"University of Evansville"
(6th place overall; 10th in paper; 8th in presentation; 3rd in product)

Presentation:

Evansville went with a Roman theme and four people made their presentation   The team began by outlining their goals and management strategy.  They explained their hull design and highlighted the attributes of their canoe.

After the team described the methods used for structural analysis, they explained how they made the transition from testing to construction.

The mix design came next.  The team explained how statistical methods were used to do this.  The test program was outlined and the basic findings and results given.

Then the construction process was outlined.  The team explained how they used Lexan to construct their mold and details were give regarding canoe construction and curing.  After the project schedule and deviation from the final path were highlighted, the team brought their presentation to a very strong conclusion.

Judges Comments/Questions:

Then, the team made their national debut in the question and answer session:

• A previous canoe was used to establish crack patterns.  Were the dimensions and shape of this hull the same as your boat?
• How effective was your shrinkage-reducing admixture?
• Did you map the crack pattern in your boat?
• You used a moist curing process.  Did this work well, since you used Latex in your mix?
• If you could have removed some of your admixture, what would you have replaced it with?
• You considered hundreds of moment diagrams during your analysis.  Why did you study so many loading conditions?
• Did you consider transport stresses and, if not, why?
• Why did you choose ASTM 596 as one of your standards?
• If you had more time, which tasks would you have devoted it to?

Commentary:

The presentation was very complete and the team members performed well under fire during the question and answer session.  Considering that Evansville is a rookie at the national level, they were very strong here.  And, the judges should give them the credit that they deserve.

Product:

Canoe Name: Lembus Dorus
Length: 21.3 ft
Weight: 177 lb
Color: Natural gray

Evansville's canoe was slightly asymmetrical from bow to stern and it was reinforced using three layers of fiberglass scrim cloth.  The top of the gunwale was distinctive in that it was made from a finite number of straight-line segments.  The canoe featured one of the thinnest walls at the competition and it was placed very consistently with the help of depth gages.

Vital Statistics