Nautical Navigators
Angus Rowboats has an exciting new offering. Our mission is to inspire a new generation of ocean lovers and explorers through an innovative and exciting educational program. We provide schools with small, unmanned boats that use wind power to cross oceans, allowing students to embark on a hands-on adventure that teaches them about oceans, geography, robotics, and cultural connections. By engaging with this program, students will develop a passion for the ocean and an appreciation for the importance of protecting our planet's natural resources. Our goal is to empower young minds and prepare them for a future that is increasingly reliant on technology and global connections.
How does it Work?
Our program is a unique and engaging way for schools, organizations, or families to learn about the ocean, geography, and cultural connections. After purchasing one of our small, unmanned boats, the club spends several months preparing for an ocean voyage, learning about ocean currents, winds, and other important aspects. They also pack a compartment with gifts and souvenirs to be collected by school kids in a random distant location. The boat is launched and tracked via satellite, allowing students to follow its progress across the ocean. Once the boat nears shore, the club contacts local schools in the area, and students retrieve the boat, opening it up to collect the gifts and souvenirs, including a page describing the club and their project. Our program encourages a passion for the ocean and fosters a sense of global connection and community among students.
The Boat
The vessel is a robust self righting composite structure and is just under 4' (120 cm) in length. It is designed to be able to
weather hurricanes unscathed, and to carry a small amount of cargo and sensors. A rigid wing sail allows the vessel to make full use of the prevailing winds to cross the oceans. The vessel's course is continually tracked using a GPS tracker. The tracker also ensures that the vessel can be retrieved at the end of the voyage so as not to contribute to ocean garbage.
Two versions of the vessel will be offered. The first will not be controlled, but will be guided by the prevailing ocean winds, providing a surprise end destination. The second version is a more advanced model that allows steering inputs via satellite.
Collecting Ocean Data
The vessel can be used to collect ocean data such as water temperature, air temperature and salinity. We will be offering data logging packages, or the club can develop their own sensor logging system with an Arduino - a perfect project for a computer/robotics club. We will also be offering plug and play sensor packages which will measure air temperature, water temperature and other variables
Next Steps: Are you an educator, parent or just a fun person that would like to get kids fired up about the ocean? The key steps are creating a club or group, purchasing a boat, and then start planning your offshore mission. We recommend spending at least six months preparing for the launch - it's a wonderful opportunity for the kids to start learning about oceanography, geography and to have some hands-on fun. We will be creating suggestions on fun activities and learning topics to go along with the challenge.
How Much will it cost? Our base boat will cost approximately $2200, with additional options for sensor packages and satellite control. If you are interested in pre-ordering one of our boats, please contact us here.
To learn more, please visit www.sailbotix.com
