Vospers technology finds its way into the Schools Marine Challenge
Schools Marine Challenge plays an important part in the development of links between schools and businesses across the South East. By working together knowledge is shared and the next generation of marine engineers and designers are on their way to success. Already the competition between the 20 schools involved in this year’s Challenge is heating-up with St Anne’s Convent Girls School in Southampton taking a very methodical and scientific approach.
Organised by the British Marine Federation and Marine South East, the aim of the challenge is to introduce school children to the world of marine engineering. Marine companies across the south east link up with local schools to give the pupils an insight into the world of boat building.
Tony Sharples, a teacher at St Anne's, has a background in Vospers, and so it is no surprise that the school is drawing on this to give it a competitive edge. The St Anne's team have built a test tank complete with a light gate and interchangeable pulling mass to determine the effects of hull design dynamics. Carefully recording data to compare and contrast, the students are aiming to arrive at the best solution for their entries in two classes of the competition - solar and electric powered craft. The girls are working twice a week at lunchtime and after school using scaled down wooden hull forms of several different types, some tried and tested in full sized craft, others as an evolution of these to see if they can optimise performance.
Design, Science and Maths staff, are involved in the project demonstrating that a variety of disciplines are necessary for a team to come up with a comprehensive design. They have a 4m test tank built in the school and have developed 7 hull designs so far. The latest move is to develop planing hulls, with early signs in the tank showing considerable advantages if they can get the power, especially from the solar panel category.
Since its inception the popularity of Schools Marine Challenge has grown with entries up 50 percent sine 2006. Both business and schools take this competition seriously and welcome the challenges they face as they compete to see who will be this year's winning entry. This year's school entrants include:-
Bishop Luffa Church of England School, Chichester West Sussex
Dane Court Grammar School, Broadstairs Kent
Leigh CTC, Dartford Kent
Midhurst Intermediate School, Midhurst, West Sussex
Oaklands Community School, Southampton Hampshire
Quilley School of Engineering, Eastleigh Hampshire
Rainham School for Girls, Rainham Kent
Seaford College, Petworth West Sussex
Springfield Technology College, Portsmouth Hampshire
Carisbrooke High School, Newport Isle of Wight
St Andrew's C of E High School for Boys, Worthing West Sussex
St Anne's Catholic School, Southampton Hampshire
The Arnewood School, New Milton Hampshire
Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, Bicester Oxfordshire
St Birinus School, Didcot Oxfordshire
Manhood Community College, Chichester West Sussex
Newstead School for Girls, Orpington Kent
This year's race day is taking place on Tuesday 1st July at Southwater Water Sports Centre. Companies can support the event in a number of ways, either by providing technical support and advice to schools designing and constructing their petrol, electric and solar-powered boats or by providing sponsorship for individual prizes or overall sponsorship of the Challenge itself. If you are looking for a way to improve access to young people interested in a career in the marine industry or would like to raise your profile in the local media by supporting this event we would like to hear from you.
We will be featuring more schools in future issues of email news. In the meantime if you would like further information on the event or if you would like to get involved with a school near you please contact David Rea either by calling 02380 111 597 or email david@marinesoutheast.co.uk
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