paper sailboat challenge

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Hands-On, Discovery Learning & Tech integration for Math, Science and STEM

May 23, 2015

Paper Sailboats- STEM Challenge

I am as tired at the end of the school year as I am at the beginning of the school year! It is hard to find things for students to do that are fun and engaging while allowing students the opportunity to apply skills they have learned this year.

This week, I went with my daughter on her senior trip, so I was gone for two days. Then I had a school wide team leader day, so I was gone for another day.  My students had their fill with quiet sub work, so I knew I needed to provide an outlet for their energy!

Yesterday we built paper sailboats which sailed down the hall using a fan.  Here is the handout that I provided each student with:  Paper Sailboat Challenge  How far will your sailboat travel using 5 jumbo paper clips as cargo?

I instructed students to pick their groups of three.  As a whole class we went over the objective and the materials that they can use.  I supplied a variety of different paper types and two types of supports (straws and craft sticks).  Students were only limited on their supply of tape.

Step 1: Students brainstormed and drew their sailboat on paper.  During this process students would determine what supplies are needed. Once they figured out supplies, one student from each group came up to the U table and picked up the supplies.

Step 2: Students built and tested the sailboat. I left the fan going out in the hall.  Students would go out test their boat and then come back into the room and make adjustments. I loved hearing how they were going to fix problems that were taking place.  Examples of issues were falling over, spinning around, or sails being too light to catch the wind. I gave students 60 min to complete the drawing and building phase.

Step 3: Final Test- Students went out to the hall and conducted 3 trials.  After each trail the students measured the distance.  The group went back into the room and found the average distance that their boat traveled.  Students listed their groups average on the board so that other groups could record the data.

All of the boats were so different and many made improvements on their first boats.

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Sunday 12 August 2018

5 minute stem activity 13; floaty paper boat challenge.

2 comments:

I'm going to give this a go with this kids tomorrow. So much fun x

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Whatever Floats Your Boat

In this floating boat challenge, students are to build a boat that can float and support 25 pennies for at least 10 seconds —without leaking, sinking, or tipping over. Each team has access to some plastic wrap, plastic straws, paper cups, duct tape  and 25 pennies. Students do not have to use all of the materials in constructing their boats. They must use the materials wisely, though: there are no replacements for tangled-up duct tape or cut up paper cups. Each team receives a tub of water that they can use to test the effectiveness of their boat.

• Whatever floats your boat

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Feel Good Teaching

Brain-busting work disguised as fun

STEM Challenge: Boat Building

May 7, 2017 by feelgoodteaching Filed Under: Back-To-School , Fall , Spring , Summer

Premise: An Anytime STEM Challenge

Working against a criteria & constraints list, students will make a boat designed for capacity and/or speed (new twists included in the newly-updated version of this challenge)!I think of this as an “anytime” STEM challenge, but it’s perfect for the end of the school year and summer.

Materials: Easy, Low-Cost, Flexible

At least one per class, if not one per student or group:

• Container filled with water to test the boats (be sure to choose a container with appropriate dimensions, or constrain students on length, width, height accordingly. For sailing tests, stream tables, under-bed-storage bins , or kiddie pools work well). – Set of uniform objects to measure capacity (pennies, base-ten blocks, paperclips, balance weights, bouncy balls, etc.)

For each student or group:

• Modeling clay , Crayola Model Magic , foil and/or wax paper sheets
• Index cards , paper , coffee filters , etc.
• Tape (masking tape or packing tape perform best, constrain to 12 in. or less)

Build-A-Boat Video Walk-through

If you’re familiar with my work, you know I’ve been switching over to using video to explain the bulk of my STEM challenges. It seems to be the best/fastest way to explain the important details: materials, set-up, tips, modifications, extensions, demonstrations, and more!  Who has time to read all that?! However, if you do prefer to read instead, you’ll find the video transcription at the end of this post.

Want to Save a Ton of Time? Get the Resource!

Printable or paperless.

PRINTABLE VERSION

A paperless version for use with Google Slides(TM) is also available.

While this a stand-alone challenge, I have also created 5 challenges for summer/the end of the school year ! You can find the overview of each on this  blog post .

Please reach out with any questions and tag me in photos of your students’ work on Facebook & Instagram .

You can find even more STEM challenges in my Mega Bundle, on this blog, and on my YouTube channel !

Video Transcription

0:52 about boat challenges, 1:35 boat challenge examples & ideas, 2:24 making the competition fun, 3:13 choosing materials for boats, 3:58 weighted materials like pennies or marbles, 4:47 additional materials and considerations, 5:45 printable or paperless resource with everything you need + teacher guide.

• Easy STEM Activities in 30 Minutes or Less
• 5 Amazing Apple STEM Activities for Back to School STEM, Fall STEM, Apple Week STEM or Anytime STEM!
• Back-to-School Ice Breaker
• Top 10 Reasons to Start the School Year with STEM Challenges

Step-by-Step Guide: Make a Sailboat Out Of Paper Effortlessly

Alex Morgan

Creating a sailboat out of paper is a fun and creative craft activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Paper sailboats are not only easy to make but also provide an opportunity for imagination and play. In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to make a paper sailboat, along with tips for building a sturdy boat and ideas for fun activities and games. So, gather your materials and get ready to embark on a paper sailing adventure!

Before we begin with the instructions, let’s gather the materials needed for making a paper sailboat. The type of paper you choose is crucial to ensure that your sailboat stays afloat and withstands the water. there are a few other materials required for the construction process.

Now that we have our materials ready, let’s dive into the step-by-step guide. We will take you through each stage of creating a paper sailboat, from folding the base to adding the mast and sail.

After completing the construction of your paper sailboat, you can add your personal touch by decorating it. This will make your boat unique and reflect your creativity.

Building a sturdy paper sailboat requires some tips and tricks to ensure it stays intact during playtime or races. We will share some techniques that will help strengthen the boat’s structure and enhance its durability.

Besides the construction process, paper sailboats offer various opportunities for interactive and engaging play. We will explore different activities and games that can be enjoyed with your paper sailboat, including how to organize a sailboat race and other creative ideas to make the most out of your sailing experience.

So, let’s gather our materials and get ready to embark on a wonderful journey of making a sailboat out of paper!

1. Making paper sailboats maximizes creativity: With just a few simple folds and materials, you can create a mini sailboat that sparks imagination and fun. 2. Using sturdy paper for sailboat construction is essential: Opt for thicker, heavier paper to ensure a durable sailboat that can withstand floating in water or racing against others. 3. Personalizing your paper sailboat adds charm: Enhance your sailboat by adding colorful decorations, custom designs, and unique details, making it a reflection of your style and personality.

Materials Needed

To make a paper sailboat, you will need the following materials:

• A sheet of sturdy, lightweight paper
• Scissors for cutting and adjusting the shape
• Markers or colored pencils for designs and colors
• A ruler for straight lines and accurate measurements
• Glue or tape for securing parts of the sailboat

Pro-tip: Consider using construction paper as it is more durable and less likely to tear, ensuring a longer playtime. Remember to be creative and have fun while making your sailboat!

What type of paper is best for making a paper sailboat?

The type of paper that is best for making a paper sailboat is crucial. When considering what type of paper to use, there are several options to choose from.

Construction paper is a sturdy choice that holds its shape well and can withstand exposure to water. Another option is cardstock , which is thicker and more durable than construction paper. This provides extra strength and reduces the likelihood of tearing or collapsing.

If you prefer a lighter and more delicate sailboat, origami paper is a good choice. It is lightweight and easy to fold.

Last but not least, for water resistance, it is a good idea to use water-resistant paper or coat regular paper with a waterproof sealant. This protects the sailboat from becoming soggy or falling apart when it comes into contact with water.

When choosing the paper for your project, it is important to consider the size and complexity of the sailboat design, as well as your personal preferences. Feel free to experiment with different types of paper to find the one that works best for you. Enjoy the process of creating your paper sailboat and let your creativity set sail!

Other materials required for building a paper sailboat

To build a paper sailboat, you will need various materials in addition to paper. Here is a list of the other materials required for building a paper sailboat:

• Scissors : Use scissors to cut the paper into the desired shapes.
• Glue or tape : Secure different parts of the sailboat together.
• Ruler : Use a ruler to measure and create precise folds and cuts.
• Pencil or pen : Use a pencil or pen to mark positions for folding and cutting.
• Decorative materials : Personalize the sailboat using markers, crayons, stickers, or other decorations.
• Optional : If you want a sturdy base, you can use a small piece of cardboard or foam board.
• Optional : If you plan to float the sailboat on water, you can use waterproofing materials like wax or clear nail polish.

It’s important to note that these materials are just suggestions. Feel free to be creative and use whatever materials you have available to build your paper sailboat.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Paper Sailboat

Looking to set sail on a creative adventure? Get ready to embark on a step-by-step journey to making your very own paper sailboat. We’ll start by folding the base, then move on to crafting the hull. Next, we’ll add the mast and sail, giving our paper creation that true sailor’s touch . And finally, we’ll let our imagination run wild as we decorate and personalize our paper sailboat, making it a unique vessel of our own. Get your scissors ready, because it’s time to make waves with paper!

Step 1: Folding the base of the sailboat

To fold the base of the sailboat, follow these steps:

Step 1: Start with a square piece of paper.

Step 2: Place the paper in front of you with one corner pointing towards you.

Step 3: Fold the paper in half diagonally, bringing one corner to the opposite corner, and crease firmly.

