Course Project: High School Physics AP II Dual-Driver Cardboard Boat

I. Intro

Date: 06/12/2019

Goal: build a cardboard boat that can let two people sit in there. The first returned boat wins.

The falling egg project just ended, and we didn’t have too much time.

II. Design and Construction

We decided to build a classic boat. The structure can be found in the picture below. I was in charge of the bows, while others were building the hull. I used two pieces to form the shape of a dustpan and used a beam to hold the opening in place. We also added extra layers at the bottom just in case the cardboard would be soaked and fell. I also suggested adding a triangle beam to prevent bending. Then, our boat was done.

III. Test

The competition: each team would drive a round tirp on the pool. Two people from each group would drive the first half, and another two would finished the second half. Each team only had one fine boat paddle, and the second one must be made by ourselves.

And the victory was ours.

IV. Key Concepts

1. Since we were making a boat for two people, the boat had to be longer. If there’s not enough support, the boat would deform towards the driver.
2. The second team on the left showed that they didn’t have enough support between the port and the starboard.
3. The third team showed that their boat neither had support in the pitch nor the roll direction. Their boat started to twist and tended to tip over at the beginning. And they were tail-heavy.
4. The furthest team at least finished the first half, but their seat was way too low or the freeboard was too high. The drivers had to put their arms very high, and this limited their power.
5. Our boat was not very comfortable to sit on because of the triangle beam, but this made us sit higher and easier to deliver power.
6. On average, the draughts were not very deep, but only the second team tipped over. The center of gravity of our crew and boat was definitely above the water, but it seemed not very easy to tip over. When I went for the ride, it seems fine even though it was nose heavy.
7. Once the cardboard got wet, it deformed very quickly, so waterproofing was critical.