Concrete Canoe
Every year we design and build a canoe made of concrete. We then compete and race our canoe at regional and national conferences. We start in Fall Quarter by creating our hull design, mix design, and construction of the canoe mold. Once we have our final mix design and mold, we cast the canoe in less than a day. In Winter Quarter, we sand, patch, stain and seal the canoe before competing in PSWC (Pacific Southwest Conference). In addition to constructing the canoe, we create and submit a design paper prior to the conference. We also prepare for an oral presentation and make stands, a final display, and a representative cutaway section of the canoe for display day. And of course, we hold weekly paddling practices throughout the year to train for the exciting all-day racing event at the conference!
Scoring in the competitions is based on four equally-weighted parts: canoe design and construction quality, design report, oral presentation, and race performance. Our goal is to excel in these four areas, so we take great effort to prepare for the competitions. There is a need for students (or “project engineers”) to help out in one or several aspects. From mix design to paddling, there is a way for students from all majors to contribute to the project. Whether it is painting the canoe, paddling the canoe, or even just designing the shape of the canoe, each aspect is intertwined with each other, making this project a very fun, collaborative effort.
Scoring in the competitions is based on four equally-weighted parts: canoe design and construction quality, design report, oral presentation, and race performance. Our goal is to excel in these four areas, so we take great effort to prepare for the competitions. There is a need for students (or “project engineers”) to help out in one or several aspects. From mix design to paddling, there is a way for students from all majors to contribute to the project. Whether it is painting the canoe, paddling the canoe, or even just designing the shape of the canoe, each aspect is intertwined with each other, making this project a very fun, collaborative effort.
UCLA Concrete Canoe Team at PSWC 2018.
We have competed in the regional Concrete Canoe competition since 1990. Our first canoe was cleverly named P.D.S. 90, which stood for “Please Don’t Sink”. Since then, our Concrete Canoe team has qualified for nationals seven times after finishing in the top two at the regional competition. In fact, our most recent invitation to the national competition was in 2016 where we came 2nd overall!
This year, even though our team wasn't able to secure a spot for the Nationals Competition 2018, they competed very well and placed 3nd overall at the regional conference (PSWC). The team plans to build upon this year's performance and return to Nationals next year.
For more information, visit bruinsconcretecanoe.org!
This year, even though our team wasn't able to secure a spot for the Nationals Competition 2018, they competed very well and placed 3nd overall at the regional conference (PSWC). The team plans to build upon this year's performance and return to Nationals next year.
For more information, visit bruinsconcretecanoe.org!
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Let us know if you have any comments or suggestions. We encourage student members to join our Facebook group to stay updated with our project. We are also open to sponsorship. The materials and equipment that we use in this project are expensive, so any financial help for getting those resources is appreciated. Please check out our Concrete Canoe Team's donation page or send an email to the entire project team for more information.