@: gwen.rongen@solarboatteam.nl

To design, build and take part in a race with your own boat. Isn’t that a dream come true? I’m thrilled to be a part of the Solar Boat Team this year, and to experience the entire process of our boat from blueprints to race. This in combination with the fact that we are making the first ever foiling hydrogen powered boat is a huge motivation for me. This year, I am responsible for the new deck of our boat and will make sure the boat is modular, meaning it can be assembled, disassembled and transported quickly and easily.

Currently, I am in my fourth year of the HBO Marine Technology. The scope of this education is very broad and I like most of it, although I am fascinated the most by the basics of naval engineering such as the hull and body of a ship. Lucky me that I was placed in this department! One of the reasons why I wanted to join the Solar Boat Team is that, in contrast with my internships and school projects, which are mostly focused on specific parts of the design process, at the Solar Boat Team I get to experience the entire process from start to finish.

This will be the first year that our boat is powered by hydrogen. As hydrogen will be crucial in our way towards a sustainable future, the challenges we face during the assembly of our boat are even more interesting. Besides technical challenges and interesting innovations, the large team of excited and motivated students, and the good times we have, appeal to me. All these new experience make being a part of the Solar Boat Team a dream come true.