SUBC Human Powered Submarine Competition
Your support will help SUBC improve and compete at ISR 15 while providing hands on learning opportunities for young engineers and designers at UBC.
Story Description
SUBC is an engineering student team that designs, builds, and races human-powered submarines.
As an homage to our home region in the Pacific Northwest, our vessel is named by the Chinook word “Skookumchuck”, which translates to “white-water” or “rapids”. In June 2019, SUBC will be competing on the world stage at the 15th Biennial International Submarine Races in Maryland, USA. Our team has grown tremendously over the past few years and with our growth, our goals have become more and more ambitious. This year, we have been working tirelessly to overhaul our most recent submarine Skookumchuck V, while simultaneously beginning a new two-year design cycle for an innovative, non-conventionally-propelled sub that will be built from the ground up.
One of our biggest obstacles as a student team is funding. Costs associated with components and equipment to build the submarine and attend competition are high, and we need the help from supporters like you to fund the design and construction of our submarines so that we can achieve our goals of placing among the top three teams at competition.
Challenges & Impact of Your Support
SUBC is a student-run team with a goal to learn by doing. We enable all students by providing them with extensive experience with the engineering design process, from conceptualization and design to fabrication and testing. Working with SUBC is the first time many students gain hands-on experience on a large technical project, and since the team designs all components of the submarine from scratch, it provides members with an invaluable hands-on application for their theoretical education. Though we are not a professional team, we strive to maintain a positive attitude of professionalism and encouragement for all members.
As we construct most of the systems, members also hone their abilities related to the fabrication of the components in the submarine. While on the team, specialized sub-projects allow students to improve their understanding of technical fields including fluid dynamics, naval architecture, composite materials, mechanical and electrical design, autonomous controls, and many more. In addition, we offer “first year projects” to those who are new to the team that allow them to take the lead on a supporting design, so that they can gain leadership and project management skills while gaining the technical experience they may lack before jumping into the main project. This helps newer members develop a well-rounded skill set of both soft and technical skills that helps prepare them for more challenging projects on the team in future years. Thus, students graduate with extensive experience in all areas of the engineering design process and are better prepared to enter the workforce as engineers in training.
About SUBC
We are SUBC, a team comprised of hard-working and highly motivated undergraduate students from across all faculties at the University of British Columbia. Founded in 1989 by an enthusiastic group of mechanical engineers, we are the oldest student design team at UBC, and we strive to continue this legacy of celebrating engineering and providing learning opportunities for students for years to come. Our team is diverse, enthusiastic and passionate about designing, developing, building and racing the best-ever submarine: Skookumchuck Mk.V. Your help is what makes this project possible.
Please consider supporting us, and help us win at the International Submarine Races this summer in Bethesda, Maryland!
