Scholen aan Zee the only school in North Holland participating in the Young Solar Challenge
Epoxy on your gloves, sawdust on the floor, and a hull slowly taking shape. Anyone walking into the Scholen aan Zee solar team sees not a school assignment, but a project being seriously worked on.
Two afternoons a week, students are building a solar boat for the Young Solar Challenge. Not a prototype, but a boat that will soon actually take to the water. Using sunlight as the sole fuel. Scholen aan Zee is the only school in North Holland participating in this challenge.
Bart, Gijs, Merad, and Elize, among others, are standing at the workbench. Supervisor Sjoerd walks around, asks questions, and helps provide guidance where necessary, but the thinking lies with the students themselves.
“You are not allowed to charge in between,” Merad explains. “No power outlets. Only the sun counts.” During race weekends, the teams cover distances of up to forty kilometers a day. Batteries dead? Then you have to adjust your speed. Sailing too fast is not an option.
Same material, difference in mentality
All participating schools receive the same construction kit and the same rules. The shape is fixed, as are the materials. The difference lies in the execution: how precisely do you work, how do you tune the motor, how do you distribute the weight, how do you coordinate the solar panels and batteries? But the real difference lies in collaboration.
“You have to stay calm,” says Bart. “Think first, then act.” During a sailing test, a solar panel came loose and ended up in the water. Waves under a bridge were a bit of a scare. But two weeks later, they had to sail again.
“We had to come up with a solution quickly,” he says. So repairs were carried out, tests were conducted, and work continued.
Learning outside the classroom
The project is voluntary, but not without obligation. This year, seventeen students are participating, ranging from the lower years to the final exam year. The team has been deliberately expanded so that younger students can gain experience and knowledge can be passed on.
Some build, others deal with planning, communication, and finances.
“We arrange the sponsors ourselves,” Elize explains. “We send emails and contact companies.”
“I’m not participating to win,” says one of the students. “But for the experience.”
In addition to technical skills, they learn to plan, communicate, and take responsibility here. During the first race weekend, the boat undergoes a full safety inspection. Skippers must take tests. Everything must be correct before sailing is permitted.
For Bart, the project is particularly concrete. He wants to work in service and maintenance for the navy later on. “In that case, this is certainly good preparation.” In addition to their diploma, the students receive a certificate for their participation.
With the number of sunshine hours in Den Helder, they certainly have a good starting position. But sun alone doesn't win a race. It's about discipline, cooperation, and perseverance.
The boat will be launched later this spring.
Sponsors wanted
Anyone who wants to help build this project can join as a sponsor via [email protected]