Step 4: Unfold the paper and repeat the previous step with the other two corners, folding them to the opposite corners and creasing firmly.

Step 5: Next, fold the bottom corner up towards the center, aligning it with the middle crease.

Step 6: Fold the top corner down towards the center, overlapping the previous fold, and crease firmly.

Step 7: Flip the paper over and repeat steps 5 and 6 on the other side.

By following these steps, you have successfully folded the base of the sailboat. This forms the hull of the sailboat, providing stability for the rest of the construction process.

Step 2: Creating the hull of the sailboat

To create the hull of the sailboat, follow these steps:

Step 1: Take a rectangular piece of paper and place it in front of you.

Step 2: Fold the paper in half lengthwise, creating a center crease.

Step 3: Unfold the paper and fold the right and left edges towards the center crease.

Step 4: Flip the paper over and repeat the folding process on the other side, folding the right and left edges towards the center crease.

Step 5: Fold the bottom edge of the paper up towards the center, about two-thirds of the way.

Step 6: Flip the paper over and repeat the same folding process on the other side, folding the bottom edge up towards the center.

Step 7: Take the bottom corners of the paper and fold them towards the center, creating a triangular shape at the bottom of the hull.

Step 8: Flip the paper over and repeat the same folding process on the other side, folding the bottom corners towards the center.

Step 9: Gently push the sides of the hull inward, creating a more three-dimensional shape.

Step 10: Your paper sailboat hull is now complete!

Fact: The hull’s shape is crucial for the stability and maneuverability of the sailboat, enabling it to smoothly cut through the water and resist tipping over.

Step 3: Adding the mast and sail

Adding the mast and sail is a crucial step in building a paper sailboat. Follow these steps:

• Take a 10-12 inch wooden or plastic dowel rod as the mast of your sailboat.
• Insert one end of the dowel rod into the top of the folded triangle, ensuring it stands upright .
• For step 3, create the sail by cutting a small square or rectangle out of decorative paper or fabric.
• Attach the sail to the mast by gluing or taping one edge to the dowel rod.
• Add extra decorations, like colorful patterns or stickers, to the sail or hull for customization .
• Once the mast and sail are added, your paper sailboat is complete and ready to sail!

With the mast and sail in place, your paper sailboat is now ready to set sail and bring joy to your paper boat adventures.

Step 4: Decorate and personalize your paper sailboat

Step 4: Decorate and personalize your paper sailboat.

1. Choose colors: Use colorful markers, crayons, or colored pencils to add vibrant designs to your sailboat.

2. Add patterns and shapes: Use your artistic skills to draw patterns like stripes or polka dots, or add shapes such as stars or hearts to make your sailboat unique.

3. Write your name or initials: Personalize your sailboat by writing your name or initials on the hull or sail. This will make it easily identifiable and show ownership.

4. Decorate with stickers or washi tape: Enhance your paper sailboat’s appearance by adding stickers or washi tape with various designs, giving it an extra touch of style.

5. Use glitter or sequins: Add sparkle to your sailboat by gluing on glitter or sequins, creating a dazzling effect and making it stand out.

6. Experiment with different materials: Get creative and try using fabric, ribbons, or feathers to give your sailboat a unique texture or embellishment.

7. Apply a protective spray: If you plan to display or play with your sailboat outdoors, consider using a clear protective spray to prevent smudging or fading.

8. Show off your creation: Once you’ve finished decorating your paper sailboat, proudly display it on a shelf, use it as a centerpiece, or take it for a sail in a nearby water source.

I once decorated a paper sailboat with my younger brother for a school project. We used bright markers to draw colorful stripes and added our initials to the side. We incorporated stickers of sea creatures and small seashells. Our sailboat won the “ Most Creative ” award, and we were proud of our artistic efforts. It was a fun bonding experience that allowed us to express our creativity and showcase our unique style. Decorating and personalizing our paper sailboat made it feel special and added a personal touch to the project.

Tips and Tricks for Building a Sturdy Paper Sailboat

When constructing a sturdy paper sailboat, it’s important to follow these helpful tips and tricks:

• Choose thick and durable paper such as construction paper or cardstock to ensure durability.
• Begin by folding the paper in half lengthwise to create a strong foundation .
• Achieve a pointed bow by folding the top corners of the paper down towards the center crease.
• Fold the bottom of the paper up, meeting the bottom of the triangle formed.
• Repeat the previous step on the opposite side for balance .
• Fold the bottom corners of the paper upwards, meeting the centerline and forming a diamond shape .
• To create a smaller triangle, fold the top point of the diamond downwards, meeting the bottom edge.
• Repeat this process on the other side as well.

To enhance the sturdiness of the sailboat:

• Apply glue or tape along the seams to securely hold them in place.
• Smooth out any creases or wrinkles in the paper for a clean finish.
• Allow the boat to fully dry before adding decorations or attempting to sail it.

By implementing these tips and tricks, you will construct a reliable paper sailboat that is ready to set sail!

Fun Activities and Games with Paper Sailboats

Get ready to set sail on a voyage of fun and excitement with paper sailboats ! In this section, we’ll delve into the world of entertaining activities and games you can enjoy with these nautical creations . From thrilling sailboat races to a variety of other games and activities, there’s something for everyone to dive into . So grab your scissors, fold your paper, and let the adventure begin!

How to have a sailboat race

To have a sailboat race with paper sailboats , follow these steps:

• Prepare multiple paper sailboats using the step-by-step guide in the article.
• Choose a suitable location with a body of water, such as a pond or a small pool .
• Mark the starting and finishing points of the race.
• Gather participants and assign each one a paper sailboat .
• Ensure the sailboats are evenly spaced at the starting point.
• Gently blow on the sails of the sailboats to create wind and start the race.
• Encourage participants to use their breath or a small handheld fan to propel their sailboats forward.
• Monitor the progress of the sailboats and announce the winner as the first to reach the finishing point.

Pro-tip: To add excitement to the race, create obstacles like floating objects for the sailboats to maneuver around. This will make the race more challenging and enjoyable for participants .

Remember, a sailboat race with paper sailboats is a fun and engaging activity that can be enjoyed by both children and adults .

Other games and activities to enjoy with paper sailboats

Did you know that paper sailboats are not only fun to make, but they can also teach important concepts about physics and engineering ? In addition to creating a paper sailboat fleet and racing them in a nearby stream or pool to observe which sailboat design sails the fastest and farthest, there are other games and activities you can enjoy with paper sailboats. One such game is “Sink the Sailboat.” You can set up targets in the water and use a water shooter to try and sink the paper sailboats . It’s a challenging game that adds an element of competition. Another activity is organizing a paper sailboat regatta . This involves holding a friendly competition among friends or family members to see who can navigate their sailboat through a course the fastest. It’s a great way to have fun and showcase your sailing skills. So, why not try out these other games and activities with your paper sailboats ? You’ll have a blast and learn a lot about physics and engineering at the same time.

Some Facts About How To Make A Sailboat Out Of Paper:

• ✅ Making a sailboat out of paper is a popular craft activity enjoyed by both children and adults. (Source: Wikihow)
• ✅ The process of making a paper sailboat involves various folding techniques to create a boat shape that can sail in water. (Source: Little Project)
• ✅ Using regular printer paper is sufficient for making a paper sailboat, although origami paper can also be used for a more authentic look. (Source: National Geographic Kids)
• ✅ It is recommended to reinforce the corners and bottom of the paper sailboat with clear tape to ensure its durability and water resistance. (Source: Nat Geo Kids)
• ✅ Paper sailboats can be customized with colored paper, markers, pencil crayons, and stickers, allowing for creative personalization. (Source: One Little Project)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i make a sailboat out of paper using printer paper.

To make a sailboat out of paper using printer paper, follow these steps:

• Fold a letter-sized piece of printer paper in half vertically.
• Unfold the paper and fold it in half again, this time horizontally.
• Flip the paper so that the fold is facing you, then fold down the top corners towards the middle, leaving space at the bottom.
• Secure the folds by creasing along the edges.
• Bring the bottom of the paper up and fold it against both sides, creating a paper hat shape.
• Fold the bottom corners inward, wrapping them around the edges of the triangle.
• Fold the bottom flaps around the edges of the triangle and back towards you.
• Rotate the triangle 45 degrees to make it a square.
• Open up the bottom of the triangle with your fingers to maintain the square shape.
• Fold up the bottom flaps by aligning them with the top corners.
• Rotate the square 45 degrees and open up the bottom again.
• Pull out the triangles on the side of the square, creasing the bottom to strengthen the boat.
• Float the paper boat in water and make adjustments to prevent sinking.

What kind of paper do I need to make a sailboat out of paper?

You can use regular printer paper, construction paper, or origami paper to make a sailboat out of paper. Using origami paper may make the folding slightly easier due to its thinner and more flexible nature. Waxed paper or aluminum foil can also be used to make a waterproof sailboat.

Can I put things in the paper boat?

Yes, you can put lightweight objects in the paper boat. Be mindful of the weight and size of the objects to prevent the boat from tipping over or sinking. Avoid putting too many heavy or large items in the paper boat as it may compromise its buoyancy.

How long will the paper boat float in water?

The paper boat will float in water for at least 10 minutes before becoming waterlogged. To make it last longer, you can reinforce the bottom of the boat with a layer of tape to make it more waterproof. Remember that the longevity of the paper boat in water will depend on various factors such as the type and quality of paper used and how well it is folded.

Can I customize the paper boat?

