1423 Powhatan St., Suite 1
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone (703) 836-6727
Fax (703) 836-7491
Email: asnehq@navalengineers.org

  • What is PEP?
  • 2023 Competition Information
  • PEP Talks
  • Competition Rules
  • Internships & Job Opportunities
  • Sponsorships
  • FAQs
  • Modeling Software Options
  • 2022 Competition Celebration
  • 2021 Competition Celebration
  • 2018 Competition Celebration

Interested in supporting the PEP competition? Email us!

Welcome to a new PEP season!

New NAVSEA article on acoustics

We hope you had a summer full of growth and great experiences. We have been growing the competition, and are excited to take another year's journey with you. This year, we have a new sign-up form, which we are asking you to return before September 30. This year's competition will occur during the Multi-Agency Craft Conference on June 27-28 in Portsmouth, VA. We will also have regional events where you can try out your vehicle in April (more details to follow in the fall). The goal remains the same: five miles as quickly as possible while remaining safe. Returning competitors will confirm this race is an endurance and engineering competition masquerading as a race. Design for reliability!

We also have a series of events to support your professional growth and team building:

Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research

We are often asked how to begin. The only mandatory step is to complete this form (PDF & Word) by September 30, 2022. Please do not worry overly about the budget sections, just make sure those values are discussed with the team so it's clear how you may be using this funding. We also suggest that you reach out and set up a meeting with Mike to talk about your plans, ask any questions, and hear a little more about this year's unique opportunities. There are few race rules, so we suggest your team quickly identifies and evaluates a few different designs and settles on a baseline design that seems within your budget. Then, you will want to identify a system that you can design and test before winter break. It's key to begin fabricating and testing before the spring semester if you want to have time to test and improve your craft in the fall. We are happy to meet with you as often as is useful for you. You are not alone.

If you have any questions, please email us! When you are ready to submit the form, just email it to education@navalengineers.org

Interested in learning about PEP? You can email us directly or explore the documents in the 2023 Competition Information tab to the left. You may also want to review the Competition Celebrations to see the range of designs in the manned and unmanned competitions.

 

Remembering Race Day 2022

Each team at Pohick Bay did an amazing job persevering through challenges and finding ways to maximize success. Please upload any photos and videos here as we compile these celebrations over the weekend. Thank YOU for making PEP successful!

We are continuing to build pages that show each team's strengths and needs. Please let us know how we can better capture your team's progress and 2023 goals, so we can collaborate on building your financial and mentor networks next year. You can see all these pages in the PEP 2022 Competition Celebration.

Overview

Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) for Small Craft is an educational and competitive program to foster the development of electric boats in the United States. College teams are granted up to $7,000 and put in touch with mentors and online learning to ensure they can safely construct an electric-powered boat that can complete a five-mile race. The third PEP competition was held May 26, 2022 at Pohick Bay, VA. We look forward to collaborating with Old Dominion University to host PEP 2023 in the Lafayette River, VA in May 2023.

Why do we Promote Electric Propulsion?

Check out these videos that introduced the 2022 PEP Competition. Dr. Steven Russell is the Program Officer from the Office of Naval Research who has overseen and guided PEP from the very beginning. CAPT Dale Lumme is ASNE's Executive Director and brings a unique perspective of how PEP fits in the naval engineering workforce.

PEP: Powering the Future Workforce

The Naval Engineering community needs a more diverse, energetic workforce ready to tackle modern problems. PEP empowers students with knowledge and real-world experience. This senior project is consistently one of the most sought-after options in ME departments. This program brings new perspectives and new voices to the naval engineering, and prepares them to be successful upon graduation.

These universities and ASNE's form two legs of a three-legged stool that includes industry. These teams need industry partners to provide mentors, in-kind donations, and a window into professional naval engineering. These student teams are meeting virtually throughout Fall semester providing a unique opportunity for professionals to join the conversation for an hour or two, and help guide the future naval engineering workforce.

PEP includes hundreds of college students in universities across the country. They need our help to complete this education and find their career.

 

Interested in joining in the fun? The PEP program is still adding a couple more teams for the 2023 competition. We give grants to schools to help them compete in PEP and connect them with industry experts over the course of the year to facilitate their designs and fabrications. Students conceive, design, build, test and race their own craft for a five-mile race.

PEP Updates

Before you head back to school, we invite you to join us at these exciting events (free for undergrads):

  • June 1-3 (San Diego, CA): MegaRust is conducted annually to provide a consolidated focus on Navy corrosion issues. Corrosion is a major factor in the readiness and total ownership cost of naval systems and this conference is intended to provide updated information on programs, policies, standards and Fleet experience related to corrosion and to promote discussion and sharing of information on technologies and strategies for controlling corrosion. Registeration is now closed.
  • June 14-16 (Philadelphia, PA): ASNE’s Technology, Systems and Ships (TSS) Symposium will be highlighting inspirational women mentors and STEM advocates. This event will present a diverse set of speakers. Topics that are planned to be addressed include Women in Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Workforce development, training and building the next generation of naval engineers. Registeration is now closed.
  • July 20-21 (Philadelphia, PA): Advanced Machinery Technology Symposium (AMTS) offers technical presentations, expert panels, and networking opportunities to our community of professionals. Join us for part or all of this conference. Registeration is now closed.

