Solar Boat FAQ's
How fast does the boat go?
Our first boat, the Sun Warrior, traveled at a maximum speed of three miles per hour.
Our current boat can attain a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour in a sprint race and 12 miles
per hour in an endurance race (where the objective is to complete as many laps as possible in
two hours using only solar power). For future boats, we are hoping to attain a maximum speed of
30-35 miles per hour.
What is the boat made of?
Sun Warrior was built with two fiberglass catamaran hulls taken from a sailboat. Today,
boat hulls are entirely student constructed. The hull of our current boat has fiberglass,
styrofoam, honeycomb, and kevlar as its main components.
How do the hydrofoils fly?
Basically, the hydrofoils are to our boats what wings are to an airplane. However, because
water is so much more dense than air, the boat can fly at much lower speeds (currently about
eight miles per hour) than an airplane would be able to fly. While getting the hydrofoils to
perform properly involves a lot of trial and error, it's a huge advantage in competition because
it greatly reduces the boat's resistance on the water and increases speed.
Are you the concrete canoe team?
No. While some solar boat team members are also part of the concrete canoe team, we are totally
separate organizations that build different boats and compete in different races.
About Us —
Solar Energy Society —
College of Engineering