Yes, you can customize the paper boat to make it more visually appealing. You can use brightly colored paper, markers, pencil crayons, and stickers to decorate the boat. Let your creativity shine and make your paper boat unique.

Is making a paper boat a suitable activity for kids?

Yes, making a paper boat is a fun and easy craft project that is suitable for kids. It can be a great summer activity or a low-mess craft idea. It offers an introduction to origami and allows children to improve their fine motor skills and creativity. Adult supervision may be required for younger children, especially when using sharp tools or handling water.

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5 Ways to Make Boats | A STEM Activity

We decided to try out this boat making STEM activity the other day and take our homemade boats down to a stream to see them in action.

Conclusion: the kids loved the boats!  All the boats.  They also all floated pretty well.  The boys' favourite part - of course! - was racing all the boats down the stream.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase things from these links.  

How to Make Boats that Float

We were thrilled that all of our boats actually floated.  We built them at home and then tried floating them down a stream.

You can also do this activity with a kiddie pool in your back yard, in a large puddle after a rainstorm, or in the bathtub.

One thing that we found about boats that float v. boats that don't: when paper sails get wet, they make the boat extra top-heavy and prone to capsizing.

Our paper boat, when we made it out of card stock, and our tin foil boats were the boats that floated the best.  They were the most durable in water, and they were not prone to capsizing.

The stick boat, the straw boat, and the cork boat all floated quite well - until their sails got wet.  The stick boat was the boat that still floated the best even with a wet sail.  The cork boats all tipped over with wet sails, and the straw boat was more prone to capsizing with a wet sail.

Turning Your Boat Making into a STEM Activity

Making and floating boats is already a STEM activity, since you have to engineer your boat and figure out how to put it together and make it float.

But to add some other STEM elements and turn your boat making activity into more of a science experiment, you can do a few things:

• See which type of boat floats best.  Which type is most durable?  We made 5 different types of boats, using sticks, straws (the paper kind), paper and cardstock, corks, and tin foil.
• See if you can add cargo to your boat.  Use pennies or nickles (or anything else you can find that can get wet) and stack them on or in your boat.  How many can you add to your boat before it capsizes?  Which type of boat can hold the most cargo?  (Note: do this in a kiddie pool or a bathtub, not a stream.)
• Experiment with boat design.  For the stick and the straw boats, we just glued our elements together in a straightforward raft.  Are there other ways you can construct your boat?  Can you make it into other shapes?  Which method is the most durable?  Least likely to capsize?  Holds the most cargo?

How to Make a Boat out of Straws

We used paper straws to make this boat, and glued them together in a flat raft design.

• paper straws
• popsicle stick and paper triangle for a sail (optional)

Making your boat

• Cut your straws in half.  We used 4 straws cut in half, giving us 8 half-straws for our raft.
• Glue the straws together in halves.  We glued 2 sets of 4 together before gluing both halves to each other in step 5.
• Glue the paper triangle to the popsicle stick to make the sail.
• Glue the popsicle stick to one half of your boat.
• Glue the two halves together so the the popsicle stick sail is in the middle.

The popsicle stick sail is optional.  It makes the boat look more like a boat, and less like a raft.  But when a paper sail gets wet, it makes the boat much more likely to capsize.

STEM experiment: Try a straw boat with a sail and without a sail.  What difference does it make?

Also, try loading your straw boat with cargo (like small coins).  How many can you fit on before it capsizes.

Experiment with size for your boat construction as well.  Try full size straws to make a bigger raft.  Try more and fewer straws to make a wider or skinnier raft.

How to Make a Boat out of Sticks

Our stick boat was constructed in a very similar way as our straw boat.  We found some sticks (my kids have a huge stick collection!) and glued them together.  We also added a sail to this raft.

• sticks in whatever size and shape you can find
• paper or fabric triangle for a sail (optional)
• Gather enough sticks to make a boat.  You only need a handful.  They can be small or large.
• Glue the sticks together in halves.  We glued 2 sticks together, and then another 3 together.  If you're going to make a sail, don't glue the two halves together yet.
• For a paper triangle: glue it to another stick to make a sail.  For a fabric triangle: tie both ends to another stick to make a sail.
• Glue the bottom of the sail to one of the stick-halves.
• Glue the two stick-halves together so the the sail is in the middle.

The sail is optional.  It makes the boat look more like a boat, and less like a raft.  But it is a bit clunky and can be tricky to attach to the boat.  We used some extra hot glue around the base of the sail to make it stick.

STEM experiment: Try a stick boat with a sail and without a sail.  What difference does it make?

Experiment with size for your boat construction as well.  Can you make a small boat with twigs?  A giant boat with big sticks?  Try more and fewer sticks to make a wider or skinnier raft.

How to Make a Paper Boat

We found instructions on how to make an origami paper boat for this boat making activity.  Here are some visual instructions.

This boat is pretty simple.

• regular 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper or card stock

Follow the instructions for how to make a paper origami boat.

Or use the paper origami boat video tutorial.

Make it into a STEM experiment: Try different types of paper.   We found that regular paper disintegrated in water pretty quickly.  Card stock, however, made a very durable boat even when it got wet.

How to Make a Tin Foil Boat

This was hands-down the easiest of our STEM boat making experiments.  It also made a really durable and really fast boat.

• a sheet of tin foil

Making your tin foil boat

• Fold your sheet of tin foil in half once, and then again (so that you have a square, or close to a square).
• Pinch two ends together to make the front and back (bow and stern) of the boat.
• Fold and pinch and fiddle with the ends so that your bow and your stern of your boat are fairly stable.  You don't want the tin foil coming apart when you put the boat in the water.

STEM experiment: Load your boat with cargo, like pennies or nickles (or anything else you can find).  How much cargo can you get in your boat before it capsizes?

How to Make a Cork Boat

Making cork boats was another super easy STEM activity for the kids.  I think this boat version was also their favourite.

• corks (2 per boat)
• popsicle stick
• paper triangle
• rubber bands

How to make a cork boat

• Place two corks side by side and wrap a rubber band or two around them.
• Glue your paper triangle onto a popsicle stick to make the sail.
• Slide the sail in between the two corks.  If your rubber bands are tight enough, the sail will stay in without glue.

STEM experiment: Try making the boat with more corks.  Can you make a boat with three corks?  How does adding corks change the boat?

Can you add cargo to your boat?  How much can you add before it capsizes?  Can you add cargo evenly so that one side isn't heavier than the other?

Rebecca is a chaplain at a girls’ school, a mom to boys, and a crafter of all things.  She crochets in every free moment she has, and she spends much of her time gluing cotton balls to toilet paper rolls and mopping up glitter.

Published by Rebecca

Rebecca is a chaplain at a girls' school, a mom to boys, and a crafter of all things.  She crochets in every free moment she has, and she spends much of her time gluing cotton balls to toilet paper rolls and mopping up glitter. View all posts by Rebecca

How to Build a Boat STEM Challenge

In this How to Build a Boat project we are exploring buoyancy, gravity, lift, force plus engineering and creativity skills. Kids will be challenged to take what they learn about how sailboats work, then build their own boats that we then set sail to find the best designs. This is a fantastic Summer STEM Project that can be done at camp, at the lake, while camping with family, or at home.

Come Sail Away! Sail Boat Building Challenge for Kids

What you will discover in this article!

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Recently we took a family trip to the lake where we got to see a sailboat just drifting along the lake. We all watched for a while as the boat moved along with the wind gliding over the water. We talked about how the wind filled and pushed the sail and how making adjustments to the sail helped the boat maneuver in different directions. The next morning when I got up it was dreary and rainy which can be a challenge at the lake – but I thought back to the sailboat and it put some wind in my sails! I thought that we could use the rainy day to build our own sailboats and then launch them on the lake when the weather cleared.

How long have sailboats been around?

The origin of sailboats can be traced back to ancient Egypt where the Egyptians used fabric connected to masts to move long boats along the rivers. The use of sails can be found all throughout history. Viking Ships, the Greeks, European explorers – they all had sailing vessels in common. Some used more square or rectangular sails, some triangles but all of them used the wind to move their ships through the water.

If you’re interested in learning about how to find the direction of the wind, check out our weathervane project here.

How does a sailboat work?

Sailboats in their simplest form have three basic components:

• Hull – The hull is the body of the boat that floats on the water. It’s the part that keeps the boat from sinking (through the science of buoyancy ). The hull is designed to be smooth and curved, so it can move through the water with very little resistance.
• Mast – a large pole that stands upright to hold the sail.
• A Sail – The sail is like a big, flat piece of fabric, and it’s usually made of strong material like cloth or plastic. When the wind blows against the sail, it catches the wind (which creates force ), just like how a kite catches the wind in the sky. The wind pushes against the sail which moves the boat through the water.

Sailboats work using the force of the wind to create lift in the sails.

What is lift?

Lift is the push that occurs when the wind meets the sails and creates pressure or force that thrusts the boat forward. When a boat is moving through the water the pressure that the water puts on the hull or the body of the boat is called drag , this will affect how well a boat can move and how fast it can go. The shape, weight and material of a boat all contribute to drag and how it is able to move through the water. These are important things to take into consideration when constructing a boat.

Want to know more about how Sailboats work? Check out this cool educational video from MIT.

How to Build a Sailboat for Kids

Now we know all about how sailboats work, it is time for our fun build a boat challenge. The best part about this challenge is that you can build so many different designs. The only limit is your children’s imagination!

Here are a few of our designs to help inspire your creations.

