K-State at Salina solar boat team competes in New York

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Source: Eduard Plett, 785-826-2926, eplett@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Karen Petterson, 785-826-2642, karpett@k-state.edu

Monday, August 1, 2005

K-STATE AT SALINA SOLAR BOAT TEAM COMPETES IN NEW YORK

SALINA -- Kansas State University at Salina's solar boat team competed at the 2005 Solar Splash, the world championship of intercollegiate solar boating, June 22-26, in Buffalo, N.Y.

The K-State at Salina team finished seventh overall, third in slalom, sixth in endurance and ninth in sprint. The team also won the "hottest looking boat" award for the second year in a row. This year’s competition featured 16 teams from the United States and Canada.

Points were earned in seven categories starting with technical reports that were submitted in advance of the competition. Once the competition began, the workmanship of each boat and visual displays were evaluated. On-the-water events included a qualifier course for the sprint and the endurance categories, followed by a slalom course, which tested each boat's speed and maneuverability.

"The most important events were the sprint, where boats raced under maximum power for 300 meters, and the endurance event, where the goal was to complete as many course laps as possible within the allotted time," said team co-faculty adviser Eduard Plett.

Plett, who is assistant professor of engineering technology, attended the competition, along with team co-faculty adviser assistant professor Tim Bower.

K-State at Salina team members who attended the 2005 Solar Splash were Andrew Wilber, senior in electronic and computer engineering technology, Belleville, and Dean Niehaus, junior in electronic and computer engineering technology, Hill City.