermediate – V3–V5
Men’s Advanced – V6–V7
Women’s Advanced – V6–V7
Men’s Open – V8+
Women’s Open – V8+
Rock Gods – Ages 45 & up
Rock Goddesses – Ages 45 & up
Endurance & Team Events
Iron Man – Collect as many points as possible
Iron Maiden – Collect as many points as possible
Iron Team
Two-person teams
• One climber climbs V3 and below only
• One climber climbs V4 and above only
• Collect as many points as possible together
Float the Boat is a love letter to Boat Rock—and a reminder that access exists because climbers fight for it. Come climb hard, celebrate harder, and help keep this place wild for generations to come.
See you on the granite.