Materials and Supplies

Really this is up to you. The best thing is to raid your tinker toolkit and recycle bins and encourage that creativity! If you are camping, save all of those plastic drink bottles and food containers for this challenge. Kids can build an aluminum foil boat, a pool noodle boat, build a cardboard boat, or even build a paper boat. The options are endless!

Paper Cardboard Paper Plates, Bowls Hot Dog Trays Aluminum Foil Popsicle Sticks Paper Mask Plastic Silverware Play Dough Pencils String Bottles Cans Yogurt Cups or other recycled containers Rubberbands Glue Tape Markers Scissors Other Ideas: Corks Legos Pool Noodles

Everyone was given access to the pile of materials and asked to build a boat that would sail on the lake. Each boat had to have a hull, a mast and a sail. Check back at the photos above to see how our creations look. In each step we explain how we used different materials to create each part of the different boats.

Create the hull. Each boat needs a hull that can be placed in the water. The hull is what will ensure the boat is able to float. The hulls that we came up with:

• Hotdog basket wrapped in aluminum foil to make it watertight.
• Raft made of popsicle sticks
• Plastic container that candy had been in
• Yogurt cup.
• Two one liter plastic bottles

Create a mast. The mast is what will hold the sail so it needed to be sturdy and there had to be a way to hold it in place. The masts we came up with:

• Pencil mounted in play dough and wrapped and secured with foil
• Pair of plastic forks secured with tape
• Triangle constructed of popsicle sticks
• Popsicle stick pushed through a plastic cup and mounted in play dough
• Popsicle stick secured in place with multiple rubber bands
• Two popsicles sticks – one mounted to each bottle

Create your sails. The sail is what will catch the wind and create the lift necessary to move the boat through the water. The sails we used:

• A second hot dog basket with the pencil mast poked through the top and bottom.
• Paper mask mounted across the two forks
• An index card sized piece of paper slipped through the popsicle stick triangle
• Paper plate glued to the popsicle stick mast
• A piece of foam craft sheet with two slits to mount it to the popsicle stick mast.
• Two hotdog baskets taped together to make a larger square sail and mounted to the popsicle sticks.

Set sail! If you are not lucky enough to be near a lake you can test this in a swimming pool or bath tub.

Remember to always practice safety around water!

Our build a boat challenge was a ton of fun and even more fun to test. We built a wind vane to test the direction of the wind so we knew where to set sail.

We decided that because of the water movement and waves caused by the wind and motor boat activity out in the water, we would walk the boats out a ways and then launch from the water.

Before setting sail, challenge your kids to make some predictions. Ask them which design they think will float the best, the farthest, and the fastest. Then set sail and record the results.

The fastest boat ended up being the little bowl with the two fork mast and the paper mask sail! The strongest – was also the biggest (the bottle boat), the one we thought would work the best, the hot dog boat did ok – it sailed well but didn’t hold up like we thought it would. The little yogurt cup and popsicle stick raft were cute and definitely moved through the water but wasn’t super sturdy when put up against the lake water waves.

This was a really fun STEM challenge on the water and the testing was even better. I think one of the best parts was watching the creativity flow and the cooperation that I got to see as the kids built their STEM skills as they learned how to build a boat!

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.

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How to Make a Paper Boat

Last Updated: November 10, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Robert Homayoon . Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,456,088 times.

Making an origami paper boat is a great activity that’s easy to finish and doesn’t require a lot of materials. The beauty of making a paper boat is that you only need one piece of printer paper to complete the task! By folding the paper with sharp creases and shaping it carefully, you can make a great-looking origami boat in minutes. We'll walk you through folding your own paper boat with our complete step-by-step instructions.

Creating the Initial Folds

• To strengthen the crease, run your finger down the fold 3-4 more times.
• You should now have 2 creases along both centers (x-axis and y-axis) of the page.
• Use the crease you made before to help line up the folds coming in from the corners.
• The 2 folds should line up with each other.

Tip : When you go to fold the second side, use the first fold as a reference point.

• The flaps closest to you should be folded in front of the back flaps, not over them. If you fold over the back flaps, you won’t be able to fold the back flaps themselves.

Making the Final Folds

• Crease the paper along its edges so that it stays in the square shape.
• The bottom of the diamond should be the part of the paper with extra folds.
• The bottom corners will line up to become the bottom point of a square diamond.
• You may need to pull up the triangle inside the diamond while pulling apart the two sides. Try to keep the triangle inside the diamond sticking straight up as this will be your boat's "mast."
• You can reinforce the corners with clear tape and tape around the bottom to keep your boat dry.

Tip : Waterproof your boat! Use a waxed paper from an art store to make your boat last longer, or color one side of the paper completely with a crayon. You can also try to make your boat out of aluminum foil.

Expert Q&A

• If you are floating your boat on a large body of water, like a pond, you can tape string onto one end of the boat. Hold on to the other end of the string so that it doesn't float away! Thanks Helpful 311 Not Helpful 146
• Try to get the edges of the paper to line up. An evenly made boat means less chances of tipping over. Thanks Helpful 58 Not Helpful 32
• If you are making a tiny boat, don’t float it on a big body of water. You may lose it! Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 11

Tips from our Readers

• If you don't have specialty supplies like wax paper or crayons, no need to fret. You likely already have the tools to waterproof your delicate paper boat right at home. Simply construct two separate boats out of ordinary printer or construction paper. Then, gently place one inside the other, nesting them together into a double-walled vessel. This should reinforce them to better withstand water without getting too soggy. Though, test float gently, as the extra weight could cause sinking if the little boat gets overburdened.
• Missing wax paper for true waterproofing? Simply equip your artist's toolkit by raiding the crayon bin! Thoroughly color one whole side of the boat with thick crayon before setting it afloat in a pool, pond or puddle. The waxy buildup should act as a shield against light water exposure. Though if embarking on choppier seas, extra reinforcements may still be needed, matey!
• Forego the plain printer paper and opt for fun vibrant colors and patterns! Tissue paper can make for a festively hued sail, but be extra delicate as it shreds easily, especially once wet. For best durability, stick to construction paper or card stock to give your boat more sturdiness as you launch it into the open water.

• Make sure you don't have any holes, as one little hole can turn into a huge rip. This could be good in a procedural text. Thanks Helpful 13 Not Helpful 3

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about origami, check out our in-depth interview with Robert Homayoon .

• ↑ https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Make-a-Paper-Boat-Hard.pdf
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3QZpBL8-Tg#t=1m20s
• ↑ https://www.origamiway.com/origami-boat.shtml
• ↑ https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/nature/article/make-a-paper-boat
• ↑ https://www.origamiway.com/origami-boat-2.shtml
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3QZpBL8-Tg#t=2m54s
• ↑ https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/make-a-paper-boat/

About This Article

If you want to make a paper boat, fold a piece of paper in half from top to bottom. Then, fold it again from side to side and unfold so you have a crease in the center. Fold the top right corner down towards the center. Next, flip the paper over and fold the other corner down on the other side. Fold each of the bottom edges of the paper up and outwards to make a paper hat shape. Then, open the hat and flatten it horizontally to create a diamond. Fold the bottom edge of the diamond upwards towards the top. Then, turn the paper over and repeat on the other side. Pull the paper apart again and smooth it out to create a boat shape. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Love Learning Stem

Boat STEM Challenge Lesson Plan for Elementary

Boat Stem Challenge Activity 

Who is it this stem challenge for, how long will it take, if you are a teacher completing this activity in the classroom: , if you are a classroom teacher during distance learning: , if you are a parent or guardian and completing this at home: , floating or sinking boat stem c hallenge.

ASK: What’s the problem?

You are stranded on a deserted island and need to get back to land. The only problem is that you don’t have a boat. You have to design and build a boat so that you can travel across the ocean.

Research: How can we design our boat float?

As the students move into the research stage in engineering, students should be researching ideas or thinking about how to solve the problem. to get around the technology, students can collaborate using break out rooms or a shared google document.  to learn how to create a shared google document, you can click here ..

One tip I have for collaboration on shared slides is to have different colored boxes for the different group members. You can assign a color to each member, and this way you can see quite easily which students completed what on the shared document. 

If you are a parent of guardian and completing this at home: 

Plan: How Can I Build My Boat to Float?

Build: Putting it all together

Test: How effective was the design?

Share: Communicating the Results

This freebie is on me.

• Paper boats: Unveiling the art of origami sailing

The world of paper boats is a captivating blend of art, creativity, and hands-on craftsmanship. Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, takes on a maritime twist as enthusiasts delve into the intricate world of crafting delicate paper boats. Whether you're a seasoned origami artist or just starting on your paper-folding journey, the art of making paper boats offers a delightful and imaginative experience.

The basics of boat origami

Origami, derived from the Japanese words "ori" (folding) and "kami" (paper), is an age-old tradition that has evolved into a contemporary art form. Boat origami, a subcategory of this craft, allows you to transform a simple sheet of paper into a charming vessel that captures the essence of sailing. It's a creative process that requires precision, patience, and a touch of artistic flair.

Read our top notch articles on topics such as sailing, sailing tips and destinations in our Magazine .

How to make a paper boat: Step-by-step guide

Creating a paper boat is a joyful journey that starts with a single sheet of paper and ends with a miniature masterpiece. Follow these step-by-step instructions to craft your very own paper boat:

• Begin with a square piece of paper, colored or plain.
• Fold the paper diagonally to create a triangle.
• Unfold the triangle and lay it flat.
• Fold the two bottom corners upward to meet at the center crease.
• Rotate the paper so that the pointed end is facing away from you.
• Fold the bottom edge of the paper up to meet the top edge, creating a rectangle.
• Unfold the rectangle and return to the triangle shape.
• Gently lift the top layer of the triangle's pointed end and fold it downward.
• Flip the paper over and repeat the fold on the other side.
• Carefully open the flaps on the bottom of the triangle to form the boat's hull.
• Press the sides of the hull to create a flat bottom.
• Your paper boat is now ready to set sail!

