Need feedback for my boat design

[Collegekid]

Thank you for your help.

 

[John Perry]

Do the rules of your competition allow the solar panels to be mounted at any orientation?

Many years ago I saw a calculation that showed that under 'average' UK weather conditions a given area of solar panel could provide far more propulsive power to a boat if it were mounted vertically to act as a crude sail than it ever could if it were used to generate electricity and drive a water propeller. Of course there have been projects where solar panels have been been mounted on sails to work both ways.

 

[Collegekid]

The rules of this competition state that the boat should not exceed 5 feet in height, and we cannot have a sail. By placing the panels vertically, we will break both those rules. Our basic idea was that by positioning the panels horizontally, we will be able to catch more sunlight, and thus have more power for the motor to propel the boat.

 

[philSweet]

The rules and scoring, etc.

https://www.smud.org/en/about-smud/...nergy/documents/2015-Solar-Regatta-Packet.pdf

 

[Pericles]

The inexpensive, thin, silvered emergency blankets that can be purchased at outdoors stores have a warning against using them whilst sunbathing as severe burns may be the result. Using that fact, by judiciously rigging them all around the solar panels to reflect & concentrate the sun's rays, they should enhance the generation of electricity. The fact that they also act as downwind sails is just an unforeseen & serendipitous coincidence. They'll be an upwind liability of course, so it's swings & roundabouts! It's how sun tunnels work.

http://www.thesuntunnelcompany.co.uk/

Against the rules? Nah! C'mon,,,,,,,,,,,,, c'mon,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,c'mon.

Wear sunglasses, the sun tunnel interior is blinding as it bounces the light around inside itself.