Looking ahead to PEP 2023!

ASNE is excited to announce that we are inviting student leaders to join the PEP Leadership Committee. Possible roles include establishing Race Regulations, Marketing & Outreach, and Supporting New Teams. Please complete this survey to volunteer for this exciting leadership opportunity:

Thank you to all the teams that have found a few minutes to debrief with us and help strengthen the competition. As we discussed in these one-on-one sessions and dockside at Pohick, we are looking forward to adding a Design Review component to the competition next year. We are also considering ways to make the race safer and the design process more supported. Together, we are strengthening this competition as a community—continuing the spirit of cooperation that we see every time we get together. We truly want to hear from you this summer if you have the time. Just shoot us an email and we will find the time!

We want to say THANK YOU one more time to everyone that made the May 26 competition at Pohick Bay such a success. We are looking forward to working with you in the Fall and seeing the teams compete in Norfolk next May. If there is anything we can do to help you professionally or help your team this summer, please shoot us an email.

In the meantime, here is the article Mike wrote for the Naval Engineers Journal and the day-of video he recorded.

Throughout this school year, ASNE has promoted electric propulsion through a grant from the Office of Naval Research. College teams participating in the Promoting Electric Program (PEP) receive $7,000 to design, build, test, and race their craft in a five-mile race. In addition, these teams are closely connected to ASNE's scholarship program, section meetings, and our various symposia. ASNE provides job/internship information to the competitors and matches these dedicated engineers to jobs in our industry. On May 26, these activities came to a head in Pohick Bay off the Potomac River for an exciting day of competition and comradery of manned and unmanned races.

In the manned competition, Washington College's beautiful wooden craft took first place completing the five miles in 22 minutes, 38 seconds. There ice water-cooled electric motor had more than enough power, and their battery packs had plenty of storage. In second place, Old Dominion University completed nearly the entire race in 25 minutes and 29 seconds. Using four marine batteries in series and propeller on a five-foot-long axle, the team reflected their dedication and ingenuity. As team lead Daniel Erdogan said, “It's not the size of the team, it's the size of the heart within the team.” In third place, first year competitors from Pittsburgh put in a solid performance completing 3 miles in 37:13. Zodiac Milpro generously donated their inflatable craft which served as the foundation for a solid design that can be improved by the dozens of teammates that came together this year to form the team. North Carolina A&T put in a solid showing with their ruggedly-designed craft; they had more than enough power to complete the five miles and put in a great showing. The Princeton manned craft had great power, but suffered issues during the race—the team is on the right track for true In the week before the event, Wake Forest University blew out a shaft coupler and the University of Georgia had connections issues and did not make it to the start line. The Kentucky team showed true grit modifying their unmanned design to go manned, overcoming a wiring issue in their initial heat, and put in a solid three mile performance through their ingenuity and dedication.

In the unmanned competition, the stellar team from Texas A&M set the overall PEP record, completing the five miles in 17 minutes, 42 seconds. This team came together quickly this year and began testing early in the Fall semester. With two seniors and three underclassmen in attendance, this team showed engineering excellence throughout the year. In second place, Stevens Institute narrowly edged out Johns Hopkins University. Both teams created strong designs but faced mid-race challenges that necessitated quick thinking and fast repairs by the operators of the craft. The University of Michigan Electric Boat team brought an impressive 550-kg, hydrofoil design, and worked tirelessly to get it into the water. Sadly, water found its way into their motors and they were unable to compete. Princeton's unmanned craft demonstrated raw power, appearing to top 25 knots. However, the system needed a bit more refinement in order to compete on the race course. Virginia Tech also brought their unmanned craft but burned up too many ESCs to compete.

PEP needs you! Teams can use mentorship and technical expertise as well as in-kind and financial donations to help them build their crafts. This year, ASNE's STEM Fund covered the cost of food and drinks, and we look forward to providing a more robust competitor experience during PEP 2023 in Virginia Beach. If you can help us grow, please reach out to education@navalengineers.org.

Before you head back to school, we invite you to join us at these exciting events (free for undergrads):

  • June 14 (Arlington, VA): Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01), House Armed Services Committee, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Ranking Member, will join the ASNE community to share his thoughts on current congressional affairs. After his presentation, there will be an extensive networking session. Free registration for all attendees.
  • June 16 (Arlington, VA): Women in Engineering keynote and panel with Workforce Development panel to follow. Speakers include Ms. Margaret G. Palmieri, SES, DOD Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO); Ms. Anne Sandel, SES, Principal Civilian Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition; Mrs. Stephanie Hill, Executive Vice President of Rotary & Mission Systems, Lockheed Martin; Dr. Sandy Magnus, former NASA Astronaut, former DOD Deputy Director, OSD Undersecretary, Research & Engineering, and former NASA Astronaut; Ms. Matice Wright-Springer, Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton, former Naval Aviator (TACAMO); RADM Tony Lengerich, USN (Ret.), former ASNE President; Chris Deegan, former President & CEO, Gibbs & Cox; Scott Porter, Director-Strategic Initiatives, Thales Defense & Security, Inc.; Dr. Leigh McCue, Associate Professor, George Mason University, former ASNE Executive Director; and Admiral John Richardson, USN (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Operations. Register now!

