“New Date”-- but Same Site for 2009!

As noted in the Solar Splash logo banner above, the dates for Splash ’09 have been “moved forward” to May 27-31, 2009 for the competition at the very amenable site on Lake Fayetteville. This date change was made after surveying both current and past participant schools to see if this “earlier date” would be better. A greater than 5:1 response said that this May 27-31 date would be better. Several “old” schools indicated that the change would allow them to compete while others indicated it would stop their attendance at the competition. We will continue to follow this competition date issue.

 

 

Are You Preparing for 2009? Let Us Know!

The preparations for Splash 2009 are underway at Splash Headquarters, and we hope that your team is also progressing. Headquarter activities at this point include: securing sponsorships, answering your questions, keeping the webpage updated, and keeping lines of communication open between the University of Arkansas, Headquarters, and you! So don’t hesitate to contact us by email, phone, or post – and let us know you are there and working to meet and compete in 2009!

 

If you’re planning to enter in 2009, drop us a note now so we can get the ‘contacts’ between us firmly in place – and to get your team listed/linked on the webpage as preparing a boat for the 2009 Splash!

Splash Headquarters Address and Contact Point is:

Dr. Jeffrey Morehouse
Mechanical Engineering Department
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
tel: 803-777-3017 fax: 803-777-0106
email: hq@solarsplash.com

 

 

Hosting for Future Solar Splash Competitions – Interested?

For the fourth year in a row, the University of Arkansas and the City of Fayetteville will be serving as our hosts. However, 2010 will be the Splash’s last year locating in Fayetteville, and we are looking for Host Locations for 2011 and beyond. Is your school and/or city interested in hosting the Solar Splash competition? Please let us know and we will work with you to see if it is a win-win situation!

 

 

Solar Splash Handbook: Chapter 1 – Getting Started and Other ‘Big Picture’ Items

A copy of Chapter 1 of the ‘Handbook’ is available under “The Handbook” menu item back on the main website (www.solarsplash.com). This is an article that should be read and re-read by all teams – both rookie and returning.

 

 

Application and the Entry Fees and Dates

You need to go to the website (www.solarsplash.com) to find the Entry Form for the competition. The fee has not changed, but the entry fee dates are slightly different than last year. The ‘early fee’ is $400 if you get your entry form in by January 19th, but the entry fee increases to $500 if you enter after that date. The cut-off date for entries is April 26th. Again, getting the entry form to Headquarters is critical for meeting the dates, not when the check arrives! [However, sending the entry form in ‘promises’ that you will pay the fee -- and the fee is “non-refundable” after the entry form has been submitted!!]

 

 

2009 Rules and Rule Booklet

We will be publishing the 2009 Rules on the website sometime in November. Until then, use the 2008 rules as found in the 2008 Rule Booklet and as listed on the website. We do not anticipate any rule changes of major significance, but we have found some areas to increase safety and where we can clean up the wording, to make the meaning as clear as possible.

 

Although the Rules do appear on the website, the "Official Rules" are in the Rule Booklets we will send you later. The difference is that there may be diagrams or other graphics in the rules that may not appear on the website.

 

 

Technical Reports for Sale

We have reprints of the 2008 Technical Reports available for sale. The price for a set of the top 5 technical reports from last year is $35, which includes mailing anywhere in the U.S. If you want other specific school reports, they can be purchased at $8 each. Even if you feel you have your plans in place, the reports represent an invaluable source of format and content from past years. When you start outlining and writing your report, which is scored and points given, good examples may be very valuable.

 

Send a check made out to “ASME-Solar Splash” for the top 5 reports for $35 (or $8 for each other report) to the Splash Headquarters listed in the second article above.