Honors Engineering Design
Final Exam - Cardboard Boat Challenge
Introduction
Boats come in all sizes, shapes, and
colors!
And, some have trouble going the same
direction as others!
Have you ever wondered how a large
supertanker filled with oil can float?
Objects submerged in a fluid such as water appear to weigh
less than they do when they are not in the water. The liquid
exerts a buoyant force on the object.
Archimedes is credited with discovering that the buoyant force on an object is equal to
the weight of the displaced fluid. He is said to have discovered this principle in his bath
while trying to think of a way to determine whether the king's new crown was gold or a
fake. Legend says that he ran naked through the streets shouting, "Eureka."
Archimedes Principle also applies to floating objects. An object floats on a liquid if its
density is less than that of the fluid. For our supertanker to float it must displace a volume
of water equal to its weight.
Objective:
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To build a boat out of cardboard and tape capable of holding two people that can
be launched and paddled across the shallow waters of Crestwood Lake.
To apply Archimedes' Principle to your design.
Materials:
1. Only corrugated cardboard, clear tape and a sheet of plastic may be used to
construct the boat.
1. Materials breakdown
1. Corrugated Cardboard
2. Plastic sheet – 4mm thick or less, 32 square feet in total (4’x8’)
2. Only corrugated cardboard will be allowed. The maximum allowable thickness of
corrugated cardboard is one-half inch.
3. You may NOT use any other objects to contribute to the structural rigidity or the
craft's flotation ability.
4. You may only use clear, cheap postal tape that is two inches wide. No reinforced
fiber packaging tape or duct tape will be allowed. Examples of the tape will be
shown in class. NO GLUE!
Design Parameters:
Boats will be subject to a technical inspection before the day of the race and must follow
these guidelines. Any boat not following these guidelines will be disqualified.
1. Boats must be made from corrugated cardboard. The entire hull, superstructure,
and seating must also be made from corrugated cardboard. The maximum
thickness of cardboard allowed is two thicknesses (this does not count the where
the "seats" contact the boat structure). The maximum single thickness of
cardboard you may use is 1/2 inch. Thus, the maximum thickness of your two
thicknesses of cardboard is one inch. Again, the maximum thickness of one piece
of cardboard is one-half inch and you may use two thicknesses of this cardboard.
2. No treated cardboard is allowed. Your cardboard must be brown! Treated
cardboard looks like it has been waxed. You may not use painted cardboard.
Again, your cardboard must be brown! Please note: you may paint your boat with
latex paint as part of your decorations for your theme. You may not entirely paint
all your sides. Paint is only for decoration -- it cannot make your boat watersoluble.
3. Tape may only be used for its adhesive properties. You may not use tape as if it
were twine.
4. NO rafts are allowed!
5. The maximum length is 7 feet (84”). Your boat must be able to fit through the 3’
foot doorway (36”).
6. The hull may be wrapped in the approved plastic on the exterior only, no duct
tape, shrink wrap, or anything else. Only the seams and joints may be taped, not
the entire boat. In other words, you may only tape where you put two pieces of
cardboard together. When taping seams, only 1.5 inches of tape can overlap the
seam. When taping seams, a minimum of twelve inches of untapped cardboard
must separate seams.
7. You may not use reinforcing structures between your two layers of cardboard.
This violates the two thickness' rule.
8. Your two thicknesses of cardboard must physically touch. They may not be
separated at all (i.e. air.) Your boat design must provide your buoyancy; buoyancy
provided by enclosed air is not allowed. In other words -- no boxes or strips of
corrugated taped together.
9. You may use cross bars that are incorporated into your seats to stabilize your
boat. Since these are part of your seats and you may only have two seats, you can
only have two cross bars. You may have no more than one cross bar to stabilize
the front of your boat. Three (3) crossbar stabilizers in total: two (2) seats and one
(1) across the hull
10. Swimming on a cardboard surfboard is not allowed. No appendages are allowed
in the water.
11. The occupants of your boat may not be enclosed above the shoulders of the
occupants. Both people must be visible while the boat is in the water from the
shoulders up.
12. Boats must be free of sharp edges, objects with pointed edges, or any other
menace.
13. All occupants of a boat must be good swimmers. WSI instructors will be present.
All participants must/will wear a life preserving flotation device that you will
provide fro yourself and or teammate that is Coast Guard rated for the person
wearing this device.
14. All boats may be propelled through the water by:
a. utilizing the paddle that is provided/constructed by the boaters
b. constructing a device that will power the vessel, such as a paddle wheel.
c. using a sail
d. any combination of a, b, or c.
15. No arms or legs may be in the water to assist with stability or propulsion.
16. To qualify as a finisher, both teammates must be in the boat at the end of the race.
17. You must come up with a theme and a name for your vessel (Theme - “Glory
Days” and name of the boat SS Springstein – wear 80’s clothes, red bandana etc).
Grade 10%
a. A theme can consist of coordinating clothes, hats, colored hair, face paint
etc.
b. A theme can consist of decorations on your boat. All decorations must be
made of cardboard and be affixed to the boat with approved tape. You
may also decorate your boat with markers, latex paint, etc. in addition to
affixing cardboard decorations.
c. The content of the theme must be appropriate, following the rules
described in the student handbook.