The Office of Naval Research & ASNE community are excited for Thursday, May 26

ASNE and our sponsors at the Office of Naval Research are excited to see you on May 26 to celebrate another year of Promoting Electric Propulsion. We know your manned and unmanned designs took lots of work and you are still testing to maximize your race day success. Remember that this race is as much about endurance as it is about speed; you may want to find speeds and battery usage rates that focus on protecting your system rather than maxing out your design.

Over the course of this week, we are uploading materials to maximize your race-day experience and ensure you know exactly where to go. Two requests:

  1. If you haven't signed the race-day regulations, please download and sign it.
  2. We are excited to greet your guests, please email me with a head count so we can be prepared.

We have been working hard with our industry partners to match PEP participants with open job opportunities. If you did not complete the job-finding survey in the Spring, please email your resume, web address for your LinkedIn page, and any geographic/job role information that is important. We are excited to help you take those next steps, and the ASNE community is not only providing food and water during the event, they are excited to help you transition into our exciting industry.

Still looking for work? Review these positions and email us for help.

See you at Pohick Bay on Thursday, May 26, 2022!

We are excited to announce that the 2022 competition will be held at Pohick Bay Regional Park in Occoquan, Virginia on May 26, 2022. The images in this tab show that the water is a protected bay off of the Potomac River, and we have visited the site enough to know that the water behaves very similarly to Arundel Creek, so the 2021 competition videos are still a good representation of the water conditions you should anticipate on race day. We have also expanded the awards available to teams. Please see the "2022 Competition Information" and "Competition Rules" tabs for these updated details.

 

Quick PEP Video Introduction

 

We are so excited to host our competition at Pohick Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022. The biggest news is that people are looking for you! We have created this survey to figure out how many people will join us at the PEP competition AND help you connect with these businesses:

We are lining up career talks for the next couple months. In the meantime, please take a look at the job opportunities at Pure Watercraft, ServiceNow, Flux Marine, and Siemens

Also, our conferences are going virtual and they are still FREE for you. Feel free to attend only the parts that are interesting to you. You can sign up now for:

My final word to you is one you heard in the fall: Get to work!! Please take this opportunity to fabricate components and integrate systems. These are huge projects that will require a lot of testing and improvement. Waterproofing alone will take a good chunk of time to hone and protect. Every minute you can work now will save you minutes of stress in April/May. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to email us at any time.

See you at Pohick Bay on Thursday, May 26, 2022!

I have talked with many of the teams this fall and know that you are working hard to get the project moving quickly. Please keep it up! The teams that were able to finish fabrication in February/March and focus on testing and improvements in the Spring not only had better results, they were able to sleep with less stress! Don't stress yourself out, work hard now and complete tasks as soon as you can.

Two quick updates: First, we are excited to welcome these teams to the community . And, secondly, please look at the PEP Talks and Internship tabs for the resources that are freely available to you!

 

PEP Celebration!

It was so great to culminate a year's worth of engineering, late nights, hard work, and stressful testing with a competition in Arundel Creek at the U.S. Coast Guard Yard Baltimore. Each team brought energy, ingenuity, and a collaborative spirit. It was great to connect the teams with each other and to all the attendees at the Multi-Agency Craft Conference. For more details about the day's events and videos/images from the day, please see the 2021 PEP celebration page.

Over the summer, we also added some new participants to the PEP competition. We are happy to welcome aboard teams from Johns Hopkins University, Tennessee Tech, University of Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest University. Some of these participants were on-site in Baltimore in July and witnessed the excitement and ingenuity from 2021 and they are excited to add to the field in 2022.

At this point, we have sent out all funding checks for the upcoming school year and awards from the victorious 2021 teams. If you do not have your money, please let us know!

If you have any questions, comments, or things to share, please email Mike at any time. Thanks for making PEP special!

https://www.navalengineers.org/PEP2021

Congratulations to all PEP Participants!

July 21, 2021 was a great day for all PEP participants. Teams came from hundreds and thousands of miles after a pandemic-filled school year to enjoy the fruits of their labor. We were excited that all teams were able to compete, show off, and network. In the manned competition, the University of Kentucky Energized Outboards team finished in front of Michigan Solar Sea, Michigan E-Jetski, and Old Dominion University. In the unmanned division, Stevens Institute outperformed George Mason's craft and Virginia Tech looks forward to the 2022 competition.

