"University of Minnesota"
(11th place overall; 12th in paper; 16th in presentation; 5th in product)

Presentation:

The name of the boat and the theme selected by the team was “Leading the Way.”  One female and two male team members gave the presentation.  The team outlined steps taken to improve their past effort and specified the requirements for their design.

The team explained the innovative features of the project and pointed out how they used a water jet and a laser tracking system to fabricate their hull.   

The judges began by asking how did you determine the number and placement of the ribs?  Did you consider other methods different from vacuum bagging while constructing your structure?  

What was the purpose of the coaxial cables used during construction?  How is flexibility measured in concrete and why is this property important?  How did you determine the section properties used to analyze your canoe?  How did you estimate the weight of the canoe and how would you actually measure it?  Did the over spray from the water jet create any damage to the canoe?

 Product:

Name: L'Etoile du Nord
Length: 18' 6"
Weight: 105 lb
Color: dark purple

Vital Statistics