News of the IEEE/PELS SOLAR SPLASH® 2012
Volume 20 - Number 2 - December 2011
An IEEE/PELS Event
If you are planning to enter in 2012, drop us a note now (hq@solarsplash.com) so we can get the 'contacts' between us in place – and to get your team listed/linked on the website as preparing a boat for the 2012 Splash!
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'Early' Entry Forms Due by Tuesday, January 17th
You will find the Entry Form for the competition at the website. The fee has not changed from last year -- the 'early fee' is $400 if you get your entry form in by Tuesday, January 17th, but the entry fee increases to $500 if you enter after that date. Again, the entry form is critical for meeting the dates, not when your check arrives! However, the entry form is your "promise" that you will pay the fee, even if you withdraw or cannot attend the competition. [Note: The cut-off date for entries is April 30th While the Technical Reports are not due until May 14th.]
Never Too Early to Start on your Technical Report!
While the Technical Reports are not due until May 14th at Headquarters, now is a great time to 'start' on your report – and going to see the best submittals from last year is a good way to start your 'start'! Reading these reports provides a wealth of technical information on other boats and equipment, plus they demonstrate how to structure a highly rated report!
Top Five 2011 Technical Reports for Free. The top 5 Technical Reports from last year's Splash are available for down-loading by going to the "Technical Report Information" listing on the Splash website menu.
Also, last year, a new section (Project Management) was added to the Main Body (20 page limit) portion of the Technical Report. This section requires that your team report on how the team was and is being managed. See the Technical Report Guidelines on the website to see how this Project Management section "fits in" with all the other sections of the Main Body.
International Teams - Boat Shipping to USA and "Hosting"
It may be possible for SOLAR SPLASH to arrange for logistical support for qualifying international teams to potentially provide assistance in shipping a team's boat and other hardware to the competition in June 2012. In order to determine if such assistance will be possible, Solar Splash must be notified as soon as possible of all international teams that are seriously considering entry in the 2012 event. Notification of intent to enter must be received from any international team wishing to be considered for shipping support on or before January 31, 2012 to allow adequate time to determine if such arrangements can be secured.
Additionally, it may be possible to arrange the "pre-competition hosting" of international teams at/with USA teams at their universities. Please let us know if you are planning to "come early" and would like a site to prepare your boat and team prior to the competition.
Materials and Parts Sponsor Page
You may have noticed the "Materials and Parts Sponsor Page" which is on the menu of the webpage. This is to become an on-going, growing site where companies can list their products with application to solar-electric boats. I am soliciting both team members and companies to send information on companies and products to me which might be useful to any and all the teams. NOTE: I do expect the company to "discount" their offerings for the teams! So let me know if you have a contact or you are a company which wishes to be listed.
The 2012 Rules are on the website now. We did make a significant rule change to Rule 4.2.3 (see the August 2011 Newsletter for background on this Rule change), plus we found some areas to increase safety and where we could clean up the wording to make the meaning as clear as possible. Most of the changes made this year are put in bold print, but you are still responsible to re-read and follow all rules and changes, even if we didn't "bold" it. Although the Rules do appear on the website, the "Official Rules" are in the Rule Booklets to be sent later. Rule Booklets and flag posts together will be mailed in early February to all the registered teams.
"Ask Captain Solar" is used to answer questions sent to Headquarters that are not of a private nature – Captain Solar will not give away any of your trade secrets! So, don't hesitate to send your questions to Headquarters (hq@solarsplash.com). In addition to answering your questions, Captain Solar will pose his own Rules questions and give answers and explanations. Think of it as a "Rules Quiz" to keep you thinking about the Rules. Remember, all of the Rules are ultimately on the "final exam", i.e. the competition!
Question #1: We are planning on implementing a data acquisition system for our boat this year. Our proposed system would include a PC motherboard, a wireless N router, a USB powered data acquisition unit, and a few small electronic components for use as sensors. Would it be acceptable to power this equipment from the supplemental battery?
Answer: In short, the answer is "No." Rule 7.4.2 Supplemental Batteries states "The bilge pump and skipper's radio must be powered by supplemental batteries. Telemetry devices may also be powered by supplemental batteries. Any other devices requiring electric power must use the energy storage as defined in Rule 7.4. The batteries are not limited to lead-acid technology, and the bilge pump battery must be securely fastened to the hull. Supplemental batteries may be charged from sources other than the inspected energy conversions devices."
The Rule permits telemetry devices to be powered by the supplemental battery, but the system in question is a data acquisition system, i.e. the information is acquired in real time, but not transmitted. This Rule was changed for 2012 to permit the use of smart phones and other small, portable sensing devices to be used. If your system will also transmit the data, it may be powered by a supplemental battery.
Question #2: Our boat is a catamaran style. We would like to make each of the two hulls reversible, i.e., use them in one direction for sprints and the other direction for endurance. Is this allowed?
Answer: Yes. Rule 4.2.3 has been modified to permit "hull" changes. Keep in mind that the Rule states, "All components (other than solar panels and batteries) that will be used in any of the configurations must be safely secured within the boat for all configurations and all competitions."
For you new teams, our site in Cedar Falls/Waterloo, Iowa on Wyth Lake at the George Wyth State Park (go GoogleEarth our site!) has a conventional concrete boat launching ramp. Thus, teams will be able to walk their trailers/trolleys directly into the water and float their boats off -- and then on again to get their boats out. No promises as to how warm the water will be! You can see a travel map, the site location, and other travel information by clicking on the "Travel and site information" link on the Splash website menu.