October 9, 2010

River Test Followup

After our first river test, we decided to change the gear ratio to the propeller and get more data on a second river test! Luckily the weather agreed; today was the first warm, sunny day in weeks.


First, we ran the propeller in a plastic bin, performing a "bucket test" to check the load of the propeller and to calibrate the current sensors.




Then, we drove the boat to the river and let some people drive it around and collect data.



Frank Driving Around


Ibuki Driving


Some more boat driving

October 4, 2010

Let's hope you're still not counting...

While procrastinating instead of writing this blog, I decided to take a look-see at older posts to see what my predecessors saw fit to fill these web pages. As I clicked from one post to another, a disturbing and yet oh-so-comforting trend began to emerge:

"The spring semester is well underway and so are we! My apologies for not keeping up this semester, but I've got blog fever yet again, so not to worry!"


"Let me assure you that while the blog appears silent, it masks a very productive and busy undercurrent that has produced a new hull design."


"70 days, but who's counting?"


Turns out I am not the only one who struggles with thinking up clever and diverse ways of saying, "Looks like I haven't updated the blog in a very long time." Actually, that last one isn't really about lack of updates...I just read it that way because of how guilty I am. But in my imagination I reach out, pat the poster on the shoulder and say, "No one is counting, buddy, no one at all."


Anyway, see below for a photo update of all that CMSS has been up to so far this semester. And when you finish with that, check out some of the older posts; there are some real gems in there.

After the Activities Fair we held a "Donuts and Fiberglass" event to show interested students the lay-up method documented in the last blog post.

New CMSSers get ready to begin the layup.

Triumph!

Using the heat gun to mold the core to the half-pipe.

Moar molding!

Dunkin Donuts: the ultimate social lubricant.

Bonding with interested students over the boat.

Creating the vacuum seal.

The finished product.

The finished product, unbagged.

Hauling the boat to the first River Test of the year!

In the water.

An unusually lovely day for Pittsburgh.

Backin' her up. I hope he's got on water shoes.

It wouldn't be CMSS without noms.