Solar Splash 2009

SOLAR SPLASH 2009 will be held this year in Fayetteville, Arkansas from June 27-31.

SOLAR SPLASH is the World Championship of intercollegiate Solar/Electric boating. Officially called the "international intercollegiate solar/electric boat regatta," the event takes place over five days. Technical Inspections on the first day, are followed by five on-the-water competitive events held over the remaining days. Points are earned in 7 categories starting with Technical reports that are submitted before teams arrive at the competition. On-site competitions categories include Visual Displays and Workmanship. On-the-water events begin with a Sprint and a Maneuverability qualifier. This is followed by an event called the Solar Slalom, which is a combination of speed and maneuverability. The final days are spent in the Sprint and Endurance events.

The first SOLAR SPLASH in 1994 was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and hosted by Marquette University. In 2000 the event moved to New Orleans to drum up interest from more southern teams, and then to Buffalo, New York, from 2001-2005. Solar Splash will be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas on beautiful Lake Fayetteville from 2006-2010.

SOLAR SPLASH is a practical educational experience, which helps to develop teamwork and inter-disciplinary skills. An entry can typically be pulled together in one school year at a cost of about $5,000.

Special thanks to Jeff Morehouse, Organizer of Solar Splash 2009 for providing information and photos. For more info on the SOLAR SPLASH visit their website at http://SOLARSPLASH.com

What is GREEN BOATING?: Part I

What is GREEN BOATING? When I began the GREEN BOATING venture in 2007 I believed that there were opportunities to begin to address the environmental impacts of the marine industry. Boaters are not just passengers on our waterways but stewards of our marine environment. As those afforded the greatest benefit of these bodies of water that kiss our cheek when our bow casts its spray, we must understand the need to protect the balance of these ecosystems. For many centuries man has thought of the oceans and lakes as vast resources and sinks, where we could submerge our careless actions. As we begin to analyze and understand the data that scientists are observing from our oceans and waterways it is increasingly clear that we must confront our personal behavior and begin to mitigate our impacts if we are to preserve the beauty of our life on the water. There are many actions a boater may take, and products or innovations which can be adopted, but the biggest step one can take is to change the way you think. We must consider the impact each of our intended actions will have and determine if there are ways in which we can mitigate these effects. It is the supreme challenge of our generation, and perhaps our race.

The mission of GREEN BOATING is to create an open source for information on environmentally preferable boating designs, products, and practices for the marine industry. GREEN BOATING is dedicated to identifying and sharing knowledge which will help protect the marine environment.

If you would like to find out more about GREEN BOATING please contact me at info@GREENBOATING.net