WELCOME TO ASNE TIDEWATER SECTION!

Upcoming events

    • 23 Feb 2026
    • 19 Jun 2026
    Register


    The Setting: 

    The 30th Anniversary of the ASNE-Sika Ultimate Build-A-Boat Challenge (BAB) aligns with an extraordinary historic moment in Hampton Roads June 20-21, 2026. This milestone year also marks the 50th Anniversary of Norfolk Harborfest and the Sail250 and SailVA Portsmouth–High Street Festival celebrations commemorating America’s 250th birthday. Approximately 75 Tall Ships will fill the Norfolk and Portsmouth waterfronts, creating one of the largest maritime gatherings in the region’s history. With the waterfront fully activated for this unprecedented 30/50/250 celebration, ASNE has secured a new venue for this year’s Build-A-Boat Challenge. The 2026 event will take place in Old Towne Portsmouth at North Landing, a prime waterfront location adjacent to the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel, placing BAB at the heart of the excitement while giving it a distinctive home within this once-in-a-generation anniversary year.

    Sponsorships and Donations: 

    There is no entry fee for the teams, but corporate sponsorships and personal donations help cover the cost for this event, and support the ASNE mission. Donations are tax deductible. To complete the form and make payments online, please register at the bottom of this page, or print the linked Sponsorship and Donation Form and mail the donation as instructed. 

    The Challenge:

    We invite you to compete in the ASNE-Sika Ultimate Build-A-Boat Challenge 2026! This competition combines creativity, craftsmanship and boat handling skills in a unique event that is challenging, entertaining and loads of fun.  Here’s the low-down on the event:

    Community Impact:

    The American Society of Naval Engineers will commit 100% of net proceeds to funding the mission areas of ASNE, including Engineering scholarships, Middle School and High School STEM programs and professional development.

    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. Builders 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:

    2026 Build-A-Boat Team Entry_Sponsorship_Donation Forms

    Check out this 2022 Build-A-Boat Presentation and Race Day Video, and this 2025 photo gallery.

    For more information, contact Mike D'Amato at: 

    michaelj.damato@verizon.net

    • 18 Mar 2026
    • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • LOCATION: Holiday Inn, 5655 Greenwich Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
    • 133
    Register

    Speaker:  CAPT Hannah Kriewaldt, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News

    Captain Hannah A. Kriewaldt, Commanding Officer, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News

    Captain Hannah A. Kriewaldt hails from St. Joseph, Missouri. She commissioned as an Ensign in May 1999 after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy. She earned her surface warfare officer qualification aboard USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) as part of the commissioning crew followed by a tour aboard USS O’Brien (DD 975). She selected for lateral transfer to the engineering duty officer community and attended the Naval Postgraduate School. In June 2006, she earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering Acoustics.

    Her engineering duty tours include: Work Integration Leader, Habitability Integration Leader, and Nuclear Assistant Project Superintendent, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard where she worked a docking planned incremental availability of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and a depot modernization period for the USS Tucson (SSN 770); individual augmentee to Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, Camp Lemonier Djibouti Africa, as the Operations Officer for J-34 Engineers; Type Desk Officer on the Commander Naval Surface Forces Atlantic N43 staff, where she was instrumental in the establishment of Surface Team One, development of the surface ship risk management instruction, and Lessons Learned Conference format; Assistant Project Officer at Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, Newport News (SUPSHIPNN) working the Inactivation of Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) December 2011-2012; Naval Reactors Representative Assistant in the Newport News local office from December 2012-July 2014. She successfully completed a tour as Chief Engineer of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) September 2014-June 2017. Captain Kriewaldt checked aboard SUPSHIPNN as the Project Officer for Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) in June 2017 and was hand selected to lead USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) through her Post-Delivery Testing and Trials period (PDT&T) in December 2019. Captain Kriewaldt then served as Commander, Naval Forces Atlantic Assistant Chief of Staff Director, Ship Materiel (N43) June 2021-April 2022.

    Captain Kriewaldt was selected as the Fleet Engineer of the Quarter by the Tidewater Chapter of the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) in October 2007. She was awarded the Junior Officer Engineering Duty Officer Diversity Award in September 2011. She published a technical paper and was selected to present at the September 2012 ASNE Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium. She has also been awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (1 Gold Star), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 Gold Stars), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 Gold Stars) in addition to numerous campaign and unit awards.

    In June 2022, she assumed command as Commanding Officer of Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, Newport News, Virginia, responsible for the U.S. Navy’s Aircraft Carrier and Submarine Ship Construction, Nuclear Refueling and Repair Programs at Huntington Ingalls Incorporated-Newport News Shipbuilding.




    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.










    • 15 Apr 2026
    • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • LOCATION: TBD / In conjunction with Annual PEP Competition
    • 149
    Register

    Speaker:  Mr. Ed Hulick (SES), Site Director at NSWCCD Combatant Craft Division 

    Mr. Ed Hulick (SES), P.E. is the Site Director for Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWC Carderock) Norfolk Site, which includes the Combatant Craft Division. He is a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES). 

    Current Role and Responsibilities

    Mr. Hulick oversees operations at the CCD facilities located at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story and Naval Station Norfolk. His leadership scope includes: 

    • Total Systems Engineering: Managing full-spectrum support for manned and unmanned combatant craft, boats, and advanced marine vehicles.
    • Life Cycle Management: Directing research and development (R&D), design, testing, evaluation, and integrated logistics for approximately 13,500 watercraft globally.
    • Strategic Collaboration: Coordinating with senior Navy leadership, including the Commanding Officer and Technical Director, to align site operations with broader command priorities and fleet readiness. 

    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.










    • 20 May 2026
    • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • LOCATION: Holiday Inn, 5655 Greenwich Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
    • 150
    Register

    Speaker:  CAPT Dan Hemminger, CO Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center

    Captain Daniel Hemminger, USN, Commanding Officer, Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center

    Captain Daniel Hemminger is a native of Annapolis, Maryland. He attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) in 1999 and is a 2004 graduate of the United States Naval Academy where he received a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering and competed on the wrestling team.  Upon graduation, he reported to the Naval Post Graduate School and earned a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2005.

    At sea, he served back-to-back tours onboard USS GERMANTOWN (LSD-42) where he was assigned as Auxiliaries Officer and Main Propulsion Division Officer before fleeting up to serve as Navigation Officer.  He completed two Amphibious Ready Group deployments operating in 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleets prior to transferring to shore duty where he was assigned to the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) as an instructor for Division Officer Leadership and Journeyman Instructor Training courses.

    Following lateral transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) community, Captain Hemminger completed his initial qualifying tour at Southwest Reginal Maintenance Center.  Subsequent repair and diving/salvage assignments included Assistant Officer-in-Charge of Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) Detachment Rota, Spain and Command Salvage Officer at Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) ONE.  Since 2020, he has completed tours as the Surface Maintenance Branch Head for U.S. Fleet Forces Command Director of Fleet Maintenance (N43), Waterfront Operations Officer at Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) and Chief of Staff at Commander Navy Regional Maintenance Center. Currently he serves as the Commanding Officer at MARMC.

    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

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software