By Matthew Tonkel

The MSOE Concrete Canoe team took first place overall in the Western Great Lakes Regional Competition with their canoe Rejuvenation. The team also finished second for their project proposal and placed within the top three in several races.

With the return of the in-person Western Great Lakes Regional Concrete Canoe competition, the MSOE Concrete Canoe team was tasked with creating a strong, lightweight and aesthetically pleasing 20ft long concrete canoe prototype. The team had to ensure the canoe could withstand the rigors of racing and be fully submerged, with the ability to pop back up. Accompanying the canoe prototype was a project proposal and an enhanced focus area report. The project proposal presented the step-by-step process of the team’s approach to the hull design, the construction process and the concrete mix design of our canoe, Rejuvenation. For the enhanced focus area report, the MSOE Concrete Canoe team incorporated a mentorship program to give the first-year members the behind-the-scenes knowledge that that contributes to constructing a successful concrete canoe. Some topics addressed were budgeting, material procurement, and understanding the request for proposal (RFP). 

The theme of the 2022 concrete canoe, Rejuvenation, was to bring new life and vigor back to the concrete canoe team at MSOE. Unfortunately, Covid-19 caused the ASCE Regional Competition to be canceled entirely or moved online in the past two years, so in 2022, the MSOE Concrete Canoe team, comprised of 70% first-year members, was more excited than ever to get the opportunity to compete in person. Rejuvenation’s design features a tree design lifeless and barren past on one half of the canoe and a vibrant and brilliant future on the other half. Another aesthetic feature that was incorporated into this canoe was temperature dependent color changing concrete on the inside inlays.

Congratulations to Captain and ASCE President Matthew Tonkel; Captain Justin Klamik; Mix Design Lead Gonzalo Palacios; team members: Anna Marnell, Avila Berns, Gavin Storlie, Zain Sitabkhan, Aaron Bond, Bryan Berres, Lucas Migliaccio; and Team Advisor, Dr. Fran Mahuta, on their first-place overall finish. A big thank you to MSOE Steel Bridge members: Tim Baldocchi, Joey Carlson, Joanna Ekiert, Raina Nicholson, Jenna Roth, and Ben Schleh, who helped the Concrete Canoe team during the competition. The MSOE Concrete Canoe team will be moving on to the ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition this summer in Ruston, Louisiana.