The boat race
A slight tangent this one: an project assigned by Akela (Cub Scout leader, not an anthropomorphic wolf). We had two weeks to build boats from flotsam and jetsam, and then set them loose on a tributary of the Cam, with the winner getting a old decrepid raft as a trophy.

Due to a combination of the spectacular failure of my effort the year before, and my apathy for making anything complex, I decided on a simple model; I found an old bit of two-by-four in the garage, and sawed it in 3 places. I then got the old man to help me add a keel, and I was satisfied.

The day of the competition arrived, and my measly effort was up against vast contraptions with elastic-powered motors, cola bottle rafts and something resembling the Mary Rose (the latter was obviously doomed from the start). Lack of wind scuppered the sails of several vessels, and the elastic snapped on one motor. There was even no current to carry the cola bottles. One little boat kept his head, while all about him were losing theirs and blaming it on him (sic), winning by a nose, just ahead of a balsa frame effort.

It just goes to show, even if you are as thick as a piece of two-by-four, you can still win sometimes.

Length: about 12 inches, with a knobbly bit on the bottom.
(nothingworn didn't eat cheese on, Mon 17 Aug 2009, 13:31, Reply)