"New Mexico State University"
(14th place overall; 7th in paper; 19th in presentation; 9th in product)

Presentation:

New Mexico State went with “Eye of the Tiger” for their theme… but the beast (their laptop computer) went wild during their presentation.

Two team members made the delivery and the team began by explaining the rational behind their canoe’s name.  Then, they outlined their organizational structure.

The team described the construction process and highlighted the goals of their hull design.  They outlined how they met the C-33 requirement and described the critical constituents employed in their concrete mix.

The team was in the process of describing their testing procedures when their laptop computer went belly up.  After what seemed to be an eternity (several minutes), the team explained that strain gages were embedded into the structure to quantify the design loads.

They explained how they performed their hydrodynamic analysis and showed videos to illustrate the construction process.  The methods used for finishing the canoe were outlined.  A cost breakdown was given and mention was made regarding fundraising.

Judges Comments/Questions:

Undaunted, two additional team members joined the presenters to answer questions:

• Were transport stresses taken into account?
• Why did you choose the guidelines that you did to design a lightweight concrete?
• How were experimental measurements incorporated into your design process?
• How did your wet curing process affect the Latex used in the mix?
• What was the rational for including a wider section toward the bow?
• Was your 3” freeboard of concern?
• Did you verify your calculations to make sure that strain gages were placed in critical locations?
• What kind of quality control did you employ during your stint?

Commentary:

When their computer failed, the team took valuable time trying to reinstall the software… while the audience sat in silence.  After a few minutes, the team apologized for the interruption and explained that they would be using another computer.  It took them an additional several minutes to get their new unit booted.

New Mexico could have turned their hardware failure into an asset... if some thought was given to damage control… especially if the judges realized that the team was in real trouble.

It probably would have been best to announce that they were having technical difficulties and then continue despite their handicap.  But the team seemed undaunted even when things looked very bleak and, to their credit, persisted in showing the audience how much work they had done.  It goes to show you that technology can sometimes prove more of an impediment than an asset.

Product:

Canoe Name: Ojo del Tigre
Length: 20 ft
Weight: 186 lb
Color: Midnight black, canyon gold, and orange

New Mexico State reported making design changes after testing their prototype.  Their canoe had a parabolic stern and the canoe was wider in the front section to make it easier for the crew to scoot forward and paddle.

Vital Statistics