Paper boat.

Navigating origami: Tips and techniques

As you embark on your paper-folding adventure, consider these valuable tips to enhance your origami boat-making experience:

• Choose the right paper: Select a paper that is neither too thick nor too thin. Origami paper, often square in shape, is an ideal choice due to its lightweight and versatility.
• Precision is key: Accurate folding is crucial for successful origami. Take your time to ensure clean, crisp creases.
• Practice patience: Origami requires patience and attention to detail. Don't rush the folding process; take your time to achieve the best results.
• Experiment with sizes: Try making boats of different sizes to explore variations in folding techniques and artistic expression.
• Personalize your creations: Once you've mastered the basics, let your creativity flourish by adding your own unique touches to your paper boats.

Setting sail with paper: Creating origami boats

Crafting origami boats is more than just folding paper; it's about bringing a vision to life and celebrating the magic of creation. With each fold, you breathe life into a simple piece of paper, transforming it into a vessel of imagination that can inspire wonder and joy.

Crafting a paper boat: Instructions and materials

Before you dive into the world of origami boats, gather the following materials:

• Square origami paper or any square paper cut to size
• A flat, clean surface for folding
• Patience and a sense of adventure

Folding waves: Different styles of origami boats

Origami boats come in various styles, each with its own folding techniques and distinctive look. Explore these popular types of origami boats:

• Classic paper boat: The timeless design that captures the essence of childhood play and creativity.
• Sailboat: With the addition of a paper sail, this boat is ready to explore imaginary seas.
• Canoe: A sleek and elegant boat shape, perfect for creating a serene atmosphere.

From fold to float: Ensuring your paper boat sails

Making a paper boat that floats is a rewarding achievement. To enhance the floatability of your origami boat, consider these tips:

• Use lightweight paper: Opt for thinner paper to ensure that your boat is buoyant and able to float on water.
• Seal the edges: Apply a small amount of glue along the edges of your boat to prevent water from seeping in.
• Balancing act: Distribute the weight evenly within the boat to achieve better stability on water.

The magic of paper folding: Origami yachts

For those seeking a more intricate origami challenge, creating an origami yacht adds an extra layer of sophistication to your paper-folding journey. With careful folding and attention to detail, you can transform a single sheet of paper into a stunning yacht that showcases your creativity.

Unraveling complexity: Origami sailboat instructions

As you delve deeper into the world of origami sailboats, embrace the challenge of more complex designs. Follow detailed instructions and diagrams to fold intricate sailboat models that capture the intricate beauty of sailing vessels.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our range of charter boats and head to some of our favourite sailing destinations .

FAQs about origami

Get Your ALL ACCESS Shop Pass here →

Strong Paper Structure STEM Challenge

Make the strongest paper shapes. Which type of paper structure will hold the most books? Experiment with folding paper in different ways to test its strength, and learn what shapes make the strongest structures. A fun and hands-on paper STEM challenge for all ages. Explore simple STEM activities any day of the week. 

What Is The Strongest Folded Shape?

Did you discover that the cylinder can support the greatest number of books? The reason is that its walls don’t have any edges. The weight of the books can be distributed evenly. In other words, all parts of the cylinder share the weight of the books.

The square and triangle paper structures (prisms) deform more easily. They shift the weight of the books to their edges and corners, which deforms their walls and leads to a quick collapse. They are unable to carry weight only at their edges.

The cylinder is one of the most widely used shapes in column construction. Early architects in several ancient civilizations, including the ancient Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, used columns in their buildings.

Strong Paper Structures Challenge

While you are at it, check out these other fun paper STEM challenges… Paper Bridges , Paper Chain , Walking Through Paper .

• Paper (regular copy paper will do; try card stock for a thicker paper and compare the results!)

Instructions:

STEP 1: Fold a piece of regular copy paper into three paper structures: a triangle shape (prism-like), a square or box shape (prism-like), and a cylinder. Note the shapes are not completely closed on all sides like traditional 3D shapes. See the photos below.

Tip: You can make this challenge as open ended as you like. You could give kids time at the beginning to come up with their own designs and test them out. Then make some of the shapes below if needed.

STEP 2: Use tape to connect the ends of the folds together to secure the shape.

STEP 3: Place one book at a time, carefully, onto each folded shape to see which shape provides the strongest base.

STEP 4: How many books will each paper structure hold? Record your results!

Get your FREE printable strong paper STEM challenge!

Grab this free challenge and get started today. Want a fantastic way to easily grab all our printables, packs, and extras? Grab the ALL ACCESS PASS .

More Fun STEM Challenges To Try

Straw Boat Challenge – Design a boat made from nothing but straws and tape, and see how many items it can hold before it sinks.

Strong Spaghetti – Get out the pasta and test our your spaghetti bridge designs. Which one will hold the most weight?

Paper Bridges – Similar to our strong spaghettti challenge. Design a paper bridge with folded paper. Which one will hold the most coins?

Paper Chain STEM Challenge – One of the simplest STEM challenges ever!

Egg Drop Challenge – Create your own designs to protect your egg from breaking when it is dropped from a height. 

Spaghetti Marshmallow Tower – Build the tallest spaghetti tower that can hold the weight of a jumbo marshmallow.

Marshmallow Toothpick Tower – Build the tallest tower using only marshmallows and toothpicks.

Penny Boat Challenge – Design a simple tin foil boat, and see how many pennies it can hold before it sinks.

Gumdrop B ridge – Build a bridge from gumdrops and toothpicks and see how much weight it can hold.

Cup Tower Challenge – Make the tallest tower you can with 100 paper cups.

Paper Clip Challenge – Grab a bunch of paper clips and make a chain. Are paper clips strong enough to hold weight?

What Is STEM For Kids?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math , and activities involving these fields have a huge impact on kids. Even the simplest STEM activities like this strong paper structure challenge provide numerous opportunities for kids to learn and explore STEM.

It might look like your kids are just playing, but they are doing oh so much more. Look closely, you will see the design process in motion. You will see experimenting and critical thinking in action, and you will notice problem-solving at its finest. When kids play, they learn about the world around them!

Take this simple strong paper STEM challenge below. All you need is tape and paper to design and engineer the best shape to make the paper strong enough to support weight. Hands-on problem solving in action!

Helpful STEM Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce STEM more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Engineering Design Process Explained
• What Is An Engineer?
• Engineering Words
• Real World STEM
• Questions for Reflection (get them talking about it!)
• BEST STEM Books for Kids
• 14 Engineering Books for Kids
• Jr. Engineer Challenge Calendar (Free)
• Must Have STEM Supplies List
• Join us in the Club

STEM Questions For Reflection

These questions for reflection are perfect to use with kids of all ages to talk about how the challenge went and what they might do differently next time around.

Use these questions for reflection with your kids after they have completed the STEM challenge to encourage discussion of results and critical thinking.

Older kiddos can use these questions as a writing prompt for a STEM notebook. For younger kiddos, use the questions as a fun conversation!

• What were some of the challenges you discovered along the way?
• What worked well and what did not work well?
• What would you do differently next time?
• Why do you think cutting the paper in this way helps?

Printable STEM Pack for Kids

80+ Doable Engineering Projects in one convenient pack!

• Full instructions with sample images
• Activity-specific instruction sheets
• Data Collection Sheets
• Questions for Reflection
• Architecture Building Cards: Try the tallest tower challenge
• Bridge Building Cards: Explore different types of bridges to build your own.
• Paper Chain STEM Challenge: Who can make the longest chain? Great icebreaker or quick challenge!
• 3 Little Pigs Architectural Pack: Design a house that won’t blow away!
• Great marshmallow challenge: A classic challenge kids love!
• Real-world STEM challenge lesson but don’t know where to start? Our easy-to-follow template shows the steps!
• What’s the difference between a scientist and an engineer?
• Crossword and word search with engineering vocabulary.
• Engineering vocabulary cards
• Design a one-of-a-kind invention and write about it with this 5-page activity!

~ Projects to Try Now! ~

Sailor Cole Brauer makes history as the first American woman to race solo around the world

Aboard her 40-foot racing boat First Light ,  29-year-old Cole Brauer just became the first American woman to race nonstop around the world by herself.

The New York native pulled into A Coruña, Spain, on Thursday after a treacherous 30,000-mile journey that took 130 days.

She thanked a cheering crowd of family and fans who had been waiting for her on shore.

“This is really cool and so overwhelming in every sense of the word,” she exclaimed, before drinking Champagne from her trophy.

The 5-foot-2 powerhouse placed second out of 16 avid sailors who competed in the Global Solo Challenge, a circumnavigation race that started in A Coruña with participants from 10 countries. The first-of-its-kind event   allowed a wide range of boats to set off in successive departures based on performance characteristics. Brauer started on Oct. 29, sailing down the west coast of Africa, over to Australia, and around the tip of South America before returning to Spain.

Brauer is the only woman and the youngest competitor in the event — something she hopes young girls in and out of the sport can draw inspiration from.

“It would be amazing if there was just one girl that saw me and said, ‘Oh, I can do that too,’” Brauer said of her history-making sail.

