WELCOME TO ASNE TIDEWATER SECTION!

Upcoming events

    • 24 Mar 2025
    • 6 Jun 2025
    Register


    The Setting:  

    Harborfest is Norfolk’s largest annual festival, kicking off the summer season and celebrating the area’s great maritime heritage.  Town Point Park and the Elizabeth River will be alive!... with festival food & drink, live music, tall sailing ships, arts and crafts, fireworks, nautical-themed activities, and a fun-seeking audience that loves to interact with our boat builders. Best yet, the ASNE-Sika Ultimate Build-A-Boat Challenge will be showcased June 7-8, 2025, as we celebrate the 29th Anniversary of this great event!  

    Donations: 

    There is no entry fee for the teams, but personal donations to help cover the cost for this event, and support the ASNE mission, are encouraged and greatly appreciated. Donations are tax deductible.  Donation Form

    Sponsorships

    Corporate sponsorships are greatly appreciated!  Please complete the Sponsorship Form. Sponsorship Form

    The Challenge:

    This competition combines creativity, craftsmanship and boat handling skills in a unique event that is both challenging and entertaining. Below are the event details.  Please also see 2025 Guidance for Boatbuilders for detailed instructions.

    • IT’S FREE… no entry fee for participants.  The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) and Sika Corporation are the Event Sponsors.

    • Construction material kits are predefined and provided to teams at no cost.

    • Space is limited.  Twenty (20) two-person teams will be accepted, on a first-come basis.

    • Teams submit application early to secure a spot, and later submit their design 2 weeks in advance.

    • Bring your own power tools, hand tools, a smile, family and friends and a great attitude.

    • The building & outfitting phases take place on Saturday.  Arrive by 8:30 am, finish around 5:00 pm. Stay for the evening concerts and fireworks if you can… it’s a blast.

    • Races (3 heats) take place on Sunday.  Plan to arrive at 1:00 pm for a catered lunch and finish around 5:00.

    • Awards will be presented for Best Design, Fastest Built, Race Results 1st – 3rd Place, Most Whimsical, and Fan Favorite. We reserve the right to create other categories as we feel inspired.

    • Prizes include Sikaflex Trophies, commemorative medals, bling and power tools!

    • Building time is limited to 4 hours (but we do not enforce this. It’s a guideline… just be safe!).

    • Painting the boat is critical to ensure structural integrity during the water-born portion of the event. And beyond a basic coat of paint, creative decorating (outfitting) is absolutely encouraged.  Decorating can start immediately upon completion of the boat construction. Families, friends and supporters are welcome to help decorate after your power tools are safely put away.

    Community Impact:

    The American Society of Naval Engineers will commit 100% of net proceeds to funding the mission areas of ASNE, including engineering scholarships and STEM programs.

    For ASNE this is not JUST fun, but also a community outreach and education program. We promote awareness of naval engineering, shipbuilding and ship repair professions that are the life blood of the Tidewater region. Teams and Volunteers are encouraged to stop and interact with the crowd at every opportunity.

    To Participate as a Boat Builder, Use this Form to Register your Team:

    Event Details_Team Entry Application_Donation and Sponsorship Form_2025


    Check out this Build-A-Boat Presentation and Race Day Video from 2022.

    For more information, contact Mike D'Amato at michaelj.damato@verizon.net.

    • 16 Apr 2025
    • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • LOCATION: Holiday Inn, 5655 Greenwich Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
    • 150
    Register

    Speaker: Capt. Joseph E. Klopfer, USN, AIRLANT N43 

    Dress code: 

    For our Navy and Coast Guard members and guests, we hope you can join us for all our TW events. If you attend in uniform, Service Khaki / Summer White / Tropical Blue, as well as Service Dress Blue are appropriate military dress.










    • 21 May 2025
    • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • LOCATION: Holiday Inn, 5655 Greenwich Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
    • 150
    Register

    Speaker:  Mr. Eric K. Lind Executive Director Commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Centers

    Eric K. Lind, Interim Executive Director, Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center

    Mr. Eric Lind serves as the Executive Director for Commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Center (CNRMC). He oversees operations and management of seven Regional Maintenance Centers in the execution of private sector, depot-level maintenance and modernization, intermediate-level maintenance, and fleet technical assistance and assessments for U.S. Navy surface ships worldwide.

    Mr. Lind was selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service in May 2022. He was previously dual-hatted serving as both the Division Director for In-Service Surface Ship Design and Systems Engineering, and Engineering Director for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Surface Ship Maintenance, Modernization and Sustainment Directorate. In his roles as Division Director, he was responsible for leading engineers and ship design managers responsible for ship design of over 160 U.S. Navy surface ships, supporting sustainment, repair, maintenance and modernization efforts with engineering solutions. As Engineering Director, he provided engineering expertise and guidance in support of ship maintenance, modernization and sustainment efforts at the portfolio level. Mr. Lind also served as the interim Executive Director of Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center, headquartered in Naples, Italy, with detachments in Rota, Spain and Manama, Bahrain.

    Prior to joining civilian federal service, Mr. Lind was a Naval Officer with more than 25 years of experience in ship and systems design, sustainment, maintenance, repair and at- sea operations. As the Cruiser and Destroyer Division Head at Southwest Regional Maintenance Center in San Diego, he was responsible for planning and execution of maintenance and modernization for all homeported guided-missile cruisers (CGs) and guided-missile destroyers (DDGs). Other prior tours include NAVSEA Surface Ship Maintenance, Modernization and Sustainment Directorate Readiness Officer, Chief of Staff for Humans Systems and Integrated Warfare Systems Engineering, Deputy Division Director for In-Service Ship Design and Systems Engineering and Ship Design Manager for the CG 47 Class. Prior to assignments in Washington, D.C., he served as Ship Superintendent, Docking Officer, and Business and Strategic Planning Department Head at U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility in Yokosuka, Japan.

    His at-sea time included serving as Auxiliaries Officer aboard USS McClusky (FFG 41) and Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer aboard USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54). As an enlisted Sailor, he served as a Deck Seaman and Quartermaster aboard USS John Rodgers (DD 983) homeported in Charleston, S.C. and Combatant Craft Boat Captain for Special Boat Unit 22 homeported in New Orleans, LA.

    He received a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Mr. Lind is a licensed Professional Engineer and member of the American Society of Naval Engineers.


    Dress code: 

    For our Navy and Coast Guard members and guests, we hope you can join us for all our TW events. If you attend in uniform, Service Khaki / Summer White / Tropical Blue, as well as Service Dress Blue are appropriate military dress.










Email: ASNE.tidewater.social@gmail.com

Office: (703) 836-6727

Fax: (703) 836-7491

American Society of Naval Engineers

1423 Powhatan St., Suite 1

Alexandria, VA 22314

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