Click here to see our post-race recap.

Pre-Event Videos

These videos were part of the pre-competition outreach that generated more interest and excitement about the race. These teams started designing their craft months (and in some cases years) before race day. The hard work is done at the universities as teams chase bugs in their code, bend plywood, and create truly watertight connections. These videos document some of those excellent efforts.

PEP Celebration is now Live!

Please feel free to share this link with family, friends and future competitors. Thanks for making this event special!

https://www.navalengineers.org/PEP2021

 

Collegiate teams can recruit new student engineers with this flyer, and sign up using this sign-up sheet. You can send the sign-up sheet and any questions to education@navalengineers.org.

 

Questions? Email Mike at any time.

Get Excited for Stevens, GMU, Catholic, and Michigan!

 

We are excited to sharee that Dr. Maureen Foley presented Introduction to Requirements Definition and Materials Selection in Developing New Components for U.S. Navy Applications on March 19. Not only is she an expert in her field, but she is particularly passionate about engaging engineering students and answering their questions. You have investigated many materials through PEP and this hour-long presentation and discussion will help broaden your horizons in this critical, and growing, field. Register today!

MACC traditionally has a sizeable international audience so we are planning a hybrid conference. As you may have seen in previous conferences, we present technical presentations 48 hours before the conference and then have a Q&A session. We would love to have a video describing your design for this conference. This video could simply be a recording of your capstone presentation. Or, if you want to make a video after the semester that captures the engineering successes, you could also choose to make a special presentation that presents your work to a professional audience. As always, you can ask us for help if you have questions, thoughts or concerns about this opportunity.

The ASNE scholarships may not make sense for graduating seniors, but if you are considering graduate school or have undergraduate teammates, please share these $4,000 scholarship opportunities. We hope you apply. The scholarship is open to all students are engaged in engineering disciplines related to naval engineering. PEP participants and future PEP participants are at a particular advantage since you are already showing your involvement with naval engineering.

Before we get to MACC, ASNE is hosting the Intelligent Ships Symposium. Teams that investigated unmanned systems are particularly encouraged to investigate the agenda and drop in for a session that piques your interest. As always, registration is completely free for undergraduate students.

We have been touching base with your teams and know that this is a busy time in your schedule. I hope you find enjoyment in how much you, individually, and your team, collectively, are able to produce in this short period of time. Your first semester plans have probably shifted in some ways, but that planning is providing you with the structure and foundation to see this through to the end. We are so excited to you see you dockside on July 21, 2021 in Baltimore!

ASNE knows that PEP participants are working hard at all hours to get all the coursework done. Now that we have finally reached winter break, I wanted to personally reach out and see how we can work together before the start of the Spring semester. Here are a couple things you can use from now until December 31 to dive more deeply into aspects of naval engineering and electric propulsion:

  • Fleet Maintenance & Modernization Symposium included numerous keynotes, presentations from materials engineer Dr. Maureen Foley, and presentation by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program that you should definitely consider at some point in your career (recordings here).
  • The Advanced Machinery & Technology Symposium included technical paper tracks on propulsion, power systems, controls, cybersecurity, energy storage and data analytics. The papers, PPTs, and videos of their Q&A are available here.
  • November's Combat System Symposium focuses more on the navy warfighting systems. Unless you have been really careful with your budget and an aggressive race strategy, there may not be as many useful resources here. But, keynotes and the voices of engineers in the field are always useful and you can check it out here.

Scholarships are now available! Independent of the PEP program, ASNE offers $4,000 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students engaging in naval engineering career paths. You can find all the details on the ASNE Scholarship page. Please consider it for yourselves and pass this information along to your friends.

We are looking to update the FAQs. If you have open questions that are still causing issues OR questions you had to resolve that would be better addressed in the beginning, please email us those details at education@navalengineers.org. Now that you can do exactly what you want, please push yourself to be the best engineer you can be!

This Fall all the hard work is being led by a dozen teams across the country. They have been imagining electrical power systems to ensure their craft can complete the five-mile course this summer. Some teams have spent time procuring the perfect hull for their crafts while other teams have designed their hull from scratch. This work involves engineering concepts like propulsion, drag, and power output. It also has forced teams to work with project management concepts like risk, budgets, and project timelines. They are also integrating technology like microcontrollers, simulators and computer-assisted design programs.

If you want to support this program, please email us at education@navalengineers.org. Thanks so much to all the PEP teams for your hard work this semester!

PEP is concluding its active recruitment of new teams; get your applications in soon! Our Summer 2020 pitch: If you are planning your senior capstone activities, count PEP in! We can grant your department up to $7,000 to ensure your PEP team has a successful year. Given current conditions, we foresee teams being able to connect virtually, work with design software, and share analyses. If you foresee a full school year of distance/modified learning, then we suggest the December deliverable is a Gantt Chart or 4D model that outlines how the team can assemble the components while meeting your school's social distancing regulations and best practices as outlined by the CDC.

