"University of Maine"
(16th place overall; 11th in paper; 10th in presentation; 13th in product)

Presentation:

The University of Maine represented the New England Conference and made their fifth national appearance.

Maine relied on 3 people to make their presentation; 1 man and 2 women.  The presenters were dressed in suits and the presentation was business oriented.  The team used 1 screen and did not include any videos.

 After a brief introduction, the team explained the motivation behind their theme.  They began by explaining how they raised funds to support the project.  Then it was on to hull design.

The team elaborated on their structural analysis and highlighted the attributes and salient features of their design.   They explained the rationale behind their choice of reinforcement and concrete.  

Then, the team elaborated on the testing methods employed before moving on the construction.  The team explained how they improved the process and solved problems encountered in past stints. 

The team elaborated on their finishing techniques and explained the differences from past stints.  Then, the team brought their presentation to conclusion. 

 Questions and Comments:  

• How much confidence did you have in your analysis when you chose to go with a relatively low safety factor of 2.0?
• What is the make up of your team relative to past experience?
• How much money did you raise?
• Which of the mixes in your report did you select and why?
• Was the main decision criteria unit weight as opposed to strength?
• Why do curing times differ in the report and presentation?
• What was the rationale for selecting the size aggregate that you did?
• How did you control the humidity during the curing process?
• Where did the process take place?

Product:

   Maine fielded "Spitfire."
Length: 20.0'
Weight: 230 lb
Color: camo

Maine ’s hull was reinforced using 2 layers of carbon fiber/Kevlar mesh.  The team included polypropylene and milled carbon fibers for secondary reinforcement.  Matrix materials included Siscor spheres.

Maine integrated a “V” shaped keel into their hull to improve tracking and increase straight line speed.  They also incorporated splash guards in the bow and stern.  The team relied on juniors to captain the effort; seniors mentored while new members learned the ropes.

Vital Statistics