"Wentworth Institute of Technology"
(17th place overall; 20th in paper; 21st in presentation; 20th in product)

Presentation:

Wentworth went with a 1980’s hair band theme but two people in business attire delivered the presentation.

They outlined their competition strategy and explained the basic design parameters.  The structural analysis and boundary conditions used for the structural analysis were reported and the team specified the factor of safety and key design values.

After stating that their goal was to use no flotation, the team described their mix design.  Then the team mentioned that their hull design was based on ergo-dynamics and that it relied heavily on paddler input.

The management and construction process were integrated nicely into the discussion and the team mentioned their recruitment strategy.  A cost breakdown was presented and the team mentioned that the project cost less than expected.

The team outlined their construction scenario and placement methods.  The process used to eliminate shrinkage cracks was described.

Finally, an accident that occurred at the regional level was mentioned along with the techniques used to repair the canoe.

Judges Comments/Questions:

Then, the team stepped up to the mark and answered the following questions:

• You were one of the few competitors that used slag in your mix.  Why did you use it?
• You specified a tensile strength of 1000 psi.  How did you test your plates to determine if this value was obtained?
• You seem to have a variable approach to modeling.  What did you do to make sure that your boat would support the weight of your paddlers?
• You assumed a constant buoyancy force from end to end.  Why?
• Is the buoyancy force really constant over the length of the boat?
• What was the justification for reducing the weight of your paddlers when you modeled different races?
• What was the nine gallons of vegetable oil mentioned in your report used for?
• Why did you use vegetable oil as opposed to a petrochemical oil for a release agent?
• There were 2200 hours spent in the project.  Did you estimate the cost of this contribution in your cost estimate?
• How were the dimensions of your boat communicated to your construction crew?
• There seems to be a conflict in your time schedule.  Can you explain why?
• Why did you use two layers of reinforcement as opposed to three?

Commentary:

Product:

Canoe Name: Cherry Pi
Length: 21 ft
Weight: 257 lb
Color: Red and black

Wentworth’s canoe was reinforced with two layers of fiberglass mesh.  The aggregates that were used to help meet the C-33 standard were K-20 micro-spheres and sand.  The canoe had a symmetrical shape and was the only one reported to have sustained damage at the regional competition.

Vital Statistics