We are here to help! Email us education@navalengineers.org this summer, in the fall, whenever you want to discuss how to make this project work with your unique situation. Or, simply complete the Corporate/University sign up form (only complete what addresses your situation). Thanks so much for your hard work to make this a productive year for these developing engineers!

Traditionally, May is when college seniors celebrate their hard-earned degrees and take a breath before joining the workforce or professional degree programs. PEP competitors added one key task to their year-end activities: documenting and distributing their work to future PEP teams. With this hard documentation work, 2020-2021 teams will be able to complete fabrication and testing. ASNE personally thanks each team member for spending the extra late-night hours on the PPTs, the 3D models, and the virtual documentation that will ensure the next PEP competition sees this design work through to the finish.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the MACC conference and the PEP competition will be postponed until July 2021. Although we are saddened that this year's teams will not be able to participate, we are proud of the work PEP participants did to make this year a success despite incredible challenges. These students worked tirelessly to design and document these projects. THANK YOU for your hard work and dedication!

Getting Started

We know what you're thinking, "Wow! This sounds so fun now how do I sign up?" Great question, see the below for what to do next.

Step 1: Read the PEP Rules.

Step 2: Check out the recruiting resources.



We recruit you!

You recruit your team!
(Editable Version)

We recruit sponsors

Sponsor handout

Step 3: Sign up to be a part of PEP 2023.

  • If you would like to be a PEP competition team fill out this form. It's designed for both teams and sponsors, so if you are only signing up a team, then you will only complete the first 2-3 inches. Please email it back to education@navalengineers.org. To receive your check, your university will also have to submit a W-9 tax form (we can help if this is challenging!).
  • If you would like to be a PEP industry sponsor fill out this form and email it back to education@navalengineers.org

 

Step 4: Consider the educational opportunities this Fall and start connecting with local businesses that can provide in-kind donations and mantorship.

 

Fall 2022 goal: Strong design and production process presented to faculty and mentors. Start fabrication processes.

To help you along your way, please watch the advice from PEP alumnus Mr. Joshua Stickel from George Mason University. These - recording and downloads include a hull design that you may choose to use in order for your team to focus more on the electric propulsion design.

 

Spring 2023 goal: Complete the fabrication and testing of each component and the integrated system.

 

Need to spread the word across campus?

You can use our generic PEP flyer or this team-recruitment flyer. You can also use this editable flyer to share your recruitment details.

For questions, please contact: education@navalengineers.org.

 

2022 Competition information which we are updating for 2023

2022 Route

Updated Spring 2022 rules

We are working on the 2023 rules and will release them August 1, 2022.

The competition course will begin and end within Pohick Bay Regional Park to the left of the boat launch. Each boat is tasked with completing 5 laps (1 mile per lap) with turns defined by the buoys at either end of the course (see image below). This short track course will allow for maximum visibility by MACC attendees and safety of those competing. Participants can gather along the edge of the auxiliary parking lot and may use the Eagle Nest facilities as a place to get water, snacks, and some shade.
This Spring, we reconfigured the course to be on the bayside of the boat launch (rather than between the boat launch and the Potomac River). As of today, we are using these GPS coordinates for the course.

Start: 38.680247, -77.165448 - Buoy 2: 38.68223710587, -77.17434028973

Because this waterway is publicly accessible, we do need to abide by public boating regulations:

  1. Register your boat in your state and you can use it in the state of Virginia
  2. Ensure your race-day captain has a boating license. Virginia will recognize any other state's boating license and you can also take these online options to get your boat license from Virginia-approved companies.

 

Participants in the competition will be tasked with completing 5 laps of a short <1 mile out and back circuit in relatively protected waters. The competition is open to both manned and unmanned vessels, but participation is subject to compliance with all USCG regulations. Manned and unmanned vessels will race separately for safety reasons. Additionally, the competition organizers reserve the right to decline any vessel water access if safety concerns are present.

The Schedule

The competition will be held on Thursday, May 26, 2022, thus ensuring our competitors can join the in-person race before heading on to their jobs and internships. Competitors will be expected to launch their boats from the nearby boat ramp and have their boat race-ready after 15 minutes in the water. Competitors are required to pull their boats from the water at the conclusion of the competition. Note, due to space constraints, anyone wishing to display their PEP vessel for the duration of the must separately purchase an in-water, static, or tent exhibit space.

The 2022 Course

The competition course will begin and end at the ASNE-provided buoy to the northwest of the boat launch at Pohick Bay Regional Park. The buoy will be large and painted orange. The western buoy will have the same construction and be spaced one-half mile apart. Each boat is tasked with completing 5 laps (approximately 1 mile per lap) with turns defined by these two buoys spaced one-half mile (see image below). This short track course will allow for maximum visibility by PEP attendees and safety of those competing. Participants will be able to register soon so that we have an accurate head count to manage the day's events.

The Rules

Download a copy of the 2022 competition rules here. Teams should also be mindful of the USCG Safety Rules.

