Welcome to the Solar Challenge!

The World is running out of petrol,
the world is getting warmer,
the world is going to end on Tuesday –
what are we going to do?

 

This is the challenge of our age. We’re going to need everything from spaceflight to cars that run on magic beans to pollution free everything to carbon-neutral shopping trolleys to – well, the list is endless. So what can we do?


Well we think a great way to start is by mucking around with all the new technology in a fun, hands-on, getting-out-of-school kind of way. In this sense the Solar Boat Challenge is our little way of helping sort out a response to climate change, the movement to alternative fuels and the momentum towards a greener environment globally.

Actually, while it feels like you're getting out of school you're not actually - the program has been engineered in such a way that it actually fits curriculum - but let's talk about that later. For now, let's just say you're in the right place - everything you need to know about the Solar Boat Challenge is right here - so please explore and we look forward to seeing you on race day!

 

How Do I Start?

Getting involved is simple –

 

1. Check out the details on this web site - when and where, the costs and the Rules which you can download as a PDF on the Rules page.
  
2. Next, let us know that you're interested by going to the bottom of the Entering page where you can send us an email - OR - if you want to enter and make sure that we hold a place for you in the Challenge (places are limited!), go to the top of the Entering page to get the Entry Forms that you need, download them, print them off, fill them out and get them in!
  
3. Then our administration team will contact you directly via phone or email to answer any questions and make sure you have what you need to enter the Challenge.
  
4. Now download ‘How to Make a Solar Boat Without Even Trying’ from the How-To page ‘cause it’s time to make your boat! You have a few options here
 
  • you are, of course, free to create your boat any way you like - as long as it conforms to the rules, or...
 
  • you can get a SEES Kit which has pretty much everything you need to make your boat from scratch. The kits are available for purchase or through our Grants Program.
  
5. In addition to making the boat itself, each team must also create a 'Challenge Experience Presentation' for race day. This presentation, usually only a few minutes long, can be spoken, written, a web site, a documentary, a song - pretty much anything goes. In 2007 we even had a James Bond Action Thriller DVD called ‘Solar Spy’!
  
6. Now that you have your boat and presentation ready, you're all set to race! Come along to the closest Race Day and try to win yourself a spot in the Nationals!