Schools’ Powerboat Challenge returns to QinetiQ
The Schools’ Powerboat Challenge returned to QinetiQ in Gosport, UK on Friday (1July22), with 12 schools from the surrounding counties coming together to put their naval architectural and boat building skills to the test at the company’s state-of-the-art ship testing facilities.
The participating teams were tasked with designing, building and racing a remote-controlled powerboat. Prior to the start of the competition in Feb22, a designated QinetiQ STEM ambassador visited the schools and briefed the teams, providing each with a propulsion kit (engine, speed controller, shaft and propeller) – the rest was up to them, with the support of their teachers.
The results of their labours were then thoroughly tested in a series of races around a designated course in QinetiQ’s Ocean Basin, said to be one of the largest testing tanks in the world.
The challenge was the conclusion of an educational competition to promote STEM subjects, offering young people between the ages of 11-16 years the opportunity to gain insight into the issues engineers and naval architects face when designing and building all types of vessels.
“STEM and outreach is something that is important to QinetiQ as a whole,” says event organiser and naval architect at QinetiQ, Conrad Manning. “It not only inspires future engineers and workshop staff, everyone involved has a really amazing day and can talk positively about not just QinetiQ, which is important, but about the whole industry. And if we can do our part to grow the number of students and future engineers then all the better.”
The teams of four or five were supervised and supported by a dedicated teacher at their school, with the schools using the challenge to promote and engage students in STEM subjects, irrespective of gender. “As a girls’ school, we are very conscious of the distribution of where people go for careers,” says Simon Redhead, a physics teacher at Bournemouth School for Girls.
“We like to advertise engineering, and a competition like this gives them a focus and a chance to try things they haven’t done before. They might not have seen themselves as engineers, but they can come to a day like this, and they can see that they can compete on a level playing field. It’s a really good advert for engineering, and to encourage people who otherwise wouldn’t have thought about doing it.”
Maritime UK, UKNEST, Thrust WSH, British Marine and the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) had stands at the event to offer marine industry careers advice to the competitors. Presentations and workshops were also held between races, including a talk from Thrust WSH on the design of its boat which is aiming to set the world water-speed record.
The level of competitiveness was high this year, with the repair station manned by QinetiQ engineers up to three deep throughout the day, as teams sought to make adjustments to improve their craft following the race heats.
The entries are judged on more than just being the winner of the race final. Scores are also awarded for design process, understanding of engineering principals, innovation, build quality and sustainability of materials.
“Judging is always difficult, as every year all of the teams spend a great deal of time on their designs and put in so much effort, but the standard of entries this year made it particularly challenging”, says Dave Hart, judge and principal naval architect at QinetiQ.
Bournemouth School for Girls won the Judges Award (pictured above) for the team’s engagement and enthusiasm with every aspect of the development of their boat Snowdrop.
“I’ve learned it’s not all about the winning, it’s about taking part and building relationships with new people,” says team member Anna Larcombe. “It has been a really good opportunity to learn that we need to alter our designs and change, to be able to adapt quickly.”
With 12 schools taking part, last week’s event was the 14th and largest edition of the challenge which retuned after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The winners of the 2022 School’s Powerboat Challenge:
Race Winners
1st – Eggers School
2nd – Weston Secondary School
3rd – Farnham Heath End School
Award Winners
Judges Award – Bournemouth School for Girls
Industry Award – Farnham Heath End School
Best Presentation Award – Bournemouth School for Girls
Perseverance Award – Brune Park
