AGH Solar Boat the best in Sardinian competition

The solar boat Celka passed the technical inspection and was able to compete in the following events: endurance race (the largest number of laps within two hours, each lap being 6 km long), slalom race (a typical timed slalom on a track with buoys), time trial (completing the track of about 55 km in the shortest time), match race (a boat race in pairs), speed race (a short distance of approx. 180 m). Due to different strategies picked by each team, the most interesting event was ton’s race. The organisers designated eight points between which the participants could freely navigate. The boat with the longest distance covered in two hours won. The teams had to decide to sail the sections that gave the boats a chance for the best result. In addition to regulatory restrictions, the technical parameters of the boats had to be taken into account, e.g. a given section could be swum a maximum of four times.

In turn, tech-talk is a static event during which the teams present their boats to the jury. This year, innovative solutions applied in Celka paid off, as they were appreciated by the jurors. These were photovoltaic panels, a composite hull, and a new hydrowings steering system, all self-made by the team.

The win in Sardinia is a result of months of labour of the entire team, however it is worth giving credit where credit is due, Michał Zawisza steered the boat, and the tech-talk was presented by Paweł Geras.

Before Celka got to the Sardinia Innovative Boat Week, she underwent a series of technical changes. The most significant one was to design and create new lighter and more streamlined pylons and hydrowings. Pylons are components made of carbon fibre which fasten hydrowings to the boat and play a key role in the floating of the structure above the water’s surface, resulting in reduced energy consumption and increased hydrofoil’s speed. Moreover, the team also modernised its flight steering mechanism, which allowed to keep the boat above the surface with greater stability.

The supervisor of the AGH Solar Boat student club is Dr Krzysztof Sornek, associate professor at the Faculty of Energy and Fuels.