Competitor Incentives

As part of the PEP program, up to $7,000 technology mini-grants will be awarded to collegiate participants to encourage further innovation in electric power for small craft.

Top 3 Winners will be awarded cash prize in each class, and see the Competition Rules for more details about the awards.

 

Teams Committed to the 2022 PEP Competition       (PDF of Rules)

 

  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Wake Forest University
  • University of Michigan - e-Jetski
  • North Carolina A&T - Water Aggies
  • Old Dominion University
  • Princeton University - Papillon Rouge
  • Texas A&M
  • University of Kentucky
  • Washington College
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Michigan Solar Sea
  • Virginia Tech
  • Tennessee Tech
  • University of Washington - Bothell
  • Widener University
  • University of Georgia
  • Stevens Institute

 

As part of the PEP program, up to $7,000 technology mini-grants will be awarded to participants to encourage further innovation in electric power for small craft. Top 3 Winners will be awarded $2,000, $1,000, and $500 in each class. There are also special engineering awards for teams displaying innovative engineering.

More Details about Pohick Bay Regional Park

There are numerous accommodations nearby and there are cabins on site that you may choose to rent. Please note that ASNE is helping to facilitate your travel, but you will need to be responsible to plan and budget for this travel.

If you choose to arrive earlier than Tuesday, we welcome you to stop by the ASNE offices or take in some of the regional sites

Liability and Photo Release All competitors must complete the liability and photo release included on the last page of the downloadable competition rules. For minors, a parent or legal guardian must also sign.

 

PEP Talks: Professional Development Conversations for PEP Participants

Each PEP competitor is entitled to participate in these learning opportunities. These virtual sessions are designed to help you move forward in designing electric-propelled crafts.
Can make a live session? Don't worry, each event is recorded and will be linked here afterwards as an on-demand resource.

2023 PEP Talks

  • Fleet Maintenance & Modernization Symposium had numerous research presentations of interest to the PEP community. It's completely free for all undergraduate students!
  • Watch the Office Hours recordings from August and September.

2022-2023 PEP Talks

2022 PEP Talks

2021 PEP Talks

2020 PEP Talks

  • Kayaks to Carriers: Part 1 (Dr. Leigh McCue, George Mason University) - Recordings are here
  • Kayaks to Carriers: Part 2 (Dr. Leigh McCue, George Mason University) - Recordings are here
  • "Electrical Systems for Motor Propulsion" (Dr. John Suarez, Widener University) - Recording is here
  • Discussion of GMU Hull & Process (Mr. Joshua Stickel, George Mason University) - Recording and Downloads are here
  • "Introduction to Requirements Definition and Materials Selection in Developing New Components for U.S. Navy Applications" (Dr. Maureen Foley, NAVSEA Composite Team Leader) - Recording and details are available here.

    2022 Competition information which we are updating for 2023

    2022 Route

    Updated Spring 2022 rules

    We are working on the 2023 rules and will release them soon.

    The competition course will begin and end within Pohick Bay Regional Park to the left of the boat launch. Each boat is tasked with completing 5 laps (1 mile per lap) with turns defined by the buoys at either end of the course (see image below). This short track course will allow for maximum visibility by MACC attendees and safety of those competing. Participants can gather along the edge of the auxiliary parking lot and may use the Eagle Nest facilities as a place to get water, snacks, and some shade.
    This Spring, we reconfigured the course to be on the bayside of the boat launch (rather than between the boat launch and the Potomac River).

    Because each PEP competition is in a publicly-accessible waterway, we do need to abide by public boating regulations:

    1. Register your boat in your state and you can use it in the state of Virginia
    2. Ensure your race-day captain has a boating license. Virginia will recognize any other state's boating license and you can also take these online options to get your boat license from Virginia-approved companies.

     

    Participants in the competition will be tasked with completing 5 laps of a short <1 mile out and back circuit in relatively protected waters. The competition is open to both manned and unmanned vessels, but participation is subject to compliance with all USCG regulations. Manned and unmanned vessels will race separately for safety reasons. Additionally, the competition organizers reserve the right to decline any vessel water access if safety concerns are present.

    The Schedule

    The competition will be held on Thursday, May 26, 2022, thus ensuring our competitors can join the in-person race before heading on to their jobs and internships. Competitors will be expected to launch their boats from the nearby boat ramp and have their boat race-ready after 15 minutes in the water. Competitors are required to pull their boats from the water at the conclusion of the competition. Note, due to space constraints, anyone wishing to display their PEP vessel for the duration of the must separately purchase an in-water, static, or tent exhibit space.

    The 2022 Course

    The competition course will begin and end at the ASNE-provided buoy to the northwest of the boat launch at Pohick Bay Regional Park. The buoy will be large and painted orange. The western buoy will have the same construction and be spaced one-half mile apart. Each boat is tasked with completing 5 laps (approximately 1 mile per lap) with turns defined by these two buoys spaced one-half mile (see image below). This short track course will allow for maximum visibility by PEP attendees and safety of those competing. Participants will be able to register soon so that we have an accurate head count to manage the day's events.

