The design of the hull is well underway. The team decided to develop three different hulls to test to choose the most optimal shape. These designs were developed after extensively researching nationally ranked canoes from previous years. Different aspects of the canoe were also studied to determine how each constituent enhanced speed, efficiency, buoyancy, and maneuverability. Aspects such as the placement of the longest beam, the beam to length ratio, and the radius of the rocker were different for each design.
These three hulls were created using Bentley’s Maxsurf® Modeling program and were analyzed using Maxsurf® Resistance. Our goal is for each design to be printed using the 3D printer so we can measure drag forces and observe overall movement through the water. The first design which can be seen below in Figure 1 was redrawn using Solidworks® and is in the process of being 3D printed.
Figure 1: Hull Design 1