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- Endicott College
- Ocean Alliance
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and Marine Engineers
- Maritime Gloucester

INFORMATION FOR COMPETITORS

How to register:

HOW TO REGISTER YOURSELF OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE SAILBOT 2013 REGATTA Download the instructions

Getting started:

Sailbot teams come in all shapes and sizes. Open Class teams tend to be smaller, with some teams even consisting of a single person. Sailbot Class teams tend to be larger, with ten or more people. This guide is tailored toward those trying to start larger Sailbot Class teams, but even smaller teams will likely need to follow similar steps.

Starting a Team

Steps to Take

I. Create a Leadership Team
II. Get a Mentor
III. Obtain Resources
IV. Gather Interest
V. Fundraising
VI. Plan for the Future

Creating a Leadership Team

Seek out experienced students in the various areas that make up your team, and see if any will firmly commit to the team. Those will be your leadership core. They'll be able to look at major decisions based on how they impact their part of the team, and among themselves will make the important decisions. They will also be in charge of apportioning the work to the others on the team and helping teach other members.

Getting a Mentor

At most schools, you need a professor or other person of authority on your side to get access to resources. Find a professor in an area related to robotics, preferably one you have had some contact with before. Convince them to help you out, like you would any potential student member. It's particularly helpful if the mentor is skilled in an area of expertise the team is weak in and is happy to devote more time to helping the team.

Obtaining Resources

The team will need areas to meet, work, and test the sailbot. Preferably, your work space will be a place where you can leave your tools and projects. Your mentoring professor or student government are the best places to start in finding potential workspace. For testing, finding a lake or harbor nearby that would allow you access - preferably with chase boats - is your best bet. Make sure that it has decent winds and is fairly deep; keels are often a meter long, if not longer.

Gathering Interest

Fundraising

Contact companies in related fields that are near your company. Ideally, find someone to take charge of fundraising who is reliable and interested. Pitch your team to the companies much like you did to potential team members. Why is your project exciting? Why should they give you money? Don't rule out the possibility of part or expertise donations, not just money. These can be extremely useful. When figuring out what companies to contact, if there are other student academic teams at your school, ask them who sponsors them, and see what companies your school already has good relations with. Companies that already know what students at your school are capable of are more likely to aid you. Don't forget friends and family. Even a t-shirt sale can help you get the money you need. To pay people who help you back, logos on your boat's sails and an open house when you have something to show go a long way. And when you have an open house, invite everyone, not just those who have already donated. Seeing something interesting can spur people to donate.

Planning for the Future

Be sure to recruit people who have a variety of numbers of years left in college. If your leadership team is composed mostly of people who will be graduating, be sure to pick their successors and train them, giving them a voice in the decisions as the year goes on. And train younger members in the skills they will need, in everything.

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