Students from 39 Southland High Schools Preparing for Nation’s Largest Solar-Powered Boat Competition

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As preparations for the nation’s largest solar-powered boat competition enter the home stretch, student teams from 39 high schools throughout Southern California are fine-tuning their vessels for three days of racing as part of Metropolitan Water District’s Solar Cup™.

Teams from high schools (see accompanying list) in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties are participating May 18-20 in the 10th annual Solar Cup at Metropolitan’s Lake Skinner, just north of Temecula.

Since the inaugural event launched with just eight boats in 2002, nearly 8,000 students have participated in Solar Cup. The program is a team-based educational competition that allows students to apply their skills in math, physics, engineering and communications, while learning about Southern California’s water sources, resource management, conservation and alternative energy development.

“What makes this competition so unique compared to other science-based events is that it’s inter-disciplinary,” said Solar Cup coordinator Julie Miller, a state-certified teacher in Metropolitan’s education programs. It not only fits science, technology, engineering and math core curriculum guidelines, but it also integrates the environmental sciences, along with visual and language arts, into the program’s learning objectives.

“While each team competes under the same set of program rules, the students are able to develop their own research and development approaches and timeline. This encourages innovation, organization and team-building,” Miller added. “In addition, Solar Cup provides students with hands-on, real-world applications to solving today’s challenges in water, energy and in other green technologies like solar power.”

The competition begins Friday, May 18, as teams are put through a series of qualifying events by Metropolitan and a technical advisory team from Harvey Mudd and Occidental colleges to ensure boats meet rules and are safe and seaworthy. Saturday, May 19, will feature single-seat, solar-powered 16-foot boats outfitted with solar-collection panels in endurance races around a 1.6-kilometer course.

Sunday is highlighted by 200-meter sprint races—in which the solar panels are removed and the boats are powered by solar energy stored in batteries. The races will be followed by an awards ceremony, with trophies awarded in veteran and rookie divisions for teams with the highest points, as well as to teams honored for “Hottest-Looking Boat,” teamwork and sportsmanship.

Races are easily visible from the shore at the event, which is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission and parking. Lake Skinner is at 37701 Warren Road in the Temecula Valley community of Winchester in southwest Riverside County—about 10 miles northeast of the Rancho California Road exit off Interstate 15.

Since building identical hulls last December from kits supplied by Metropolitan, students have worked nights and weekends to maximize their boats’ endurance, speed and mechanical and electrical efficiencies. Over the past few months, working with their sponsoring Metropolitan member and local agencies, they have equipped the 16-foot-long shells with solar panels, batteries, electrical systems, drive trains, propellers and rudders.

In advance of the three-day event, teams are making final tweaks to their hand-built boats equipped with solar panels, motors and steering. In addition to the veterans division, Solar Cup features a rookie division for first-time teams. Teams also are divided into four regions—the Foothill, Central & Bay, Inland Empire and South Counties regions.

Winners are the teams with the highest number of points gained in the competitions, technical inspections, submission of three technical reports and creation of a public service announcement focusing on water conservation in the form of a 30-second, self-scripted and produced, conservation videos, audiotapes and/or brochures.

Event videos and photos from past Solar Cup events can be found under Education Programs at Metropolitan’s website, mwdh2o.com.