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What materials and design will make the most buoyant boat?
I need to make a boat that will hold the most weight, but there are a few guidelines:
1)It must fit in a 15cmX15cmX15cm cube.
2)It must have a mass of at least 15 grams.
3)It must be able to hold weights within it, and the weights must be open to the air.
4)No commercially produced container or foam may be used.
The objective is to have the best ratio of weight of boat to weight held before water goes into the boat or touches the weights. Any ideas?
A 15×15x15cm cube of balsawood open at the top, with a plastic bag attached around the outside.
Cubical is a stupid shape for a real boat, for a whole lot of reasons, but for the sort of challenge you’re facing it does just fine as long as you’re careful about placing the masses in and don’t tip it over.
If you’re not sure about your ability to safely load it, make the bottom third of it like a step pyramid or something, to ensure the first few weights go in the exact center. Specifics depend on what weights will be used.
One Response to “What materials and design will make the most buoyant boat?”
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December 15th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
A 15×15x15cm cube of balsawood open at the top, with a plastic bag attached around the outside.
Cubical is a stupid shape for a real boat, for a whole lot of reasons, but for the sort of challenge you’re facing it does just fine as long as you’re careful about placing the masses in and don’t tip it over.
If you’re not sure about your ability to safely load it, make the bottom third of it like a step pyramid or something, to ensure the first few weights go in the exact center. Specifics depend on what weights will be used.
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