You will work in groups of two (2). This will be a six-week assignment. Our study of
fluids coincides with the boat challenge.
Time: 20 class meetings to research design and construct this vehicle
-
4 days to research and design
14-16 class meetings to build
Boats will be completed and inspected on Monday June 10th after school.
Boats will be tested at Crestwood Lake during the school day on Wednesday June
12th (B day) during periods 4, 1, 2, 8 (8AM -12 AM). Rain Date will be Thursday,
June 13th (C day) from 8-12AM Periods 3, 4, 1, 7
Students must wear swim attire or clothes that can get wet.
**You must bring a towel to dry off with and a change of clothes to change into
after the activity.
YOU MUST DISCARD YOUR BOAT WHEN WE GET BACK TO HIGHLANDS
– WHAT MAY BE LEFT OF IT!
Grading Guidelines:
1. There will be a group grade for your boat. Both teammates must be in the boat.
(60%)
o Any boat that even makes it off the starting line will earn 70 points.
o Any boat that successfully negotiates one-quarter of the lake’s length will
receive 80 points.
o Any boat that successfully negotiates one-half of the lake’s length will
receive 90 points.
o Any boat that successfully negotiates three-quarters of the lake’s pool's
length will receive 95 points.
o Any boat that successfully negotiates the entire length of the lake will
receive 100 points.
o Any member that falls out of the boat into the lake a 25 point deduction, if
both team members fall out 50 point deduction.
o Any boat that sinks or group member witnessed using their body parts –
hands, feet, arms, legs etc. – to propel or balance the vessel – EARN 0 pts
– A FULL 100 POINT DEDUCTION!
2. The race will be timed. Winning times and pictures will be posted on schoolwires.
3. There will be an individual grade awarded for your 3 paragraph personal
evaluation. 15%
This personal evaluation will include the discussion of the following – how you and
your team member worked together (fair, not fair, you did most of the work etc.),
likes, dislikes, was it interesting, discuss the project from the beginning to the end)
Group Documentation Report: 35%
Four Paragraph Group Documentation Report will include:
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A one paragraph description of how you would change/modify your design. In
other words, what part of your design was effective? What part of your design did
not work? How would you change it? 10%
Describe three things that you saw other students do that you consider being very
effective. 5%
Archimedes Principle states that "The buoyant force on a body immersed in a
fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by that object." An object floats
when its weight is equal to the buoyant force. Write a one-paragraph description
of how this principle applies to the floatation of your boat. Include the
calculations you learned about buoyancy showing Archimedes Principle. 10%
Describe how you would calculate the buoyant force exerted on your boat by the
water. What measurements would you take and how would you interpret them?
10%
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Presentation – 10% (4-5 minute)
o PowerPoint and Video
o Timeline with pictures of construction (every 2 days take pictures of your
vessel to document the progress)
o Pictures and Video of the Vessel – 6 views (Top, Front, Sides – Left and
Right, Bottom and Back)
o Close Up pictures and video of construction of the walls, hull, seats and
propulsion devices
o Possible Solutions
o Final Solution – explain how it was constructed and how much materials
(cardboard, plastic, and tape) were used in the construction
o Performance – how did you do the day of the testing
The presentation PowerPoint will be handed in as part of the documentation
report
CAD Drawings – 20% (Final Design)
o
o
o
o
Ortho – 5%
Sectional View – Full Section Drawing of the Hull and Seat 5%
Perspective – 5% (Oblique or Isometric)
Three dimensional -5%
Documentation Work Due 6/14 Friday!! to be handed in will be placed in the
following order:
a.
b.
c.
d.
PowerPoint
CAD Drawings (Ortho, Sectional View, Perspective, Three Dimensional)
Four Paragraph Group Documentation
Three paragraph personal documentation and evaluation of this project
TIMELINE:

3 Possible Solution Design per group – 3-4 class periods (15%)
 For each possible solution you must include the following - CAD
Drawings only, calculations of buoyancy, explanations of each
design typed up explaining how it will work in terms of applied
physics (Archimedes principles)
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Construction of Final Solution – 18-20 class periods due 6/10
Testing – 1 day @ Crestwood Lake 6/12 (Rain Date 6/13)
Documentation Work – 2 days and nights due 6/14
Presentations - 6/14
GRADING OUTLINE:
Possible Solutions – 15%
Boat Race – 60%
Personnel Evaluation – 15%
Documentation – 35%
CAD Drawings – 20%
Presentation – 10%
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THERE ARE NO LATE GRADES!!!
i.
IF IT IS NOT HANDED IN ON THE PRESCRIBED DATE
THEN YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO 0 FOR THAT PORTION
OF THE PROJECT.
ii. If you are absent the work is due the next class meeting
NOTES:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Take a group picture with boats before the race down at the lake
Take team pictures with boats – individual
Air horn to start the race
4 lifeguards
Have B&G clear path of debris, wack back growth
Judges rule on the best theme
Race in groups of three
Help boat member get into boats
Take video with my small camera for quick pictures and movie.