Propel UBC’s Human-Powered Submarine to Competition in the UK!
Your support sends SUBC’s student-built submarine to eISR and gives the next generation of marine engineers the chance to compete on the world stage.
Project Description
This July, a team of UBC students will race a submarine they built themselves against the best collegiate marine engineering teams in the world. But first, we need to get there.
SUBC has been building and racing human-powered submarines since 1989 and this year we’re taking our latest vessel to the European International Submarine Races in the UK. eISR is where the world’s top student marine engineering teams put their designs to the test, judged on speed, stability and reliability throughout a grueling multi-day competition.
This past year, our team of 60 students has done exactly that, building from the ground up and covering everything from the hull and frame to steering, propulsion and electronics, then testing in pools and open water to get to this point.
Now we need your help to make sure more than two of us get there to compete.
Challenges and Impact of Your Support
Getting a human-powered submarine from Vancouver, BC to the UK is as complex as it sounds. Shipping the vessel, covering registration fees and getting our team there are costs that stretch well beyond what students can cover on their own.
Right now, we can only afford to send our pilot and safety drivers, but eISR is more than a race. It’s where a full year of hard work comes to life, where we troubleshoot in real time and where we connect with the global marine engineering community.
Every contribution helps close the gap:
- $25 covers a sheet of fibreglass, one of the essential materials for the submarine’s outer shell
- $50 covers a 1 kg roll of 3D printing filament used to create custom components like fins and propellers
- $500 gets one more teammate to the UK for the competition of a lifetime
And we want to say thank you. To show our appreciation, we’re featuring donor names on the submarine, with the size based on contribution level:
- $20 — 2 cm
- $50 — 4 cm
- $100 — 6 cm
- $500 — 10 cm
- $1000+ — 15 cm
Your support means a lot to us and helps continue the legacy of the SUBC team. We’d be incredibly grateful for any contribution you’re able to make.
Thank you for supporting the next generation of SUBC!
Every donation brings us one step closer to the start line.
About SUBC
UBC’s Submarine Design Team is one of the university’s longest-running engineering design teams, with roots going back to 1989. Today our team of 60 students from across faculties and years designs, builds and races human-powered submarines at international competitions, gaining hands-on engineering experience, creative problem-solving skills and professional networks that last long after graduation.
Many of our members are divers and marine tech enthusiasts with deep ties to the broader marine engineering community. From collaborating with UBC’s Naval Architecture Marine Engineering department to attending industry conferences, SUBC connects students to a field they’re passionate about in ways a classroom never could.
