‘Climate neutral participation is more important to us then winning’

Characterized by the Frisian short trousers and the green boat ‘De Griene Sinnefretter’ (GSF) this fanatic and crazy solarboatteam, as they name their self, wants to achieve a good  acquirement in front of their home public. ‘With some team members who participated in 2008 and a group with new students from the Van Hall Larenstein and the AOC Friesland, both colleges in Leeuwarden, this has to be achieved’, says project leader Willem Bakker.

With team number B2 this team wants to participate climate neutral. Both colleges teach milieu science, however they don’t teach techniques they will build a solarboat. Bakker: ‘our first goal isn’t to win this competition. Our goal is to finish this race completely climate neutral. This shall be realized by using cradle to cradle, CO2 credits and sustainable cars.’

Wednesday April 14th, the first test-drive took place. ‘It’s always exiting to make a first test-drive even though it’s the third time the GSF made a test-drive. In 2008 the same boat joined the FSC and in 2009 we raced in the Zeeuwse Zonneboot Race. Every year we changed something to approve this boat’, says team member Remco Elzinga.

This year the solarboat is stripped again, they watched and improved almost all technical parts. A new engine is bought and for the first time this team has a lighter battery. Elzinga: ‘This year we don’t like to get a time penalty. Because of the changes the third test-drive was exiting again. After the last preparations the test-drive succeeded, all systems functioned well. We even made a small joyful ride, that’s the beauty of solar energy, you don’t need any fuel. During this test-drive we’ve found some improvements in the boat alignment. Coming weeks we plan to work heard and keep our heads up high for our start in the Prinsentuin on the 4^th of July.

For more information sent an e-mail to this team >>