What did we do?

We each thought a certain design would work best. Brittney voted for a boat with a pointed bow and a V-shaped hull for easy turning. Maria thought a catamaran/pontoon boat would be fastest. Ciara said a flat-bottomed raft would offer the most stability. The only way to determine the best shape was to build and test miniature versions of each design. We used half-pint cartons for our test boats, and tested each model three different ways. First, we tested how well each boat glided through water by giving it a push and measuring how far it drifted. Second, we judged the boat's maneuverability by creating an "obstacle course" with bobbers. Finally, we checked for stability by loading each boat with sand and testing for "tippiness." more...