First place, yes, 90 minutes into the 2 hour 1996 Solar Splash race, Solar Storm was in first, and running great. Kanazawa, the favorite, was in the pits repairing a drive train. U Mass was 30 seconds behind. Then disaster. Our prop snagged an unseen enemy. After what seemed like forever our boat finally limped into the pits. It took over 2 minutes to find and correct the problem. An anchor and rope from a bouy that got away, was wrapped around the prop and rudder. In a few minutes we were underway, but now 3 minutes behind U Mass.
We finished 2nd. Just 25 seconds behind.
OK, so the unexpected happens. Fuses blow, a drive belt slips, you cut a corner too tight and snag a bouy.
But none of that happened. Instead we were victums of an unseen time bomb left by the event organizers. A bouy got loose during preliminary races, and the event staff found the bouy. But NOT the 7 meters of rope and bricks that made the anchor.
Instead, we found it!
The staff did not warn anybody about the hazzard. They did not use floating rope even though it was required for the boat teams.
There was no apology.
THERE WASN'T EVEN AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of what actually happended - that Marquette would have won, had the event staff not been negligent! At no time was there any explanation of what happened to the first place boat.
Sounds like sour grapes. Well yes. U Mass did win. Marquette took second. Everyone agrees that we would have won. Everyone agrees that Kanazawa would have won had they not broken down. But we did not break down. We did NOT get an unlucky break.
We were victums of negligence by the event staff.
A public apology and acknowledgement is due. George Ettenheim and
Advanced Energy Competitions, I'm still waiting.
A solar powered vehical is powered entirely using energy from the Sun.
Batteries may be used, but all charging must be from solar sources.
Most solar boats use electric motors powerd by solar cells.
Solar cells, or photovoltaics (PVs), convert solar energy directly into electrical energy.
Solar boats are easily powerd by solar cells. A boat typically can charge while being tied up to a dock. Water reflects light unto the cells, decreasing the time to charge. With just a few cells, a boater could charge batteries for a few hours, then ride for a few hours.
Solar Energy Society is a student organization at Marquette that designs, builds, and tests our boat each year.
Solar Splash World Solar Boat Championships, 18-23 June 2003, Buffalo, NY USA.
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Revised: 3 May 98
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