FINAL PROJECT/MAIDEN VOYAGE: May 29, 2012

Today was the biggest day of the entire month for us. We finally were able to reap the benefits of our hard work and cruise on the open waters within the safe confines of The Hoppe. Blakes uncle transported the vessel on a trailer to the Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, NJ. From there she was fitted with a motor and launched. Pictures from the day:

(The Hoppe on the trailer)

(In the water)

(Blake and Christian on the Hoppe)

(The motor being secured to the Hoppe)

(The wake of the Hoppe as it motors away from shore)

(The Crew)

May 22/23,2011

Day 13/14: We worked on making a presentation and finding other materials to furnish the boat with while we waited for clearer weather so that we could move the boat to the lake.

May 21, 2012

Day 12: Today we put some furnishing on the deck such as a fishing pole holder built out of scrap wood and old PVC piping, a flagpole built out of more scrap PVC piping, and a mat made of recycled turf carpet from my basement. We loaded the entire boat onto the trailer which will transport it to the Indian Trail Club on a safe, dry day. Pictures from the day:

(flagpole made out of PVC, turf mat to avoid slippage on wet tiles)

(fishing rod holder)

(forklift moving the entire boat)

May 17th, 2012

Day 11: Today we finished secured the second pontoon to the deck. We used the same method as the other side. Photos from the day:

(method of securing wire using screws)

(staples used to hold on garden fencing)

May 16th, 2012

Day 10: Today was a day off for most of us due to AP stat exams/Lacrosse senior BBQ. But there are some important behind the scenes photos that were not mentioned in the other posts that are important to show.

(Livewell filtration system out of used fish tank tubing)

(sealing the drums, we used non-recycled materials for safety reasons)

May 15th, 2012

Day 9: Today we found some more wire fencing on the farm and untangled it to get some nice long, straight pieces of wire. We used this to further secure the pontoons to the deck. We wrapped the wire around screws in order to hold it to the deck. Pictures fromt he day:

(wire/garden fencing wrapped around the back of the pontoons)

(wire warpped around the nails and then the pontoons.)

A huge thanks to all of our followers!

Thank you to our fellow eco-warriors, naval engineers, boating aficionados, and aquatic gurus to getting us jumpstarted to one of our goals of becoming the first MKA May Term internet sensations.

May 14th, 2012

Day 8: This week we plan on focusing on attaching the pontoons to the deck of the boat. This will be the most important part of the build and it is crucial that everything is balanced and secured correctly of it will effect the buoyancy of the boat. We began by screwing down extra support beams into the deck in order to hold the pontoons in place. Next, we wrapped old garden fencing we found on the farm around the pontoons in order to secure them to the boat. We used staples and more wood to hold the garden fencing to the boat. We hope to use wire ton increase the strength of the pontoon holding apparatus. Photos from the day:

(photo from last week, making measurements on the bottom of the deck to screw in beams to limit movement of the pontoons)

(side one of the pontoon attachment)

May 9th, 2011

Day 7: Today we used some of the scrap wood from the deck, some wood we found on trash day, and an old plastic storage bin to build a live well for our boat. This was because we still did not have a method to strap the plastic drums to the bottom of the boat besides the fencing. For safety reasons, we are looking to have two methods to secure the drums. We are considering untangling wire fencing and using the individual wires. Pictures from the day:

(christian screws together the livewell)

(livewell, hinged top not pictured)

May 8th, 2011

Day Six: Today we made more glue and finished applying the tiles. Next we further anchored the tiles using a staple gun to secure the edges. Pictures from the day:

(Brian staples the edges of the tiles)

(Tiles are fake so staples can penetrate them)

(the finished deck)

May 7th, 2011

Day 5: Today we researched methods to make home made glue in order to secure the tiles we found to the deck of the boat. We used some kitchen ingredients to make the glue. After, we began to glue the tiles to the deck. Pictures from the day:

(online recipe for home made glue)

(blake glues down some tiles)

May 3rd, 2012

Day 4: Today we reconvened at the garage and began putting together the frame of the boat with the wood we cut on Tuesday. Our frame consists of 2 pieces of ply-wood strengthened by 4 2"x4"s and a 2"x6". We fastened these together using wood screws from a shed that had recently collapsed on the farm. Pictures from the day:

(the two pieces of ply wood before being fastened together by the 2"x6")

(blake drilling the plywood into the support beam while christian supports the plywood)

(lining up the barrels to see how they will fit. also notice the support structure in the middle of the plywood pieces)

May 2nd, 2012

Day 3: today we worked individually and gathered materials found around our neighborhoods. In Allendale, it was household trash day. We also made a nice find of a box of unused fake tiles, which we will use to cover the deck. Photos from the day:

(an old swingset, a lot of wood and rope was recovered here)

(a sample of some fake tiling we found)

(more household trash that will be used to furnish the boat)

Video May 1st, 2012

(blake and alex utilizing a Miter Saw to cut a 2'' by 4'')

May 1st, 2012

Day two: today we continued our material collection. The only part of our boat which will not be recycled will be the wooden frame, which we bought the pieces for today. This is due to safety concerns as far as the strength of materials to hold our boat together. We also began to measure and cut the wood we purchased. Additionally, we found some old wire fencing on the land which we will use to fasten the 55 gallon drums to the frame. Pictures for the day:

(fencing found behind shed)

(blake measuring plywood to cut)

April 30th, 2012

Today was our first day. We began with a meeting at our build site in Wanaque, NJ: we worked out some designs and made a materials list. Next we retrieved a key part of our boat, the 55 gallon barrels for flotation. These had previously been used to transport protein supplements to major manufacturers across the country. Once used, they are deemed unfit to be used or recycled so they are simply thrown into a landfill. These displace 55 gallons of water each and will serve as the main means of flotation. We will be sure to clean them thoroughly to prevent any chemicals entering the water. The buoyancy calculations are as follows:

From these calculations, we know that our boat must weigh less than 2753.98 pounds with us on it.

Photos from the day:

6 55 gallon plastic drums

Land where we will be working (garage not pictured)