Imagine building a two-man canoe out of concrete, launching it in the waters Lake Chapala and successfully keeping it afloat while racing against 15 similar vessels weighing in at 300 to 350 kilograms each.
That was the challenge posed to 227 civil engineering students enrolled at the Guadalajara campus of Tecnológico de Monterrey, who broke up into teams to spend a full semester on the design and execution of the heavy duty boats. The objectives of the concrete canoe contest were to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking, strengthen research and practical skills and encourage team work.
The 16 finished boats were transported to Lake Chapala on Wednesday, April 23 to be graded on buoyancy, capacity and navigation during an oddball regatta held next to the pier. Amazingly, the students passed the final test with flying colors, with only a few minor mishaps occurring as the designated helmsmen frantically paddled the weighty canoes over a 200-meter course near the shoreline.