Canoe Construction

On Friday, March 25, 2022, the team began the construction of the canoe, just one day after the foam mold arrived. The mold arrived two weeks later than previously anticipated, which means the canoe will have less time to cure. However, past experiments indicate that the concrete cures to a sufficient strength after just one week.

The boat was constructed by proportioning the mix into a mechanical mixer with a capacity of six cubic feet. Two layers of concrete were placed by hand, each being 3/8" in thickness, for a total canoe thickness of 3/4". Between these layers, mesh reinforcement was pretense by hand and placed, to counteract tensile forces.

Construction processes will continue in the coming days and weeks; this includes a thin outer layer of concrete and waterproof sealant. Overall, the team is pleased with how construction has gone thus far.