First-Year Engineers Race Cardboard Canoes
With nothing but cardboard and tape, Cedarville University’s newest engineering students face a sink-or-swim moment — literally. Their challenge: build a canoe that stays afloat on Cedarville’s Cedar Lake long enough to cross the finish line.
With nothing but cardboard and tape, Cedarville University’s newest engineering students face a sink-or-swim moment — literally. Their challenge: build a canoe that stays afloat on Cedarville’s Cedar Lake long enough to cross the finish line.
The cardboard canoe race, an annual homecoming weekend tradition, challenges first-year students enrolled in The Engineering Profession course to design, construct and race boats using only cardboard and tape. The competition takes place Friday, Oct. 3, at 3 p.m.
As students both create and compete, they interact with their future field in a hands-on way.
“The course itself is designed to transition students away from high school studies towards a degree in higher education,” said Dr. Robert Chasnov, a senior professor of engineering at Cedarville. Chasnov has been involved in the cardboard canoe race since its debut in 1993.
“We give first-year students laboratory experience in each of the engineering disciplines so that they can solidify which field they want to go into,” said Chasnov. “This project in particular shows students what engineering is all about: prototyping, testing and making things better.”
The teams receive little instruction or direction concerning their canoe in class. The success of each boat depends on the students’ ability to create a solution to a complex issue.
“There’s no faculty oversight,” Chasnov explained, “although each team finds an upperclassman to serve as their team advisor.”
This approach keeps the emphasis on student creativity while still providing opportunities for feedback.
“It’s really a classic engineering theme. The students end up making minor improvements to existing designs instead of starting from scratch,” said Chasnov.
While Chasnov has seen repeated designs over the years, he has noted a trend away from traditional hull models to more automobile-like frames.
“The construction methods have stayed the same from year to year, but we tend to change the amount and type of material we give them,” he said.
Students have creatively adapted by borrowing from automobile design principles. Most of the students’ creativity, however, appears in the details.
“Some students decide they want to use their leftover cardboard to make pirate hats, or they use markers to decorate the hull of the boat,” Chasnov said. “The students aren’t just creative in their designs but also in the way they express the personality of their team. There’s even a student this year who asked to bring a fishing pole with him,” he said.
Every year, a handful of boats sink during the race. This year, Chasnov hopes every boat will make it across Cedar Lake.
“The crowd likes to see the boats sink, but I’m rooting for everyone to make it,” said Chasnov. “I want them all to succeed because I know that they can.”
Chasnov hopes the canoe project helps students recognize their passion for engineering — but he knows for some, it might do the opposite.
“I know for a fact that not every person in those boats will finish with a degree in engineering, but that doesn’t subtract from our goal of helping students follow the Lord’s calling in their lives,” said Chasnov. “We want to see students use this as a springboard to grow their passions, whatever they may be.”
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.