It’s a grueling race, and more than half of the competitors have dropped out so far. One struck something that caused his boat to flood, and another sailor had to abandon his ship after a mast broke as a severe storm was moving in.

The four-month journey is fraught with danger, including navigating the three “Great Capes” of Africa, Australia and South America. Rounding South America’s Cape Horn, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, is often likened to climbing Mount Everest because of its perfect storm of hazards — a sharp rise in the ocean floor and whipping westerly winds push up massive waves. Combined with the frigid waters and stray icebergs, the area is known as a graveyard for ships, according to NASA. Brauer  said  she was “so unbelievably stoked” when she sailed past Cape Horn in January.

Marco Nannini, organizer of the Global Solo Challenge, said the comparison to scaling Mount Everest doesn’t capture the difficulty of the race. Sailing solo means not just being a skipper but a project manager — steering the boat, fixing equipment, understanding the weather and maintaining one’s physical health.

Nannini cited the relatively minuscule number of people who have sailed around the world solo — 186, according to the International Association of Cape Horners — as evidence of the challenges that competitors face. More than 6,000 people have climbed Mount Everest, according to  High Adventure Expeditions .

Brauer stared down 30-foot waves that had enough force to throw her across the boat. In a scare caught on camera, she badly injured her rib   near the halfway point of the event. At another point, her team in the U.S. directed Brauer to insert an IV into her own arm due to dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea.

She was able to stay in constant communication with members of her team, most of whom are based in New England,   and keep herself entertained with Netflix and video calls with family through Starlink satellites.   That’s also how Brauer was able to use Zoom to connect with NBC News for an interview, while she was sailing about 1,000 miles west of the Canary Islands.

While Brauer was technically alone on First Light, she had the company of 450,000 followers on Instagram, where she frequently got candid about life on an unforgiving sea while reflecting on her journey.

“It all makes it worth it when you come out here, you sit on the bow, and you see how beautiful it is,” she said in an Instagram video, before panning the camera to reveal the radiant sunrise.

Brauer grew up on Long Island but didn’t learn to sail until she went to college in Hawaii. She traded in her goal of becoming a doctor for life on the water. But she quickly learned making a career as a sailor is extremely difficult, with professional racers often hesitant to welcome a 100-pound young woman on their team.

Even when she was trying to find sponsors for the Global Solo Challenge, she said a lot of people “wouldn’t touch her with a 10-foot pole” because they saw her as a “liability.”

Brauer’s message to the skeptics and naysayers? “Watch me.”

“I push so much harder when someone’s like, ‘No, you can’t do that,’ or ‘You’re too small,’” Brauer explained.

“The biggest asset is your mental strength, not the physical one,” Nannini said. “Cole is showing everyone that.”

Brauer hopes to continue competing professionally and is already eyeing another around-the-world competition, but not before she gets her hands on a croissant and cappuccino.

“My mouth is watering just thinking about that.”

Emilie Ikeda is an NBC News correspondent.

East Hampton graduate Cole Brauer is first American woman to solo circumnavigate the globe in a sailboat

Cole Brauer, arriving Thursday in A Coruña, Spain, became the first American woman to race nonstop around the world by herself. Credit: AP/James Tomlinson/Cole Brauer Ocean Racing

Racing around the world has long been an aspiration of Cole Brauer, who grew up on the East End of Long Island with the ocean so close.

“I just wanted to get out on the water," said Brauer, 29.

Thursday, she made history by becoming the first American woman to solo circumnavigate the world in a nonstop sailboat race.

"I'd always wanted to race around the world, because I wanted to be able to be offshore, without anybody around, just kind of like in that Puritan type of style, no building, no cars, no nothing, just really beautiful ocean weather," she told Newsday in an interview Saturday. 

For her parents, it was far from easy to wait out the 130-day, near-30,000-mile voyage, her dad, East Hampton native David Brauer, confessed.

"It's been hell," Brauer, 59, now of Trevett, Maine, said Friday in a phone call from A Coruña, Spain. "A lot of sleepless nights."

On Thursday, her place in the books was sealed when she sailed her 40-foot sailboat into the harbor at A Coruña, on the northern Atlantic coast of Spain, finishing second among more than a dozen sailors competing in the Global Solo Challenge. She also became one in a field of fewer than 200 elite sailors — and just the 18th woman ever — to solo circumnavigate the globe nonstop, according to a register maintained by the International Association of Cape Horners.

Cole Brauer left A Coruña in October to begin her quest in the staggered-start field, sailing south along the west coast of Africa, then around the Cape of Good Hope and east to Australia. She traversed the Pacific, sailing around Cape Horn at the tip of South America and continuing across the Atlantic aboard her sailboat, named First Light.

Along the way, the 5-foot-2, 100-pound 2012 graduate of East Hampton High School got her ribs battered when she slammed into the cabin walls during a storm that generated 30-foot seas, and she had to self-administer an IV after becoming dangerously dehydrated.

She's has had to be able to handle any challenge that came her way. There really was no other way.

"You just know the boat, and you know when she's not happy, and you learn very quickly how to make her happy ... because I'm on the boat, and I have full control, I never felt like, 'Oh, I need to go to shore, oh, this and that is happening.' Things were breaking, but I had planned exactly what I needed to have for spares and tools, and even if I didn't, you just learn how to, you know, use a hammer for five different types of tools because you don't have the actual tool," she said in the interview. 

After months at sea on an arduous journey, she and her teammates are resting — finally — and celebrating.

"The whole team is here. I finished two days ago, so we've mostly been popping bottles of champagne, and I've been eating like I've never eaten in my entire life," she said. "We're just enjoying a couple days as an entire team, just a big celebration after a long, long six months of our lives, and then we all go home." 

Dawn Riley, executive director of the Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay and the first woman to be a crew member in an America's Cup race, said, "It is incredible how she has made it around [the world] and made it look so easy to her hundreds of thousands of followers."

Brauer grew up on Springs Fireplace Road in East Hampton, off Accabonac Creek near Gardiners Island and Gardiners Bay.

Though David Brauer said Cole first learned sailing basics as a young teen on small Sunfish-type sailboats, it was her twin sister, Dalton, who was a member of the sailing club at East Hampton High School. It wasn't until Cole Brauer went to the University of Hawaii to train to be a doctor following a year studying photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design that she seriously became involved in sailing — setting the hook that would lead her to ocean racing.

"She was an artsy kid," East Hampton Union Free School District Superintendent Adam Fine said Friday of Cole. "She was a gifted photographer — and I still have a picture Cole gave me in my office . . . this beautiful, religious figure, draped in darkness and streaming light."

David Brauer said his daughters have always been strong-willed and confident, and noted Dalton also is a skilled sailor and sailing instructor.

Still, he said the toughest time for him and his wife, as parents, was fear of the unknown.

Brauer said at the last-minute prior to setting out on the Global Challenge, Cole learned she still needed more solo mileage to qualify for the race, and as a result had to sail First Light solo across the Atlantic from Newport, Rhode Island, to A Coruña just to qualify.

Then, there was the treacherous four months at sea solo.

He said being able to talk to Cole almost daily via a satellite phone was a blessing. But, he said: "While it takes a lot of angst out of the day, being able to see her, the scariest thing was when we'd be talking and there'd be a sound and she'd say, 'I have to go check something outside,' and then she'd pop out the cabin door and disappear. Most of the time on deck she'd be tethered to the boat. But with something like that, she'd just pop out, and I'd be sitting there, waiting, thinking: 'Where is she? Did she fall off the damn boat?'

"Trust me. That was hell."

The Brauers flew to Spain ahead of Cole's arrival Thursday and were on a boat that met her sailboat two miles outside the harbor — aptly, at dawn — then followed her as she sailed in on First Light.

David Brauer said his brother, who's a commercial airline pilot, named his own daughter Amelia Mayday Brauer after Amelia Earhart, and that he thought of the failed quest of the famed aviator as he followed Cole's circumnavigation to its successful end.

"I was trying to think of all the other women who have accomplished firsts," David Brauer said, "and now I think, 'Wow, my daughter is among them.' When we finally got to land? There were some tears, for sure. And a lot of joy ... It's all just so incredible."

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Brauer celebrates as she became the first American woman to race nonstop around the world by herself when she arrived Thursday in A Coruña, Spain. Credit: AP/James Tomlinson/Cole Brauer Ocean Racing

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A record on the high seas: Cole Brauer becomes first US woman to sail solo around the world

On Thursday, Cole Brauer made history, becoming the first American woman to sail solo nonstop around the world. The 29-year-old from Long Island, New York, celebrated at the finish line in Spain by drinking champagne from her trophy.

Friends, peers and sailing enthusiasts had been cheering Brauer on since last October, when she embarked on her more than four-month journey.

Race organizer Marco Nannini told USA TODAY he started the Global Solo Challenge to "create a platform for sailors like Cole to showcase her skills and move on to a pro sailor career."

While at sea Brauer kept her more than 400,000 Instagram followers updated − and entertained − with videos from onboard First Light. The trip was extremely challenging and physically exhausting, Brauer said in one video from December.

In the post, she describes how frustrated she felt when she had to fix and replace different parts of the boat.

"I don't want you guys to think I'm like Superwoman or something," Brauer said. "Right now I've been feeling just broken," she added, describing how she had to fix the boat's autopilot system after injuring her torso against the side of the boat's hull amid intense waves.

Who is Cole Brauer?

