Solar Cup
Paid for by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and taking place on Lake Skinner, the competition revolves around high school teams constructing solar powered electric boats.Boats are built from identical kits of marine-caliber wood provided by the water district, and are generally 16 feet long, and weigh about 250 pounds.[1] Solar Cup begins with sign up in December, and includes a boat-building event and several workshops focusing on technical aspects such as drive trains, electrical systems, solar power collection and steering systems.Teams are also required to meet deadlines for submitting illustrated reports on these systems.The competition is a scored event, divided up into several categories: Technical Reports, Workshops, Visual Displays, Qualifying Times, Endurance Distance, and Sprint Times.