CASTINE, Maine, Monday, January 27, 2025 — Maine Maritime Academy, in collaboration with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, will host a race of model vessels built by groups of 7th and 8th graders from Adams School and Penobscot Community School. The remote-controlled boats, based on the original design by MMA alumnus David Philbrook ’82, are constructed of 3D printed components and propelled by a motor with electrical circuits assembled by the students.

The boat building project, called Maritime Plastic Works, introduces middle school students to maritime design and construction, fabrication techniques, and electrical circuitry. The boat’s structure is created from 3D printed pieces that the students glue together and paint. The students assemble the electrical circuit consisting of a battery box, motor, servomotor, receiver, and speed controller.

Maine Maritime Academy has partnered with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard’s STEM Outreach Program to engage local students to learn fundamentals associated with boat design. Students learned basic boat terminology, introductory physics of flotation, methods of fabrication, and other boatbuilding concepts. After completing the coursework, students built their own model ships in stages echoing that of a real-world naval shipyard.

The Adams School and Penobscot Community School students have successfully built six model boats during the program and will test them with a competition in the Maine Maritime Academy swimming pool. The event will have challenges including a race, maneuverability tasks, and a game of capture the flag.

The model vessels are named after Maine Maritime Academy alumnus, David Philbrook ’82, in honor of his contribution to the construction of the Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers. Philbrook is a leader in the shipbuilding industry and will be in attendance and available for interviews at the event.