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Date: April 25, 2026 Watsonville High School
The MATE Monterey Bay Regional ROV Competition will offer: RANGER, NAVIGATOR and SCOUT class.
Competition Date: Saturday, April 25th, 2026
Northern SF Bay teams: At this point, I am not sure of the status of the California - San Francisco Bay regional for the 2026 competition season. If that regional does not happen, all Northern SF Bay teams will be welcome at the Monterey Bay regional.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When will registration open? Registration will open on Monday, February 2, 2026.
Link to Registration for the Monterey Bay Regional
When will registration close? Team registration for the Monterey Bay regional will close on March 31st, 2026. Team registration may close earlier if we reach a maximum limit of teams. Teams registering after that point will be put on a wait list until a spot opens. Students may register to be a part of your team until April 20th, 2026, but you must have your team registered by March 31st.
How many teams can I register? Each school or institution is initially limited to 1 RANGER class, 1 NAVIGATOR class and 3 SCOUT class teams. Do not register additional teams! Contact regional coordinator, Matthew Gardner if you have more teams than allocated above, we can discuss participation.
What Engineering & Communications components are required?
Note in 2026!!! We will continue to include Corporate Responsibility (optional) for all classes.
RANGER teams will submit technical documentation, a company safety review, a company spec sheet, and SIDs three or four weeks prior to the competition (11:59 PM, Hawaii Time, Wednesday, April 1st). Teams planning to compete in MATE Floats! 2026 task must also submit their float information document and a Non-ROV device SID. RANGER teams will also participate in an Engineering Presentation on competition day. RANGER teams will also be scored on Corporate Responsibility submissions.
NAVIGATOR teams will bring a marketing display and participate in an Engineering Presentation on competition day. NAVIGATOR teams will also be scored on Corporate Responsibility submissions (optional).
NAVIGATOR teams should submit a non-ROV device (float) description document. This document must outline:
- Whether the float uses a buoyancy engine or other mechanism
- What method the float uses for vertical profiles (fully autonomous onboard batteries, autonomous tethered to surface, manual tethered to surface)
- If using onboard batteries, the document must show an image of the battery type being used and how the battery/battery pack meets the MATE onboard power specifications. The document must also detail the method of pressure release for the float. See the Non-ROV Device rules in the NAVIGATOR manual for more information.
SCOUT teams will bring a marketing display and participate in an Engineering Presentation on competition day. SCOUT teams will also be scored on Corporate Responsibility submissions (optional).
SCOUT teams do not need to submit a non-ROV device (float) description document, but should have one on hand for competition day and provide it to the station judges. This document must outline:
- Whether the float uses a buoyancy engine or other mechanism
- What method the float uses for vertical profiles (autonomous tethered to surface, or manually controlled tethered to surface).
SCOUT and NAVIGATOR teams WILL NOT be scored for technical documentation or other engineering components at the Monterey bay regional - DO NOT SUBMIT THOSE DOCUMENTS. Only the engineering & communications components listed above are required.
Due date for all RANGER class documentation is 11:59 PM, Hawaii Time, Wednesday, April 1st.
All documentation for the regional can be submitted to: documentsubmissions@marinetech.org
How deep is the pool? RANGER teams will compete in 4 meters of water (12.5 feet). NAVIGATOR and SCOUT teams will compete in 2.1 meters of water (7 feet). The water is clear.
My team is from the north end of the San Francisco Bay. Do we compete at the Monterey Bay regional or the CSU Maritime regional? At this point, it is unknown whether the SF Bay regional will happen. Hopefully it will happen, and NAVIGATOR and SCOUT teams from that area can compete at the Maritime Academy. If it does not happen, all teams from that area will be welcome at the Monterey Bay regional.
We will provide additional competition information as soon as it is available. Do you have additional questions, or would you like to be added to the MATE Monterey Bay Regional Listserv? Contact the California - Monterey Bay regional coordinator, Matthew Gardner: mgardner@marinetech.org
2025 Monterey Bay Regional Resources
The California - Monterey Bay Regional is sponsored by:
MATE ROV Competition
The Marine Technology Society - Monterey Bay Section
Partnering with Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Watsonville High School, and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education
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