    The Rules

    Download a copy of the 2022 competition rules here. Teams should also be mindful of the USCG Safety Rules.

    Competitor Incentives

    As part of the PEP program, up to $7,000 technology mini-grants will be awarded to collegiate participants to encourage further innovation in electric power for small craft.

    Top 3 Winners will be awarded cash prize in each class, and see the Competition Rules for more details about the awards.

     

    Teams Committed to the 2022 PEP Competition       (PDF of Rules)

     

    • University of Pittsburgh
    • Wake Forest University
    • University of Michigan - e-Jetski
    • North Carolina A&T - Water Aggies
    • Old Dominion University
    • Princeton University - Papillon Rouge
    • Texas A&M
    • University of Kentucky
    • Washington College
    • Johns Hopkins University
    • Michigan Solar Sea
    • Virginia Tech
    • Tennessee Tech
    • University of Washington - Bothell
    • Widener University
    • University of Georgia
    • Stevens Institute

     

    As part of the PEP program, up to $7,000 technology mini-grants will be awarded to participants to encourage further innovation in electric power for small craft. Top 3 Winners will be awarded $2,000, $1,000, and $500 in each class. There are also special engineering awards for teams displaying innovative engineering.

    More Details about Pohick Bay Regional Park

    There are numerous accommodations nearby and there are cabins on site that you may choose to rent. Please note that ASNE is helping to facilitate your travel, but you will need to be responsible to plan and budget for this travel.

    If you choose to arrive earlier than Tuesday, we welcome you to stop by the ASNE offices or take in some of the regional sites

    Liability and Photo Release All competitors must complete the liability and photo release included on the last page of the downloadable competition rules. For minors, a parent or legal guardian must also sign.

     

2022 Competition Rules (will be updated for PEP 2023 soon)

The course was updated in September 2021 to reflect movement from the Arundel Creek course to the Pohick Bay Course for the 2022 competition. There are few design restrictions as long as you are making a craft that can safely travel 5 miles (and hopefully when the race).

For a downloadable version of the 2021 competition rules, please click here
 

The 2022 Course The competition course will begin and end at the ASNE-provided buoy to the northwest of the boat launch at Pohick Bay Regional Park. The buoy will be large, include reflecting tape and can include additional markings as required by your unmanned crafts (just let ASNE know!). The western buoy will have the same construction and be spaced one-half mile apart. Each boat is tasked with completing 5 laps (approximately 1 mile per lap) with turns defined by these two buoys spaced one-half mile (see image below). This short track course will allow for maximum visibility by PEP attendees and safety of those competing. Participants will be able to register soon so that we have an accurate head count to manage the day's events.

Safety Our highest priority is safety for everyone throughout the competition. Participants agree to obey safety instructions provided by competition organizers. Vessels that appear a hazard will not be permitted in the water. Vessels must comply with USCG safety regulations. PFDs must be worn by competitors when on the water and all vessels must carry a paddle or oar. At no time before/during the race, shall competitors consume alcoholic beverages. Inebriation is grounds for immediate disqualification.

A corporate sponsor will provide a chase boat for the competition. If you are in need of support, you will be able to signal the chase boat. There will also be a boat at the mouth of the bay near the eastern buoy to help keep the public out of the competition space. By hosting the race on a Thursday, we do not expect this to be a big issue.

Qualifying Vessels Entry is open to any vessel, manned or unmanned, operating with an electric propulsion system. There is no minimum or maximum engine size or power output specified under these race rules. Vessels shall have appropriate fit and finish to appear sea worthy; no “Frankenstein” vessels. All vessels must comply with USCG safety regulations. Gasoline engines, recharging via an onboard generator, sails, and manual propulsion are prohibited during the competition. Competitors will not have a charging station available to them on site. All vessels must be equipped with sufficient battery storage to complete the race. Solar power and/or charging is permitted.

Vessel Classes The competition will have wave start times, to be determined on-site based on the number of entries within the class. Classes include:

  • Manned
  • Unmanned

 

For safety, unmanned vehicle entries will compete separately from manned vehicles.

 

Awards

As in the past 2 years, the top 3 Winners will be awarded cash prizes in each class. The PEP Rules Committee will establish whether there will be additional awards at PEP 2023.

NOTE: All prize money goes back to the university to fund further innovation.

 

Internship & Job Opportunities

Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) for Small Craft is made possible by generous support from the Office of Naval Research and supported by a community of naval engineers and engineering organizations. Many of these organizations would love to hire you for jobs and internships. We have noticed that the opportunity for virtual internships and work-from-home positions have not ended. Many of these positions are available from your living room!

That said, we know the value of shaking hands, looking eye-to-eye, mentoring lunches, and conversations over coffee. For young professionals, you may find the opportunity to live in a new area and develop new connections is infinitely valuable. In addition, you may want to attend one of our symposia for free to network with these companies and expand your network.

