With plugs and helmets firmly in place, bath tub racers will sprint across Tauranga Harbour in Bowentown at speeds of up to 40km/h at the annual 2014 Bowentown Bath Tub Regatta this weekend.

Heading into its 11th year, the event hosted by Bowentown Boating and Sport Fishing Club sees the unusual yet crowd-pleasing sport fly men across the water, boasting a wide range of competitors, commonly known as ‘tubbers'.

A ‘tubber' competing in the 2013 edition of the Bowentown Bath Tub Regatta.

Originating in Nanaimo, British Colombia in the 1960s, the sport involves the use of a bath tub boat and an eight horsepower motor – now hotly contested in Bowentown and Whitianga.

Event organiser John Fagan says tubbers are making their way from Tauranga, Whitianga and Auckland for Saturday's annual event with new and improved tubs expected set high standards.

'Technology is catching up with it and there new bath tubs being built but the same rules you have to have a part of the bath tub in the water at all times and the rim completely exposed,” says John.

'So with technology and better things built around bath they are getting quicker.”

With entries only permitted on the day, John admits it is hard to estimate the number of competitors but if interest is anything to go by they will have 20-25 tubs for the afternoon's action of fiercely competitive thrills and spills.

Being such a serious sport for many, there are rules to ensure all is fair and nobody gets hurt. Tubbers have to wear wetsuits, life jackets, safety helmets and engine kill cords in case they capsize or fall into the water.

Design rules specify a significant part of the tub of each boat must touch the water when stationary and engines cannot be bigger than eight horse power.

The bath tub may be made of any material but must be recognised to be a genuine standardised tub, as is readily available in New Zealand plumbing circles.

'We start off with a rowing event and then into the ladies eight horse and then the men. Some of these bath tubs are getting up to 30 nearly 40km now.

'It's great to watch and everybody is looking for the odd thing to happen and we see motors come off and bath tubs flipping over and all sorts happening.”

And John's bath tub is set for a good workout this weekend with a family feel to the competition – with his son-in-law the open championship, daughter in the women's event and John himself racing in the club championship.

But he is confident the three-year-old will be sturdy enough to withstand the workload after being involved in the sport for a number of years.

'I saw the club doing it and my brother and I decided to build one and it caught on and this is our fourth one we have built; each one is better.

'It's just a good day out for the family.”

Check in for the event starts at 10am with racing starting at 1pm. All proceeds go to the coastguard.