Engineering a canoe
Rethinking concrete
Materials, structure, fabrication, and performance—developed together, one season at a time.
A small boat
A complete engineering challenge
Concrete has to do more than float. Our team studies the mix, hull, and construction process together, then puts the result to the test at competition. Chrysalis, our 2026 canoe, brought that work together through a carbon-negative mix, a segmental modular mold, and a meshless design.
Segmented modular mold
Chrysalis used a segmental modular mold: a form assembled from separate sections rather than treated as one continuous piece.
This brings hull design, digital fabrication, and assembly planning into the same process. The formwork has to translate the design into a surface the team can actually cast and finish.
Modular formwork · Concept diagram
Meshless construction
A meshless canoe asks the concrete system and shell to work together without a conventional reinforcing mesh.
It makes mix design and structural behavior closely linked. Our team brings material testing, hull analysis, and construction decisions together rather than solving them in isolation.
Shell construction · Concept diagram
Carbon-negative concrete
The 2026 mix incorporated carbon-sequestering recycled concrete fines. Material selection became part of the canoe’s environmental design, alongside the need for a lightweight, workable concrete.
Developing the mix connects sustainability with the practical demands of casting, finishing, and racing a concrete hull.
Recycled materials · Concept diagram