 

Internship & Job Opportunities

    Naval Sea Systems Command

US Navy Collegiate Recruitment Brochure: Download PDF

    Northrop Grumman Marine System
    Lockheed Martin MST
    Huntington Ingalls - Technical Solutions
    Philadelphia Gear, A Timken Brand
    Noblis
    Deloitte Consulting LLP
    Fincantieri Marine Systems North America
    L3 Power & Propulsion Systems
    Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corporation
    NCP Coatings Inc
    ServiceNow
    BAE Systems
    General Dynamics Mission Systems
    Huntington Ingalls - Technical Solutions
    Life Cycle Engineering, Inc.
    SAIC
    Quantum Marine Stabilizers
    Hepburn & Sons
    Dominion Power
    Georgia Power/Southern Company
    RE2 Robotics

    Pure Watercraft
 

Sponsor

Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) for Small Craft is made possible by generous support from the Office of Naval Research under grant number N00014-20-1-2048. While the race is open to Students and Academia, small or large businesses, or individuals, ASNE is seeking monetary or in-kind industry sponsorships to promote STEM with the aim of having teams sponsored by at least one company.

If you would like to be a PEP sponsor Fill out this form and email it back to education@navalengineers.org

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q: What regulations/resources should we consider?

A: There are some national regulations to keep in mind and use as a resource to make sure you are abidding by best practices. We are not adding requirements to the competition, but encourage teams to consult the resources we use to help inform professionals in this space. Specifically,

  • IEEE's Recommended Practice for Electrical Installations on Shipboard--Electrical Testing (IEEE Std. 45.6™)
  • NEC's Standard for Selecting, Installing, and Maintaining Electric Motors and Motor Controllers (ANSI) (NECA 230)

In addition, if you have specific questions about your designs, test results, or simulation data, please send us an email (education@navalengineers.org and we can connect you with some professional engineers familiar with this issue.

 

Q: What should race conditions should we expect?

A: We hope it will be calm, but please be prepared!

We are planning to host the 2022 race in a venue similar to Curtis Creek. That Creek connected to Patapsco River and is in open communication with the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, the race will be held during the afternoon hours when Summer weather in our area can be a bit unsettled. These factors make it important for teams to plan on wave conditions that could be 1-1.5 feet. Because these water ways are protected, we expect weather conditions to reflect the 2018 environment as seen in these videos (race conditions July 2018 video 1 and video 2).

 

Q: What types of turns are involved in the race?

A: The race will be counterclockwise requiring 9 left turns.

 

Send us your PEP questions to us at education@navalengineers.org and we will publicize your success!

Modeling Software Options 

 

AutoDesk

Students can freely use all AutoDesk software, including CFA software, for free (list of free AutoDesk software). In addition, their Knowledge Center.

 

Sim-Flow

A strong CFD simulation package available to all. If you want to quickly dive into this program, check out this Propeller example.

There are a series of 3-4 minute videos by SimFlow that work through 20 aspects of the program in succinct snippets.

 

OpenFOAM

This open source program is completely free although there is less documentation readily available for this software package. You can download the program for free (click here for download options). The training on their website is your best option (click here for their training homepage).

 

Ansys

They make free student software available to all. And, we also encourage teams to consider exploring the 15 free courses on fluids, flows, and simulations (click here for course catalog).

 

Siemens

There is free FEA software, but the CFD software is not freely available. You can investigate their pricing options page. If your school already licensed the software, you may want to watch this marine engine webinar.

 

 

More Questions?Email us at education@navalengineers.org

Celebrating 2022 Competition 

You can see the full 2022 celebration page here.

 

 

 

We were so excited to see these teams compete in Pohick Bay:

  • Texas A&M
  • Washington College
  • Stevens Institute
  • Old Dominion University
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • North Carolina A&T
  • University of Kentucky
  • Michigan Electric Boat
  • Virginia Tech
  • Princeton University - manned and unmanned

 

PEP Teams that Built but did not compete: University of Georgia, Wake Forest University, University of Washington - Bothell, and Tennessee Tech

 

The Successes at the USCG Yard Baltimore in 2021 

You can see the full 2021 celebration page here.

 

 

We were so excited to see these teams compete in Baltimore:

  • University of Kentucky
  • Stevens Institute
  • Michigan e-Jetski
  • George Mason University
  • Michigan Electric Boat
  • Old Dominion University
  • Princeton University
  • Virginia Tech
  • Widener University

Videos from 2018 

Check out the 2018 race highlights reel and interview with ONR Program Manager Steve Russell to learn about the context and sights you will get to experience dockside at PEP!

The winner of the 2018 PEP competition in the Small Business category was Pure Watercraft Inc, with an average lap time of 3' 5". See highlights from their victorious run.

The winner of the 2018 PEP competition in the Individual category was the Electric Umiak, with an average lap time of 44' 4". See the Umiak in action in the video below.