EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................................

1
HULL DESIGN.............................................................................................................................................................2
ANALYSIS....................................................................................................................................................................3
DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING.............................................................................................................................3
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION...........................................................................................3
CONSTRUCTION...............................................................................................................................................................3
ORGANIZATION CHART.........................................................................................................................................3
PROJECT SCHEDULE...............................................................................................................................................3
FORM DESIGN DRAWING AND BILL OF MATERIALS...................................................................................3
HULL DESIGN DRAWING AND BILL OF MATERIALS....................................................................................3
APPENDIX A—REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................3
APPENDIX B—MIXTURE PROPORTIONS...........................................................................................................3
APPENDIX C—GRADATION CURVES AND TABLES.......................................................................................3

Executive Summary
The University of Wyoming is nestled between the Laramie and Snowy Mountain
Ranges in South East Wyoming. It is home to almost 11,000 students, 1400 of which are
enrolled in the College of Engineering. The University of Wyoming is part of the Rocky
Mountain Conference, which includes Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of South Dakota and
New Mexico. The University of Wyoming began competing in the concrete canoe competition in
1979.
This year’s canoe, Scranton’s Skiff, named for a team member deployed to Iraq is a
milestone in concrete canoeing at the University of Wyoming. After unsuccessful attempts at the
regional competition the past several years, the entire project was revamped in every aspect.
Deadlines were set by our student chapter, a chairman and sub-chairmen were elected for
different aspects of the project and the mindset of “just getting a canoe done and to the
competition” has changed to becoming competitive at this year’s competition. Scranton’s Skiff is
innovative in mold design and project management. Through the use of BearBoat Pro, a freeware
kayaking design software we developed a hull design which was exported into AutoCAD and
Solid Works. Solid Works is 3D CAD software that allowed us to generate one foot full scale
sections of our canoe from bow to stern which was then exported to our college’s computer
numerically controlled milling machine. Using 1’ x 1’ x 2’ sections of polyurethane milling
machine foam we were able to produce replications within 1/10000th in of our actual hull design.
These small sections were then glued together to produce a full scale model of Scranton’s Skiff.
Over this foam male mold we placed three layers of fiberglass. The result was a streamlined,
error free fiberglass canoe which was used as a female mold. It provided a glass like,
imperfection free finish to place the concrete on which eliminated countless hours of sanding on
the exterior of the canoe. Two layers concrete were placed. In between the layers of concrete two
overlapping layers of geosynthetic slope stabilizing grid was placed as reinforcement. Also
during the construction phase a humidity tent was constructed after the concrete placement
which allowed the concrete to cure under ideal humid conditions. Scranton’s Skiff is a great
improvement on previous years and the improvements can only be attributed to the restructuring,
project management, innovative ideas and hard working team members.
 Hull Design
The goal of the University of Wyoming hull
design team was to find creative solutions to
maximize canoe stability, maneuverability,
and speed. The 2004 design of Saxum
Actuarium provided Cowboy paddlers with
good lateral stability, but many changes
were needed in order to improve turning and
streamlining capabilities. Utilizing different
software from previous years, the team
accomplished its goals by creating a new
design that employed a tear drop plan view
and a natural keel at the bow and stern.
The principal software used in the design of
the hull was Bear Boat Pro, a kayak design
freeware written by Robert Livingston. The
program allowed for 2 and 3D visualizations
of the hull from all angles and cross-
sections, water line calculations, automatic
calculation of minimum wetted perimeter,
and estimates for minimizing drag. Several
designs were rendered, all having relatively
similar standard dimensions. The team
chose a final design, and points were
exported from Bear Boat Pro into AutoCAD
and SolidWorks for display and milling
purposes.
The canoe was designed to maintain of
minimum freeboard of 4 inches while
sustaining a 700 lb load. The unique tear-
drop shape was employed to maximize
streamlining near the bow and to maximize
room for paddlers to sit near the stern. A
very small rocker was used on both the bow
and the stern in order to allow for the
creation of the natural keel near those areas
of the canoe.
Table 1: Hull Geometry
Hull Geometry
Length 18'
Max Depth 11.5"
Max Width 24"
45.9
Exterior Surface Area ft2
Bow Rocker 1"
Stern Rocker 1"
Location of Max Cross- 10' 6"
Sectional Area from Bow
Scranton’s Skiff was selected above other
designs because of its potential for stability
and maneuverability. The flat-bottom mid-
section provides sufficient stability and
room to paddle, while the steep walls near
the stern and bow help with streamlining.
The natural keel near the stern and bow
helps paddlers to maintain a straight path
during sprints, while the absence of the keel
at the mid-section maintains
maneuverability when needed. Depending
on where paddlers are sitting, the canoe will
perform differently to adapt to racing
conditions. For straightaway paddling
contestants may choose to concentrate their
weight near the stern and the bow, thus
allowing the natural keels to direct the canoe
in a straight path. For easy maneuverability
contestants can concentrate their weight near
the stern only, keeping the natural keel near
the bow almost out of the water to keep it
from resisting turning motions. Variations
of these techniques can be used to enhance
the efficiency of the paddlers.
The hull design team was successful in
developing a unique hull that satisfied all
important design criteria. With this in mind,
Scranton’s Skiff will prove successful in the
2005 competition.
Analysis
For the first time in several years analysis on the hull was completed using structural analysis
techniques.

Development and Testing

Project Management and Construction
Construction
The main construction goals were to produce a canoe with: uniform thickness, homogeneous
mixture batches and a well placed reinforcement scheme focusing on the results of our structural
analysis. This year, construction was divided into several phases: foam mold construction,
fiberglass mold construction, placement and finishing.
After the hull design was completed, construction of the foam sections began. By exporting
18, 1 ft. cross sections using x,y,z coordinates into Solid Works, 3D cross sections were
generated. By exporting each of the individual sections to our milling machine, 18 full size
sections of polyurethane foam were formed. After all the sections were formed, we bonded each
section together using a combination of quick curing epoxy and expanding foam sealant. At the
same time as the bonding, outlines of the foam sections were traced onto pieces of ¾ in. particle
board, which were cut out to serve as external supports for the fiberglass mold. To prepare the
foam for the fiberglass, several experiments and techniques were employed. First a piece of foam
was tested to see if it would dissolve from contact with the fiberglass resin. Since the foam was
polyurethane, which is in the same family of materials as the fiberglass resin, it was unaffected.
In an attempt to seal the pores, the entire foam plug foam coated with drywall compound and
water based sealer. This prevented the fiberglass resin from soaking into the pores, imperfections
and joints of each foam section, and would serve as somewhat of a release agent.

Organization Chart
Project Schedule
Form Design Drawing and Bill of Materials
Hull Design Drawing and Bill of Materials
Appendix A—References
Appendix B—Mixture Proportions
Appendix C—Gradation Curves and Tables