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 Ultimate Build-A-Boat Challenge will be showcased prominently as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this great event!
The Challenge:
Would you feel intimidated or challenged by the thought of building a boat out three sheets of 4x8ft luan?
Would you feel squeamish or thrilled to launch and race your masterpiece in front of thousands of fans?
If your answers were “challenged” and “thrilled”, then we welcome you to compete in the 2019 ASNE-Sikaflex Ultimate Build-A-Boat Challenge.
This competition combines creativity, craftsmanship and boat handling skills in a unique event that is both challenging and entertaining. Here are the event details:
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IT’S FREE… no entry fee for participants. The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) and Sika Corp are the Event Sponsors.
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Construction material kits are predefined and provided to teams at no cost.
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Space is limited. Twenty-five (25) two-person teams will be accepted, on a first-come basis.
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Teams submit application early to secure a spot, and later submit their design 2 weeks in advance.
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Bring your own power tools, hand tools, a smile, family and friends and a great attitude.
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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.
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Races (3 heats) take place on Sunday. Plan to arrive at 1:00 pm for a catered lunch and finish around 5:00.
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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.
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Prizes include Sikaflex Trophies, commemorative medals, bling and power tools!
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Building time is limited to 4 hours (but we do not enforce this. It’s a guideline… just be safe!).
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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.
Build-A-Boat 2019.pdf
Team and Sponsor Applications_ASNE Sika Boatbuilding_2019.docx
