The 30th annual Solar Boat Regatta set sail on Lake Riley in Eden Prairie Saturday, May 21.
According to a Facebook post, 10 boats from six Minnesota schools competed in speed, slalom and endurance races there. All were powered entirely by the sun.
A boat named Dragon Avalonus, captained by students from Avalon Charter School in St. Paul, took the top prize. The Razzle Dazzle, a boat guided by other Avalon students, finished second.
Third place was a tie between Knight’s Legacy, captained by Apple Valley High School students, and Islander, guided by Avalon students. Shakopee West Middle School’s The Black Pearl won Best Experimental Boat for using two motors.
The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) is at the helm of the competition. It aims to give students a “valuable and unique experience” with solar electricity, wiring, motors, fluid dynamics, boat design, construction, and teamwork, according to the MRES website.
Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie, the Eden Prairie Optimist Club, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and 3M Visiting Wizards helped MRES run the event. It was sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Commerce Division of Energy Resources, Dakota Electric Association, and SolarPod.