Brauer is from Long Island and competed for the University of Hawaii sailing team. She went to high school in East Hampton, New York, her university team website says. She was the youngest of more than a dozen sailors, or skippers, in the Global Solo Challenge.

The professional sailor lives in Boothbay, Maine, and during the spring and summer, she can be also found in Newport, Rhode Island, gearing up for races, the Newport Daily News reported last year .

Brauer has sailed on First Light, a 40-foot yacht, for over five years, the outlet reported.

"I always said I wanted to race around the world in this boat," she told the newspaper.

From above and below First Light's deck, Brauer shared aspects of her journey with followers and die-hard sailing fans.

On New Year's Eve, she donned a dress and danced at midnight , and in another post, she showed off how many pull-ups she can do.

As the only woman racing solo, nonstop around the world in the first Global Solo Challenge, Brauer said she was determined to prove there's nothing women and girls cannot accomplish.

"I push so much harder when someone's like, 'No, you can't do that,'" Brauer told NBC Nightly News . "And I'm like, 'OK, watch me.'"

Brauer is the first American woman to sail solo around the world. But Kay Cottee of Australia was the first woman in the world to accomplish the milestone, sailing off from Sydney Harbor in Australia in November 1987 and returning 189 days later.

On her profile page on the Global Solo Challenge website, Brauer said she wanted to send a message to the sailing community that it's time to leave its male-dominated culture in the past. In the profile, Brauer took aim at a lack of equal pay and what she describes as harassment in the sailing industry.

"Just as well as this community has built me up it has broken me and my fellow female teammates down. I am doing this race for them," Brauer said.

Brauer and her spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

How long was Cole Brauer at sea?

Brauer was sailing for over four months after departing on Oct. 29.

She finished second in the race, behind a sailor who departed about a month before she did.

The start times differed because that first place boat, Phillipe Delamare's Mowgli, is much slower, Nannini said, explaining the race's staggered start times.

"The format means that if you enter on a slow, small boat you can still win, which makes it much more inclusive than an event where a bigger budget is a definite advantage," he said.

France's Delamare will win first-place prize money of 7,500 euros (about $8,140), Brauer will win 5,000 euros (about $5,430) and the third place finisher will win 2,500 euros (about $2,710), Nannini said.

How dangerous was Cole Brauer's sailing race?

A medical team including a nurse and a physician trained Brauer and sent her on her journey with medicines and medical supplies, in case of any health issues, according to her Instagram account.

Early in the race, Brauer administered her own IV with a saline solution after she became dehydrated, according to one video posted to her social media.

Brauer's most serious health scare happened in early December when she said gnarly ocean conditions caused the boat to jolt, throwing her across the inside of the boat and slamming her hard against a wall.

Her ribs were badly bruised as a result, and her medical team told her to alternate between taking Advil and Tylenol, Brauer said on Instagram.

"Rigging up a sleeping seat belt has been added to my priority list," she said in the post's caption. "I know I'm very lucky that this wasn't a lot worse."

What is the Global Solo Challenge?

The inaugural Global Solo Challenge is a nonstop sailing race in which competitors departed last year from A Coruña, Spain.

The race encompasses nearly 30,000 miles and takes place mostly in the southern hemisphere.

After leaving waters off the coast of Spain, sailors travel south and around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The race then includes the two other capes that together make up the famous three great capes: Australia's Cape Leeuwin and South America's Cape Horn.

About half of the other competitors dropped out of the race, according to racing data posted online by the Global Solo Challenge.

Delamare finished the race late last month after embarking on his journey in late September 2023, according to race data.

Contributing: Associated Press

Middle East Crisis First Aid Shipment to Arrive by Sea Is Set to Be Delivered Across Gaza

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• Palestinians outside a hospital on Saturday after an overnight bombardment. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• Buildings destroyed after a strike in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City on Saturday. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• Posters with photos of hostages kidnapped on Oct. 7, in Tel Aviv on Saturday. Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters
• Palestinians transport a victim pulled from the rubble of a home after a strike west of Nuseirat. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Supplies are to be brought by truck, including in the north, where conditions are particularly dire.

The first shipment of aid to reach Gaza by sea in almost two decades has been unloaded from a makeshift jetty and is to be distributed by truck throughout the enclave, in a step that Western officials hope will pave the way for a maritime corridor to deliver supplies to suffering Gazans.

The ship, the Open Arms, towed a barge loaded with about 200 tons of rice, flour, lentils and canned tuna, beef and chicken, supplied by the World Central Kitchen charity, across the Mediterranean from Cyprus.

“The Open Arms connected a barge filled with almost 200 tons of food to the W.C.K. built jetty on the coast of Gaza,” the charity said in a statement, referring to a jetty it constructed out of rubble at the Gaza coastline. “All cargo was offloaded and is being readied for distribution in Gaza.”

The supplies will be dispatched by truck, including in Gaza’s north, said José Andrés, the renowned Spanish American chef who founded the World Central Kitchen. It was not clear who was operating the trucks and who would provide security for them, and Mr. Andrés would not elaborate.

Safely distributing food where it is needed is a pressing challenge in Gaza, especially in the north, which is particularly troubled by insecurity, lawlessness and roads damaged by Israel airstrikes. Signs of desperate hunger are growing as people resort to consuming animal feed or ambushing aid trucks .

U.N. aid groups had to largely suspend deliveries in northern Gaza last month, and for at least the second time in just over two weeks, a convoy bringing aid there ended in bloodshed late Thursday when Palestinians were killed and wounded in an attack surrounding the trucks, according to Gazan health officials and the Israeli military.

The Open Arms is the first vessel authorized to deliver aid to Gaza since 2005, according to Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, who has described the operation as a pilot project for a so-called maritime corridor for supplies to the territory.

With Gaza under a near-total blockade and having undergone more than five months of Israeli bombardment, much of the enclave is at risk of famine , the United Nations has warned. Aid officials have emphasized that delivering aid by sea is far less efficient than by truck and have called on Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza and ease restrictions.

World Central Kitchen is preparing to send a second boat with food aid from the Cypriot port of Larnaca, the charity said, but it was not clear when it would set sail. The second ship is equipped with two forklifts and a crane to assist with future maritime deliveries, and has a cargo of 240 tons of food, including carrots, canned tuna, chickpeas, corn, rice, flour, oil and salt, as well as over 250 pounds of fresh dates donated by the United Arab Emirates.

Last week, President Biden announced a U.S.-led initiative to establish a temporary floating pier off Gaza’s coastline to facilitate the transit of goods. American officials hope to ultimately use the pier to enable the delivery of two million meals a day for Gaza’s 2.3 million people.

Since October, organizers and Palestinian cooks working with World Central Kitchen have served more than 37 million meals in Gaza, according to the group. The organization said it had established over 60 community kitchens , managed by Palestinians, in the territory.

— Monika Pronczuk

The U.N. has documented more than two dozen attacks on Gazans waiting for aid since January.

The United Nations human rights office has documented more than two dozen attacks on Gazans waiting for desperately needed aid since January, with hunger spreading as a result of Israel’s near complete siege, preventing most food and water from entering the tiny enclave.

The office has not blamed any side for the spate of attacks as people wait for aid. In a number of U.N. reports and statements, the office has documented at least 26 such attacks since mid-January.

They include Thursday night’s attack on hundreds of Palestinians who were waiting at the Kuwait traffic circle in Gaza City for an expected convoy of aid trucks. Gazan health officials accused Israeli forces of carrying out a “targeted” attack on the crowd that killed 20, and three witnesses described shelling at the scene.

The Israeli military blamed Palestinian gunmen for the bloodshed and said that it was continuing to review the episode. It said an “intensive preliminary review” had found that no “tank fire, airstrike or gunfire was carried out toward the Gazan civilians at the aid convoy,” though it did not say whether its forces had opened fire at all.

It was at least the 10th such incident in March in which people have been shot and killed or injured while waiting for aid at either the Kuwait or Nabulsi traffic circles, according to the United Nations. They are the two main southern entrances to Gaza City, where the few humanitarian aid trucks entering north Gaza arrive from the south.

In the deadliest incident, more than 100 Palestinians were killed and many more injured when Israeli forces opened fire around a convoy in Gaza City in late February. Witnesses said Israeli forces opened fire toward Palestinians who surged forward toward aid trucks.

The Israeli military said that its forces had opened fire “when a mob moved in a manner which endangered them.” It has said that most people died in a stampede and that some were run over by trucks.

Aid agencies, including from the United Nations, have said that rather than help facilitate humanitarian assistance, Israel has blocked aid from either coming into the Gaza Strip or going to the north, where the hunger situation has become dire.

“Israel’s choices of methods and means of warfare have caused a humanitarian catastrophe,” the United Nations office said in a report this month. “Such choices included the imposition of a siege on Gaza, other restrictions on humanitarian assistance and the distribution of commercial goods, vast destruction of civilian infrastructure, including roads vital for accessing the population, and restrictions on the movement between the north and south of Gaza.”

Israel, which imposed a siege after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack, has said throughout the war that it is committed to allowing as much aid into Gaza as possible. It has blamed delays on U.N. staffing and logistics.

In a statement on Friday, United Nations human rights office called on Israel to ensure that food and medical care are provided to meet Gaza’s needs. Aid agencies have said that in addition to the Israeli restrictions on relief convoys, looting by hungry Palestinians and growing lawlessness have made it difficult if not impossible to distribute aid.

If Israel cannot provide aid, it “has the obligation to facilitate humanitarian relief activities, including by ensuring the conditions of safety required for such activities,” the human rights office said.

