ASCE Student Chapter Takes First Place in Regional Concrete Canoe Competition
For release: April 6, 2009
For more information, contact Dr. Roger Meier, rwmeier@memphis.edu

The University of Memphis’ American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter participated in the annual ASCE Deep South Regional Student Conference hosted by Arkansas State University March 26-28, where they took first place in the concrete canoe competition.

By finishing first in this regional competition, which is one of 18 held throughout the country, the U of M Chapter earned the right to compete at the 22^nd Annual National Concrete Canoe Competition, which is being held June 11-13 at the University of Alabama. 

The Civil Engineering students worked tirelessly for 6 months to design and fabricate The Memphis Belle, a 20-foot-long, 4-person canoe made entirely out of lightweight concrete reinforced with carbon fiber mesh.  The specially-formulated concrete used in this canoe is lighter than water… the concrete floats!  The canoe weighs just 200 pounds, which is just twice what a fiberglass canoe of comparable size would weigh. 

The ASCE Student Chapter has been invited to set up a booth and display The Memphis Belle at the 28^th Annual Outdoors, Inc. Canoe and Kayak Race on Saturday, May 2. 

Deep South Regional Competition Photos

National Concrete Canoe Competition Information