"Michigan Technological University"
(10th place overall; 13th in paper; 8th in presentation; 13th in product)

Presentation:

Michigan Tech represented the North Central Conference and made their ninth national appearance.  

Tech relied on 5 people to make their presentation; 4 men and 1 woman.  The presenters were dressed in suits and the presentation was business oriented.  The team used 1 screen and did not include any video.

The team was first up on the block in the morning session.  Following team introductions, they outlined their efforts including practice and hull design. After they described the attributes of their boat, the team outlined the salient features underlying its design.  Then they described their finite element analysis and outlined the results obtained.

Mix design came next.  The team outlined their objectives in this regard and described the unique characteristics of their creation.  They described the mix proportions and the material properties of the constituents.  Then they outlined their reinforcing scheme.

Mold and canoe construction came next.  The team described the casting procedures and curing process.  Then they outlined the finishing techniques, including the application of graphics and sealants, before bringing the presentation to conclusion.

Questions and Comments:  

• Why did you think a higher strength mix was important to prevent the cracks that occurred in last year’s canoe?
• Why was your graphite epoxy coated?
• Did you take into account that bonding may be affected by the epoxy coating?
• With over 30 people on your team, did you experience any low points in moral?
• How did you handle this?
• What training did your safety manager have to qualify him for the job?
• Why did you choose not use the rice husk ash that your team employed last year?
• Did you explore using different amounts of lime putty in your mix?
• Do any of you know who Gordon Lightfoot is?

Product:

Michigan Tech fielded "Gitchee Gumee".
Length: 19' 3 1/2"
Weight: 196.6 lb
Color: black

The team employed two layers of an epoxy coated graphite mesh to reinforce their hull and met the sieve requirement by using Siscor #16, #30, #50, #100, and 3M glass spheres.  They integrated a spray deflector into their bow because gunwale caps can not extend into this region. 

Vital Statistics