In February, a quarter of the U.N. aid missions planned were facilitated by Israeli authorities, the U.N.’s office of humanitarian coordination said.

U.N. officials and other relief groups have warned that Gaza is nearing famine as a result of inadequate food delivery. At least 27 people, including 23 children, have died of malnutrition, dehydration and lack of baby formula, according to the health ministry.

— Raja Abdulrahim

Alarming number of children suffer from most severe form of malnutrition, U.N. agency says.

Children in the Gaza Strip are facing severe and rapidly worsening food deprivation, and an alarming number are suffering from the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, United Nations experts reported on Friday, in their most dire assessment yet of the unfolding crisis.

About one in every 20 children in shelters and health centers in northern Gaza is experiencing “severe wasting,” the most critical sign of malnutrition, defined as being dangerously thin for their height, according to UNICEF, the U.N. agency for children. The findings were based on screenings conducted by the agency and released on Friday.

Among children under 2 years old, acute malnutrition, meaning the body is deprived of essential nutrients, has become fairly common across Gaza, the screenings found, with the most severe prevalence in northern Gaza. In some areas, it found that rates of acute malnutrition had doubled since they were last recorded in January.

Even in Rafah, the densely populated area in southern Gaza with the greatest access to food, 10 percent of children under 2 are acutely malnourished, and 4 percent are severely wasting.

Before the war, UNICEF said, the rate of acute malnutrition among young children was less than 1 percent, and severe wasting was extremely rare.

Lucia Elmi, UNICEF’s special representative in the Palestinian territories, who returned from Gaza last week, said she was particularly alarmed by not only the number of children suffering from malnutrition, but how quickly their health was deteriorating. Young children cannot be adequately nourished from just water, flour and bread, she said.

“They need protein, they need vitamins, they need fresh products and they need micronutrients, and all of this has been completely missing,” Ms. Elmi said in an interview last week. “That’s why the deterioration has been so fast, so rapid and at this scale.”

Children are bearing extreme costs of the war in Gaza, both physically and mentally, children’s rights groups and experts have repeated. More than 12,000 children have been killed in the conflict, and 27 children in northern Gaza have died from malnutrition or dehydration, according to the Gazan Health Ministry.

Palestinian parents say that, in addition to the threat of bombardment, their daily struggle is to find enough food for their children. Many have said they choose to feed what little they have to their children rather than themselves.

Dominic Allen, the United Nations Population Fund representative for Palestine, who just returned from a trip to Gaza, said on Friday that conditions there were worse than he could “describe or than pictures can show or than you can imagine.” He said at a press briefing in Jerusalem that everyone he saw or spoke to was “gaunt, emaciated, hungry.”

“The situation is beyond catastrophic,” he said.

Israel has said that it does not limit the amount of aid allowed into Gaza through border crossings, and recently signaled its support for new initiatives to get aid into Gaza by land, air and sea. Humanitarian groups have criticized Israel, saying that its insistence on checking every truckload of aid — and rejecting some — is a major cause of the food shortage.

The chief executive of Save the Children, an aid group, in the United States, Janti Soeripto, said that the crisis was currently, by far, the worst in the world for children.

“Every time I speak about Gaza, I sort of think to myself that it couldn’t get any worse,” she said in an interview. “And then every week, I’m proven wrong.”

Without a cease-fire, it has been difficult for teams to safely and comprehensively assist Palestinians.

Speaking from Rafah, Rachael Cummings, Save the Children’s director of humanitarian public health in the United Kingdom, said that the lack of sanitation — including dirty or salty water and sewage on the streets — was worsening the hunger crisis there.

“If a child isn’t eating adequate food or the right composition of food — they have poor water, poor sanitation — they will get very sick, very quickly,” she said.

— Gaya Gupta

Hamas drops demand for permanent cease-fire before a hostage-for-prisoner exchange, officials say.

Hamas is no longer demanding that Israel immediately agree to a permanent cease-fire in return for beginning a hostage and prisoner exchange, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

Hamas’s new proposal would allow the release of hostages in exchange for a phased pullback of Israeli troops from parts of the Gaza Strip as well as prisoner releases. By modifying demands for an outright end of hostilities, the new proposal could possibly restart negotiations.

The White House welcomed the new Hamas proposal and confirmed that talks would resume soon in Doha, Qatar, although without an American delegation present. “We’re cautiously optimistic that things are moving in a good direction but that doesn’t mean it’s done and we’re going to have to stick with it until the very end,” said John F. Kirby, a national security communications adviser for the White House.

The United States has been applying pressure on Hamas to resume talks and ease its demands. Various negotiating parties have been offering Gaza more promises of humanitarian aid and issuing vague threats to close down Hamas’s political office in Doha.

While publicly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was dismissive of the new proposal, other Israeli officials have reacted more positively, given that last week Hamas refused to offer terms for a hostage swap.

Negotiators, including senior Israeli intelligence officials, could arrive in Doha as early as Sunday, according to an official in the region.

While saying he did not want to negotiate from the White House podium, Mr. Kirby suggested that the Hamas proposal fit the framework that Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the United States agreed to in talks in Paris last month.

“I would say the proposal that was put forward is certainly within the bounds of — in broad brush strokes — within the bounds of the deal that we’ve been working on for several months,” he said. “But the devil’s in the details.”

Another U.S. official and the official in the region said that while gaps between the warring parties need to be closed, the new proposal was the first positive step in some time, and it was significant that Hamas was no longer demanding a permanent cease-fire.

In the first phase of an agreement, under the Hamas proposal, Israeli troops would pull back toward central Gaza, allowing some civilians to return to their homes, according to an Israeli official briefed on the proposal.

Under the Hamas proposal, Israel would have to agree to the release of more Palestinians from prison than the U.S.-backed proposal had offered.

The initial exchange of hostages would include the remaining five female hostages, in addition to 35 men who are old, sick or injured. Hamas is demanding the release of 350 Palestinian prisoners for the men. It wants 50 prisoners, including 30 sentenced to life in prison, for each of the women. The earlier American-backed proposal had said 15 prisoners convicted of serious acts of terrorism would be released for the female prisoners.

The first phase would last a few weeks. During the second phase, male prisoners would be released in return for a further cessation of hostilities. In the final stage, Hamas would return the bodies of hostages who have died and Israel would ease the blockade of Gaza, according to the Hamas proposal.

Israel has resisted any agreement to end its military campaign. American officials have been pushing to begin exchanges in return for a temporary halt in fighting as the only formula that can work.

Details of the Hamas proposal were earlier reported by Al Jazeera.

The various parties had been discussing for weeks a broader three-phase approach to the release of all hostages held by Hamas and its allies, including the bodies of deceased hostages. Israel and the United States wanted to focus negotiations on the first phase, involving releases of certain hostages for a number of Palestinian prisoners. But as part of those focused talks, Hamas had insisted that Israel commit to a permanent cease-fire after all three phases, which became a major point of contention, since Israel refuses to accede to that.

Edward Wong contributed reporting from Washington.

— Ronen Bergman ,  Julian E. Barnes and Aaron Boxerman Reporting from Tel Aviv, Washington and Jerusalem

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Rowers raise thousands of pounds for charity after epic transatlantic challenge

• West Country
• Friday 15 March 2024 at 2:32pm

The rowers were guests on ITV News West Country and spoke of their amazing challenge.

Three rowers have raised thousands of pounds for charity after completing a 3,000-mile challenge across the Atlantic Ocean.

Maddie Difazio-Wright, from Bristol, and her two crew members, Grace Gilbert and Grace Pybus, have raised nearly £3,000 for Bristol's Empire Fighting Chance, Oxford Hospitals Charity and the Kidney Wales Foundation.

The women, known as the Vibe the Wave team, completed The World's Toughest Row Challenge in January after spending 48 days, 13 hours and 53 minutes at sea.

They faced numerous challenges on their journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua, including being attacked by a marlin 1,000 miles from land .

Ms Difazio-Wright said the eight-foot-long fish took them by surprise.

"We didn't expect to see one, but we'd heard stories because it has happened to a few other boats before," she said.

"I was rowing through the water and I suddenly felt something on the oar and I shouted something to the girls."

She said the fish was "so quick and so powerful" that it made three holes in the boat, which they patched up with an empty champagne bottle and a broken oar.

"The first thing we all thought to do was to protect the parts of the boat that we could," she said.

The attack was filmed on the team's GoPro camera by Ms Difazio-Wright's teammate, Grace Gilbert.

Ms Difazio-Wright explained: "Grace was thinking, I think I need this on both my phone camera and my GoPro - so in her hand goes into the water."

Before taking on the challenge, the women had never rowed before and had never met each other.

Ms Difazio-Wright said one of the biggest challenges they had to overcome was their fear of deep water.

"There are all sorts of things that end up growing on the bottom of the boat, and it can either slow you down or it can attract fish, which end up attracting bigger fish. So we had to jump under the boat to clean it," she said.

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Title: ntire 2023 image shadow removal challenge technical report: team iim_tti.

Abstract: In this paper, we analyze and discuss ShadowFormer in preparation for the NTIRE2023 Shadow Removal Challenge [1], implementing five key improvements: image alignment, the introduction of a perceptual quality loss function, the semi-automatic annotation for shadow detection, joint learning of shadow detection and removal, and the introduction of new data augmentation techniques for shadow removal. Our method achieved scores of 0.196 (3rd out of 19) in LPIPS and 7.44 (3rd out of 19) in the Mean Opinion Score (MOS).

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