University of Michigan
College of Engineering

Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

ENGINEERING for the MARINE ENVIRONMENT


Solar Electric Boat


The Solar-Electric Boat cruises to 1st Place at the 1996 Solar Splash



The University of Michigan's Solar-Electric Boat Team

Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
2600 Draper Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2145

Phone: (313) 764 - 6470
Fax: (313) 936 - 8820


Members Of The Team:

Faculty Advisors: Professor Guy Meadows and Professor Armin Troesch

Advisor: Mr. Brant Savandar

Graduate Student Advisor: Anthony D'Armiento

Team Members:
John Tressel, Tony Daniels, Dan Cole, Kristen Robinson, John McConnell, Tanya Mulholland, Steve Settles, Rhonda Kane, Brandy Kuebel, Carolyn Frank, Erik Morphy, Dean Hodges, Jack Funkhouser, Tristan Pruss, Boyd Stitt, Ted Brennan, Nathan Klontz, Chad Malec, Rick Newhouser, and Alberto Fernandez.




About the Team

The University of Michigan Solar-Electric Boat Team (UMSEBT) is a student run organization that was created in 1993 to compete in the first annual Solar Splash Race. This annual competion provides the students a unique opportunity to design and build a boat from the "bottom up" applying classroom and technical knowledge to a real world application. In addition to academic skills, the students have a great great opportunity to develop and display leadership, teamwork, and communication skills as they all work toward creating the most successful and innovative design. The team is comprised of approximately 20 students (undergrad and graduate) from many fields of study within the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan.


About the 1996 and 1997 Team's Boat

"V-N-VERSE II"

Primary dimensions:
Length - 11 ft
Beam - 3 ft
'96 Race mode displacement - 450 lbs (including 150 lbs driver)
'96 Top Sprint Speed - 30+ mph (world record for a solar electric boat)


The "V-N-Verse II" incorporates a design that is opposite that of the traditional "V" hull design for a boat. As it's name states, the hull is designed as an inverse "V" shape. As you look down the length of the boat, you see the bottom section is "hollowed out" in the shape of an inverted "V". The team incorporated and implemented this revoluntary design by use of automated computer-aided design under the advisement of Professor William Vorus .

The "V-N-VERSE II" is propelled by two 4 horsepower rated DC motors which each drive one propellor. For the sprint mode, surface piercing propellors are mounted on the propulsion shafts. These propellors were designed by Brant Savandar and are revoluntary as well; they providing a tremendous amount of thrust not typical with the traditional propellor design. The 4 horsepower motors are driven by three 12 Volt deep cycle batteries along with solar energy panels (during the endurance/solar race). For the 1997 Solar Splash race, the following changes are proposed to improve the endurance/solar race capabilities of the "V-N-VERSE II":

(1) Utilize lightweight, premanufactured solar panels which provide a maximum of 480 watts.
(2) Utilize one small and efficient DC motor with the endurance race propulsion table.
(3) Utilize only one shaft and propellor to reduce drag/resistance.
(4) Reduce hull drag at slow speeds.

The basic strategy is to keep the same hull design and to utilize any easy-to-change-out propulsion tables for the sprint race (using the already existing 4 hp motors) and for the endurance race (using the smaller DC motor). These changes will require an estimated $10,000.00 and this is where achieveing sponsorship is paramount."


The V-N-Verse II is suspended by steel wire for drying of surface paint
coat. Examine the front section of the boat (the bow) and notice the
"v-n-verse" shape of the boat's hull





Team members put the final touches on the '96 solar-electric boat



Solar Boat Photo Gallery




For some technical information from the past years: click here