The Microtransat Challenge

Boat Details - Aberystwyth

Team Name: Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University
Boat Name: Pinta
Length: 2.95m
Beam: 1.2m
Draft: 0.82m
Weight: approximately 100kg
Hull type: Topper Taz Dinghy
Power source: 6x 20W Solar panels (120W peak) and 16x 7amp hour 12 volt lead Acid Batteries
Sail type: Bermudan Style fabric sail.
Actuators: Sail winch motor and Simrad TP22 tiller pilot.
Sensors: Ultrasonic wind sensor, tilt compensated compass and GPS.
Communications: SPOT Satellite Messenger and Iridium 9601 Short Burst Data transceiver.
Computers: PIC 18F4550 microcontroller and Gumstix Single Board Computer.
Other features: Built only with the Microtransat in mind. Intended to be cheap, simple and reliable. All the electronics are housed in a water proof box which is attached to the deck. The batteries have been sealed inside the hull with foam and any remaining space has been filled with airbags usually used as packaging, this makes it very hard for the hull to fill with water.

Boat Name: MOOP (Minature Ocean Observation Platform)

Length: 74cm

Beam: 21 cm

Draft: 12.5 cm

Weight: 5kg

Mast: Aluminium tube through a polystyrene and glass fibre wing sail.

Hull type: Fibre glass monohull inspired by a Nordic Folkboat.

Power source: 2x Solar panels (400mw peak) and 10x 13amp hour NiMh F cells.

Sail type: Polystyrene and glass fibre wing sail.

Actuators: Two radio control servos.

Sensors: Ultrasonic wind sensor, tilt compensated compass and GPS.

Communications: SPOT Satellite Messenger.

Computers: PIC 18F4550 microcontroller.

Other features: Built to be small, light, mass produceable and very tought. The hull design is intended to prevent sea weed or other obstacles from becoming entagled in the hull. Two variants of the MOOP are being launched, one with a single sail and single rudder and the other with twin sails and no rudder.